Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1912-03-14

Daobouors ne concluded. Try 10 IL
tercept him when he takes his fee
through the Sound. And beware o
the German agents, who will, doubt
less. soon be upon your trail. Tn
kaiser's representative is none othe
/ than the notorious Stapfhaus."
| With this he took me by the han,
and, after cordial Godspeed, fairl,
showed me down the steps and int,
Downing street. was overcome will
amazement for few moments, which
was not lessened by the recollection
OF the enemy had to face. For Stapf
haus. convicted forger and blackmail
er, had been the most adroit of al
Germany's representatives before his
downfall, and we had crossed swords
when I was at Berlin. not wholly ts
my advantage.
Half an hour later was at home
saying adieu to Talbot.
Wont you tyke me with you. STRIP
he pleaded. ''They's tough devils. |
hear. them Rooshians"
wavered for a moment. But I al.
ways like to take my fences alone. Re-
luctantly / felt that must play a
lone hand In these strange and pecu-
liar circumstances. / ordered Talbot
to sew the dispatches inside my coat,
at the same time mentioning that |
expected to encounter danger from
Stapfhaus, whose duty 1t was at any
cost to prevent me from delivering
my dispatches to the Russian admiral,
Five minutes later Talbot handed
me my coat. Putting it on, l felt the
crinkly paper of the dispatches inside
the lining. Then. again refusing his
urgent and repeated requests that |
permit him to accompany me. /
jumped into cab, grip In hand, and
started upon my journey to Copen-
hagen.
With the details Of the journey as
far as the Danish frontier | need not
trouble you. l may state, however,
that from the moment when I left the
house perceived that l was under
surveillance. In the street, In the
train, upon the boat, was followed
by relays Of spies. However, was
armed. and gave no opportunity to my
enemies. The real struggle, knew,
would come later.
l had calculated that | should be
able to reach Copenhagen about five
hours before the passage of the fleet
through the Sound, which would af.
ford me ample time to communicate
with Admiral Rojestvensky. But an
unexpected incident effectually
changed my plans. We had Just
crossed the Danish frontier when sud-
denly violent impact shook me from
my seat The coach appeared to sway
and rock; it hung indecisiyely upon
one side for an appreciable interval, |
then slowly righted ITSELF I was upon |
my feet In a moment and, finding my.
self uninjured, went 10 the door and |
opened 1t. Then discovered that the |
train had left the metals and hung
perilously over a steep embankment,
rom a descent into which we had
been saved almost by miracle.
Happily no lives were lost in the
disaster, but by the time that HELM
knew l was too late to In
-ercept Rojestvensly. On arriving at
he Danish capital, however, to my
great joy learned that the vessels of
ne fleet had passed through only a
ew hours previously. and were cred
ted with an intention of hating lust
the three-mile limit to await
he arrival Of the torpedo boats which
lad left Russia couple of days later.
Then might yet be In time to inter
ept the admiral and turn him from
lis mission of bloodshed with Its dis
strous sequels.
But how was / to reach the vessels
4 the fleet? l learned at the British
mbassy that no vessels of any sort
ad been permitted within gunshot of !
ne Russians; that Rojestvensky had
ctually fired upon a small boat that ,
ad attempted to enter into communi-
alton with him. Clearly his orders 7
ad been explicit. The watchers =,
rom the town had seen his squadron ,
ass in the offing, at a distance of [
ome two miles, In perfect formation. s
was formidable ray, they said.> |
furthermore, the city was wild with T
imors of an impending attack upon (
le English shores. But nobody, least a
all the British officials, seemed TO b
now what events were likely to t
MY plan was soon made up. The 4"
lily way to reach the admiral would
to hire fishing schooner-one of t,
ose numerous vessels that put out h
My during the season in quest of 81
'rring and cod, of the Banks of the
orth sea. With the use of this I t.
ight approach Rojestvensky boldly fc
hen he was anchored on the high y
as, and safe from any imminence of
niger. 1 did not doubt but that. I'M r
T. these circumstances, he would ac- fl
I'd me an interview. And at the hi
,rst, If he should sink me. I could 81
It do my duty and go down to the
pths OF the ocean, carrying my w
ecious dispatches with me. Ri
Since my arrival In Copenhagen hs
d been free, so far as / could de. m
mine, from espionage. | had NOT m
ubted that the Wreckinq of tho Nv. en-