Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-03-25

KNEW L nau IOunu you, anu tHdC IL
was you who had SAVED me, l was
glad-gladl l wanted you to come
to me and let me talk to you. Men
are such babies. You were unjpstly
puni shed, and for years have sulked
like little boy. But now it is time
to smile up your face. .,ometimes
think that the things we do, and
think we d. Of our own volition, are
really the working out Of inscrutable
design. Perhaps went to that dread
full place today just in order to meet
you and tell you about an old, white
haired man who loves his country and
his loy."
She paused with a break in her
voice.
The man beside her trembled. His
face twitched. "Love of countryw
he said hoarsely. "It is a great
thing. All these years have
been trying to kill it out. Tonight
you have made it live-you, the first
person in five years who has voiced
belief in my innocence! l am an
American, Miss McRae. That is the
first time l have said it in over four
years. love my country.
Love her! Why, my people have
loved her, fought for her, died for
her for years. 1t is born in me
bred in the bone. And thought once
lat l, too, would serve her l love
those stripes Of red and white.
Through all the years, when l have
met them in strange places, my heart
has swelled until / cursed because of
its pain. / have clenched my hands
and gritted my teeth to keep from
taking off Hax hat to it and all it
stood for u me. They said l be-
trayed it. Oh, the fools! Why
couldn't they see / was ready to die
for it?" He dropped his face on an
arm on the back Of the bench. His
shoulders heaved. Forgive the dis
play" he said sfter bit.
He sat up and turned back to ad-
dress her. 81 wonder why l couldn't
have had some one-some one like
you-to talk to me like this years
ago when it happened before l came
to this place and to what l am?"
81 don't know" said Shiela. She
lapsed silent and sat with hands
yond her threw her face and figure
into silhouette. Gafford, watching
her, drank in that vision of woman
hood with a waking soul. To his
reused senses she stood for unvoiced,
indefin .ble things. Her face was
pensive, brooding, under the dim
light. The mysterious thrall Of her
femininity reached out like subtle
essence and enchained him. She
seemed the epitome Of all women, the
embodiment of the life forces of the
ages, the incarnation of the riddle Of
existence. Presently she began TO
speak:
at may be that there is purpose
even in that. We women feel things,
lieutenant, which we do not know in
any other way. Something is coming
to me tonight out of the darkness and
our conversation. 1t is not supersti-
tion which makes me feel that you
were sent to my aid today. Is it pos
sible that you were sent to your
country's aid years ago that you
might be prepared ?" She turned her
eyes to him. They were wide, with
an expression of love-the eyes of a
priestess entranced.
"I'm afraid don't exactly follow"
Gafford began.
81 mean this" she resumed. 81
have told you that my father came
here on a diplomatic mission and in
secret. Can you not see that the sit
uation is drastic when the American
Secretary Of State comes incognito
to call upon this government ?"
ave put into Nagasaki, and father
went from here by rail and boat to
Tokyo. We did not even wish to sail
openly into that port. Things have
come 70 the point of b eaking. On
both sides, as you must know, there
are factions who clamor for war. All
that is needed to fire the mine Of
conflict is pretext. May it not be
that in some way which we cannot
see now ou who have been here for
years, and know tl.eir language and
habits, are to be of use to your
country-to save hel perhaps and
yourself?"
"By Jovew exclaimed Gafford.
One word in her speech had seemed
to reach deeper than mere under
standing. Gail that is needed is a
pretext," she had said. They were
almost the words and certainly the
meaning Of Oshitu's remarks to va
mata in the house of Oku Kobe five
nights before. Gafford turned that
conversation over. The engineer had
said that whe.i "they" were ready all
that would be needed was a pretext.
They beyond any doubt was some
thing which Yamata had described as
"blue bomb"
From that it had gone on to the
mention Of various forms Of pretext
Yamata had suggested the destruc-
ton of a vessel. Oshitu had offered
the disappearance of diplomat or a
member Of his family. Gafford's in
trospection went no farther Sudden
ly, as though veil had been rent
he saw farther into the incident OF
the tea-room. Yamata was an ally
of Oshitu-one of the war party. Miss
McRae was the daughter of the Sec.
retary of State. He shivered as the
possibility struck him. Aloud he
said: "You may be right"
Something tells me l ann" she
murmured as one musing. "Will your
country find you ready if l am 2"
Do you think, he questioned
"do you think she could use--a thing