The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-10-10
Diplomacy
B, F. TOWNSEND SMITH

IvrEat. ~ - ~ WAN0AAN~ Nv - III
Count Rudolph Breitstein, secretary
of the German embassy to the United
States at Washington. was called n
afternoon to the private Office Of his
chief, who said to him:t
There Is the paper you are to take
to Berlin. Take it home with you and
keep it In your hiding place for impor.
tant documents till your departure.
But be careful. If the French Office
should get hold Of 1t we would be ruin
ed. 1t refers to payment for the
French work on the Panama canal"
Count Rudolph took the paper. at
the same time saying to the ambassa-
dor:
1T is said that no spying is done in
Washington. but l do not believe 1t.
I have reason to suspect that my hid
ing place-a little safe in a wall in my
home-is known. Let the place where
I keep the key be known as well and
a document might as well be laid out
.VA q k0OlCs j WALL AAOO LILO P0PCA =
Saturday, the day I leave"
Miss Agnes Winterton, the daughter
OF an admiral Of the United States
navy, but whose father was dead.
maintained a social position in Wash
|ington that she had inherited, but
which she could not have retained in
poverty in any other city except
Washington. Miss Winterton was sit
ting in, the drawing room Of Count
Breitstein. having sent up her card
to the counts mother, with whom he
lived, when a latchkey was put in the
front door lock, and Count Rudolph
himself entered the house.
rents, and the room in which Miss
Winterton sat was quite dark from the
storm and the heavy window curtains.
The count came into the room, where
she was sitting in a shaded corner,
and. though he looked about the room.
did not see her. But he wore glasses
and had not wiped the moisture from
them after entering the house. Going
to a bookcase, he took down a volume
from the left hand corner Of the top
shelf, opened the volume, put a paper
in it, closed the case and left the room
unconscious Of having been observed.
Mounting to his room. he threw him
self on a lounge for a brief rest be-
fore dressing for dinner. f..
The countess, who was changing
from street to dinner costume. kept
Miss Winterton waiting some time.
After Count Rudolph left the drawing
room the young lady, yielding to a
natural feminine curiosity, went to
the bookcase and took down the book in
which Rudolph had placed the paper
and, opening the former, took out a
document which she read.
1.-THE information contained in that
few pages Of matter" she said to her
self, III used by me would make us
all RICH" Then. folding it, she put
lit back in its place and resumed her
seat.
1t is singular that one who could
yield to a temptation to crafty a Gu
riosity she had no right to indulge
could have had the fortitude to resist
the temptation to make a fortune by
means of the information derived. But
we are all bundles Of inconsistencies,
and women, though more likely than
men to yield to some petty foible. are
by no mean behind the sterner sex in
resisting great ones.
The countess did not mention to her
son Miss Winterton having called, and
he remained in ignorance Of the young
lady's having been in the house at the
same time as himself. He left for
Berlin In a few days and was not
back in Washington again for several
weeks. On the night after his return
be met Miss Winterton at q reception
given by a member Of the cabinet BE
chatted with her for a few minutes.
oot for a moment suspectng that she
held q secret that would make her
rich and secure his dismissal from the
German diplomatic corps in disgrace.
Time wore on. The diplomatic bust
ness soaring upon the building Of the
canal was settled. the necessary trea-
ties were signed and the work com
0eaced. Meanwhile Count Rudolph
and Miss Winterton were thrown &C
casionaiiy together. The countess was
especially pleased with her and often
invited her to her house. The count
had no idea Of marrying an American
wife. but felt that II he e 30 inclin'
Cd Miss Winterton would be his choice
Washington gossip had It that Miss
Wlnterton had set her cap for the Ger
man secretary Of legation. but there
was not a word Of truth in. the report
The count was q man Of the world
and. above all. d diplomat He asked
her to be his wife simply because be
made up his mind that he couldn't very
we'll get on without her. Added to this
he knew that when he introduced hel
I'm Berlin she would take high social
rank there. She was quite clever and
passably comedy. But. above all. there
was. q high bred air about her that
would always make her prominent n
Il 0ET0lf-E ~ III - .q,5. FgS n. 49, III -