The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-10-03


I Il have picked up Spanish from a
friend, a Cuban. Ramon Solano."
Him. HIM. That accounts for your
remark Of yesterday-that a Cuban
might understand this cipher. Have
you shown 1t to your friend, Solano?'
Eyes. sir. In fact. he suggested
some OF the points in the cipher. and
car read 1t as well as myself"
HIM. him. Rather sorry about that
Is this Solano a good. square fellow?"
Best in the world. sir. He's a real
American in everything but his birth.
place, chief. III youch for him every
time"
The secretary of the navy spoke up
at this ju~ncture.
Il think | know this young Solano,"
he interposed, "and | know his father.
II am not mistaken, he might be the
very man we need in the affair now
under discussion"
Chief wilkins resumed the interro-
CATION.
Mr.. B%rockett, would eou be willing
to take a chance for your country? A
chance that might involve risking your
| life a dozen times, and which might
not yield you eve a taste OF glory as
your reward?"
Il am willing to do anything l can
possibly accomplish, IL you give me
the word, chief"
Good boy! l sized you up that way
the first time / ever saw you in the Of
flee. son. Could you say as much for
your friend Solano?"
Yes sir. / think Solano would go
to eny lengths to prove his love for
the United States"
Very well. This afternoon, MI.
Brockett, kindly make duplicate
copies OF your cipher for General Cole,
the secretary of war, the secretary of
the navy. Mr.. Pinkwell, and myself.
BY the way, we might as well have 1t
done now, and saw the time. Mr..
Brockett. will you call In Miss Law
son?'
Brockett had ~half.opened the door,
when he faced around, closed the door
again. and looked calmly into the eyes
Of the puzzled chief.
Chief" he exclaimed, rapidly, "Tll
make out the duplicate copies of the
key myself. Anyone who was unused
to that sort of work might confuse
the symbols. l will have them done
early in the afternoon"
Very WELL" the chief assented
Bring me the copies. and then go to
1rHnu ondn nefnn INnAv CN- -
be awaiting you at three o'clock. II
possible. get your friend, Solano, and
take him with you. General Cole will
explain to you both Just what he
wishes you to do" !.
Brockett bowed respectfully to the
group of. notables. and walked out. Co
ing to his desk, he attended to a few
matters Of routine duty. and then,
with hard pencil and carbon papers,
began laboriously copying the key to
his b~ewildering cipher. His hands
became smutted with carbon and pen
Gil dust, and B~rockett, who was metic.
ulously neat about his work, went to
the Mushroom. Returning after an abb
sence OF but a few minutes, he was
just in time to see the stenographer.
Miss Lawson, moving away from his
desk, empty-handed and with the
most innocent OF demeanor. A glance
at his cipher treasured him-none OF
the sheets were disturbed, none of the
carbon papers missing. Brockett fin
ished copying the key. and then wait
ed, apparently busy In other work. un.
TIL Miss Lawson was called away to
take dictation. Then, RAPIDLY slippins
the completed work and the used car.
bons into his inner pocket, he took
five fresh sheets. four fresh carbons.
and proceeded TO carefully inscribe
the top sheet with the words OF an old
Columbia college song, managing and
jumbling words. lines and rhythm.
When Miss Lawson returned, the boy
was still laboriously sinking the hard
pencil into the topmost sheet. When
the boy vent out for lunch, Miss Law.
son remained. absorbed in earnest ef.
forts at her typewriter.