The Lamar register., 1913-05-14

let him tell you it's a."
"Silence. SIR" Numbered Randolph
DO you know what he Ii telling
henri" persisted Arrelsford.
mo. do you?"
"Yes," returned the secret service
agent.
"Wait q moment, Captain Thorne."
said the general, impressed In spite OF
himself by this mans earnestness.
which made him disregard all orders.
commands and everything else.
Where is the dispatch!"
Captain Thorne picked up the paper
md handed It to the general. and then
Itepped back. He had played his last
:ard. He played it desperately. bold
~ and well.
"Well?" asked the general. looking
rom the dispatch to the accuser,
what has he been telling them?"
He began to give an order to with
draw Marston's division from its pres
emit position" said Arrelsford. making
q brilliant and successful guess at the
probable point Of attack In plan g."
THAT is perfectly correct" said
General Randolph. looking at the pa
per.
Eyes, by that dispatch. but that dis
patch IL . forgery. 1t 10 an order to
withdraw Q whole division from vital
point. A false order, he wrote 1t him
self. This IL the turning point of the
whole plot"
But why should he write 1t him.
self? II he wanted to send false Or
der. he could send 1t without putting It
down on paper. couldn't he?"
YES" admitted Arrelsford. but he
went on with great acuteness. IF any
of the operators came back they would
catch him doing 1t. With that order
and the secretary's signature he could
60 right on. He could even order one
of them to send it."
"And pray how did he get the secre-
tary's signature to a forged telegram"
asked General Randolph.
He tore It on a genuine dispatch.
Why, general. look at that dispatch in
your hand yourself. The secretary's
signature u pasted on. l saw him do
it."
They often come that way. sir"
said Thorne nonchalantly.
He 10 . liar!" cried Arrslsford.
They never dol"
Thorne stepped forward impulsivs-
ly. his face flushed at the word '1iar.s
but he controlled himself.
General" he said. "if you have any
doubt about that dispatch. send It
back to the war department and have
1t verified"
It was . splendid. magnificent blur.
So overwhelming In Its assurance that
even Arrelsford himself was petrined
with establishment. He was morally
certain that Thorne was 4 federal Sc
cret service agent and that the dis
patch was q forgery. yet It would take
but q few minutes to send It over to
the secretary's ONCE and convict him
out of his own mouth. What could
the man mean!
That's q good idea" said General
Randolph. He hesitated . moment and
then turned to the guard Sergeant"
he said. take this dispatch over to
the secretary's once and
At that moment, the key which had
been silent began . lively clicking.
General Randolph turned toward It.
and Thorne made . quick step In the
same direction.
whats that?" asked the general.
Thorne stood by the desk listening
while the key clicked out the mes
sage.
"Adjutant General Chesney." he
spelt out slowly.
"Oh, from the 'front.' them" said
Randolph.
Yes. sir" answered Thorne.
What Is he saying"
Thorne stepped to the table and
bent over the clicking key. His COM
pliments. SIR" he read on slowly. He
asks"-waiting for a few minutes
for the rest."-still another pause
"of that dispatch-he says It's Of vital
importance. sir, and"
The communication which Thorne
had made to General Randolph was in
itself Of vital Importance. The gen.
eral was too good q soldier not to
know the danger of delay in the carry
ing out Of military maneuver which
was probably part Of some general
plan of attack or defense of which he
was not privy. He made up his mind
Instantly. He took the dispatch from
the hand Of the sergeant and turned
1t over to Thorne again.
Let him have it," he said decisively
The captain with his heart pounding