The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-10-26
HAPTE II (continued).

on with their dinner.
Gordon, meanwhile, tried coolly tc
keep UP a pretense of eating, the paper
held in n hand while he seemed tic
be studying it. Once he turned it owe
and looked On the back. There was a
per enc. He looked at 1t curiously and
Their i%nstinctively at his host.
That is my w mark" said Mr..
Holman. II put it there to distinguish
1t from other papers," He was smil-
ing politely, but he might as well have
said. II put it there to identify it in
case Of theft" for every one at the
derstood that that was what he meant.
Gordon felt it and was conscious of the
other paper in his vest-pocket. The
way was going to be most difficult.
Among the articles in the envelope
which the chief had given him before
his departure from Washington We're
a pair Of shell-rimmed eyeglasses, a
false mustache. a goatee, and a pair
of eyebrows. He a laughed at the
suggestion of h~igh-tragedy contained
in the disguise, but had brought them
with him for q possible emergency.
The eyeglasses were tucked into the
vest pocket beside the duplicate paper.
lie bethought himself of them now.
Gould he, under cover of taking them
out, manage to exchange the papers?
And IL he should, how about thai red
Ink mark across the back? Would any
n notice Its absence? 1t was well to
exchange the papers as 500 as pos
slble before the writing had been stud
led by those at the table, for he knew
tina the other message, though resem-
ping this n in general words, differed
enough to attract the attention of a
close observer. Dared he risk their
noticing the absence of the red cross
on the back?
Slowly, cautiously, under cover of
the conversation, ne managed to get
that duplicate paper out of his pocket
and under the napkin In his lap. This
he did with one hand, all the time
ostentatiously holding the code mes
sage In the other hand. with its back
to the people at the table. This hand
meanwhile also held his coat lapel u
that he might the more easily search
his ~vest-pockets for the glasses. 1t all
looked natural. The hostess was en-
gagged In a whispered conversation
with the maid at the moment. The
host and other guests We're finishing
the exceedingly delicious patties on
then plates, and the precious code
cross n all. They saw no reason to
be suspicious about the strangers
hunt for his glasses.
ooh, here they are!" he said, quite
unconcernedly, and put on tho glasses
TO look more closely at the paper,
spreading it smoothly on the table
cloth before him, and wondering how
he should get 1t into his lap in place
pf the that now lay quietly under
his napkin.
The host and the guests politely re-
Trained from talking to Gordon and
told each other incidents of the day
in low tones that indicated the nom
I'm n nrfQ ronna nf rrrho 4 tlo,y ,rv1.,1 -
while they waited for the real business
Of the hour,
Then the butler removed the plates.
-pausing beside Gordon waiting punctil-
tously with his silver tray to brush
away the crumbs.
This was just what Gordon waited
Tor. 1t had come to him as the only
way. Cautiously he drew aside, lift
Ing the paper from the table and put
ting 1t in his lap, for Just the instant
while the butler did his work; but in
that instant the paper with the red
cross was slipped under the napkin,
and the other paper took its place
upon the table, back down so that it's
Aack OF q red cross could not be noted.
So far, SO good, but how long could
this be kept up? And the paper under
the 1apktn-how was 1t to be got into
his pocket? His hands were like Ice
now, and his brain seemed to be at
boiling heat as he sat back and real
Lied that the deed was done, and could
not b g undone. II any one should
pick up that paper from the table and
discover theslack OF the red mark. it
would be all up with him. He looked
up Tor an instant to meet the gaze Of
n six men upon him. They had moth
ing better to do now than to look at
him until the next course arrived. He
realized that not one Of them would
have mercy upon him II they knew
what he had done, not one unless 1t
might be the tired, old -looking one,
and he would not dare interfere.
Still Gordon was enabled to smile,
p t. say some pleasant notllings to
his hostess when she passed him the
sailed almonds. His hand lay care
lessly guarding the secret OF the paper
on the table, innOcently, as though 1t
Just happened that he laid 1t on the
paper.
Sitting thus with the real paper IN
MS lap under his large damask nap
KIN, the false paper under his hand on
h table where he from time to time
perused IT. and his eyeglasses which
made him look most distinguished still
on his nose, he heard the distant tele-
phone bell ring.
He remembered the words OF his
hecould see, the tall clock / n the hall.
Ind Its gilded hands pointed to ten
minutes before seven. 1t was about the
time his chief had said he would be
raIled on the telephone. What should
he DC with the two papers?
He 2 but an instant to think
Until the well trained butler returned
and announced that some
lne wished to speak with sMr. Burn
ham on the telephone. His resolve was
kaken.2He would have to leave the sub
Jutute paper on the table. To carry lit