The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-31
Two International
Spies
By ETHEL HOLMES

Before the pan European war we
Americans supposed that our affairs
did not interest other powers Since
then we have awakened to the fact
that every government has spy syS- II
TEN within the territory of every other
government. England, France, Italy 4
and other powers keep secret service
workers in other countries. OF all the
Germans have the most perfect and
extended organization. And yet some
of the principal fields of the working
of the German propaganda in America |
have originated with the British secret |
service men. While these systems may |
have been strengthened and enlarged |
since the opening of the war, there is |
reason to believe that they have always |
existed.
Austria and Russia have always been
watching each other on account of the
persistent cncroachment of the two OH
the Balkans. Some years ago two Rus
sian girls, sisters. went to Vienna as
spies for the ear upon the intentions
of the emperor of Austria regarding
schemes to carve Austrian provinces
out of Balkan territory. One of these
girls, Maria. obtained position as
copyist in the Austrian foreign Office.
The other. Vera, kept house for the
two in rooms in an apartment building.
Since they were in the pay OF the Rus
sian government they did not want for
anything.
Maria was under the orders of Cas-
par Grenthall, n man who conducted
one of the bureaus of the department
in which she worked. lie was hand
some and otherwise attractive man.
aIrl when he made love to her she re-
ciprocated When they were not en-
gagged in the office he took her out to
the gardens and other places of amuse-
ment and by his kindness gradually
won her heart.
J 1t was not long before Grenthall pro-
| posed marriage to Maria. Though she
| loved him. she hcSitated to accept him.
| Indeed, his being spy complicated
the affair, making her very unhappy.
Then suddenly Maria received a
shock. One day when she was ut work
Il girl occupying II desk beside. her
, slipped bit of paper among those be-
= fore her Maria unfolded it and read
that she was suspected of purloining II
certain document that had passed
through her hands. Grenthall had won
her in order to find out IL she were
stealing such documents. Her room
would he searched that evening.
Maria was not only disturbed Mt dis
covering that Grcnthall had deceived
her but in terror at the suspicion that
existed against her. Either her life or
long imprisonment would pay the
penalty. As soon rs office hours were
over she went to her room and told her
sister what had occurred. She had
stolen the paper in question, and 1t
was concealed in their apartment.
Taking 1t from its hiding place, she
was thinking what to do with it when
there was sound of persons coming
up the stairs without. She had only
time to thrust the paper into her
bosom when the door was thrown open
and in walked Grenthall, accompanied
by several men. He made no apology
for his entrance or for having played
, the spy upon Maria. He and his men
began Il search of the rooms.
Evidently he had expected to sur
prise Maria and, II the missing paper
was in her possession, to find it con
cealed in her apartments. Not finding
, it after n thorough search, it occurred
20, 10 lao, IN
He sent one OF the men with him fol
, woman to make the search. When
she arrived he told her to find out
whether Maria had the paper.
, Maria, when the man who had woI
her heart to betray her entered, gayt
him look OF anger, then, when tn,
searching began, fell upon her sisters
neck, sobbing piteously. While til,
two women were clasped in each 9th
er's arms, their bOsoms close ~
, against each other, Vera contrived t
take the paper from her sisters bosom
and slip It into her own.
Maria was the one suspected, but Il
was not to be expected that Vera would
, be let off without examination. BE
, lieving that she would be searched
she cast about for some means Of get
/ ting rid of the paper. She started t.
. leave the apartment, but Grenthall or
, dered her back. When the woman
= came she made the search In one Of
the bedrooms, the men remaining else
) where. Vera was with her sister
Maria was required to take of hel
} clothes, which were carefully exam
ined by the searcher and laid upon {
e table. While her back was turned
Vera contrlved TO slip the paper into /
pocket of one of the garments that haC
been examined. Her sister saw her dc
> this, and hope sprang up within her
, When the search was finished ant
nothing found the result was reported
to Grenthall. Having done all he coulC
: in the matter, he withdrew his as
slstants and went away while MARI
1 was dressing.
The paper was n valuable one for thu
Russian government, and the sister
were anxious to save it. That nigh
Vera, dressed as a boy, stepped out o
! the apartment and gained lower sui
without being noticed. The next morn
ing, though a watch had been estab
lished, she got to the street and ava!
without being recognized. Maria wen
t to the foreign office, but was dis
) charged Had 1t been known instead o
: suspected that she was guilty sh'
I would have been arrested.
Vera succeeded I'm reaching Russia
! with the paper and was paid a larg'
price for It. Her sister finally reJoineC