Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-10-18

SoN 0O"l III d 1IGlSf 0IledU, WulCn
required time to patch Up. 1t reminded
me and then he launched boldly
into one of the bright dinner stories for
which he was noted smong his COM
panions at home. Hiv heart was beat.
ing wildly. but he succeeded in turning
the attention of the table to his t1k1.
instead of so asking from where he lad
come and on what road. Questions
about himself were dangerous he plain
~ saw, If he would get possession Of The
valued paper and get away without
leaving a trail behind him. He sue
ceeded in one thing more, which.
though he did not know 1T. was h very
thing his chief had hoped he would do
when he chose him instead of q man
who had wider experience; he made
every man at the table feel that
he was delightful, a nan to b
thoroughly trusted aud enjoyed; who
would never suspect them OF having
any Interior motives M anything they
We're doing.
h conversation for Il little time
rippled with bright stories and repair
tee, and Gordon began to feel almost an
dinner at home. with Julia Bent
ley down the table listening ana
naughty smiling her approval. For
the time the incidents OF the dog and
the neWsboy were forgotten, n the
young man felt his self respect rising
@o o&S 49,
normal action again and he could con-
troll his thoughts. Then suddenly, the
crisis arrived.
The soup and fish courses had been
disposed of, and the table was being
prepared for the entrce. The host
leaned back genially in his chair and
said. by the way. MIR. Burnham. did
you know 1 had an AK to grind In ask
ing YOU here this evening? That sounds
inhospitaole. doesn't it? But I'm Sure
N-nsV, oil e"e,t 40 Al~- -. AlnA I->.
given us the opportunity OF meeting
you. We are delighted at having dis
covered YOU"
Gordon bowed, smiling at the cow
pliment, and the murmurs of heaaty
assent around the table showed rim
could keep it up! But how, how. 1As
he to get possession OF that magic bit
of paper and take it away with him?
MIR. Burnham, l was delighted to
learn through a friend that you are an
expert in code reading. l wonder, did
the message that my friend Mr.. Burns
sent you this morning give you any in
timation that l wanted you to do me .
favor?"
Gordon bowed again. Yes: it was
message you would like deciphered. and
l nave also Il letter of introduction
from MIR. Burns
Here Gordon took the letter of in
PRODUCTION from his pocket and handed
1T across the table to his host, who
opened it genially. as II it we've hardly
necessary to read What was written
within since they already knew SO de-
lightfully the man whom it introduced
The duplicate cipher writing in Cor
don's pocket cracked knowingly when
he settled his coat about hin again, an
if it would say, MY time is coming.
1T is almost here now"
The young man wondered how ho
was to get 1T out without being seen.
in case he should want to use it, but he
smiled pleasantly at his host with no
sign of the perturbation he was feel
ing.
You See went on Mr.. Holman, we
have an important message which We
cannot read. and our expert who un.
derstands all these matters is out Ut
town and cannot return for some time.
1T is necessary that VIZ know as o
as possible the import of this writing"
While he was speaking Mr.. Holman
drew from his pocket n long, soft leath-
Ell wallet and took therefrom n fOlde1
paper which Gordon at once recognized
as the duplicate Of the one he carried
in his pocket. His head seemed to reel
and all the lights go dark before him
as he reached a cold hand out for the
paper. He saw In it his own advance
ment coming to his eager grasp, yet
when he got 1t would he be able to
hold 1t? Something of the GOODNESS Of
a man facing a terrible danger came
to him now. BY sheer force OF will
he held his trembling fingers steady
as he took the bit of paper and opened
1t carelessly. as IL he had never heard
of 1T before. saying as he did so:
II will do my best"
There was a sudden silence as every
eye was fixed upon him while he un-
folded the paper He gave one swift
glance about the table Aefore he
dropped his eyes to the task. Every
face held the intensity of almost ter
rible eagerness, and OF every one but
that of the gentle hostess sat cunning
craft that would stop at nothing 70
serve it's own ends. 1t was a moment
of almost awful import.
The next instant Gordon's glann.,
went down to the paper in his hand
and his brain and heart were seized 3
the grip OF fright. There was no .othee
word to describe his feeling. The mes
cage before him was clearly written n
the code of the home office, and the
words stared at him plainly without
the necessity Of study. The import of
them was the revelation Of one Of the
most momentous questions that haa
to do with the secret service work, .
question the answer to which had
puzzled the entire department for
weeks That answer he now held h
his hand. and he knew that II It shouaA
come to the knowledge Of those out
side before 1t had done It's WORT
through the department 1t would result
in dire calamity to The cause Of right
eousness in the country, and inciden-
tally crush the inefficient messenHer
who allowed it to become known. For
the instant Gordon felt unequal to the
task before him. How could he keen
these ~bloodhounds at baylor such
fhoV Uyora ha ~n~n4fN,~1 l~~- A. e.