The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-30
A Nest
Of Spies
By DONALD cHAMBERLlN

of a general commanding the right
wing of the British troops in France
was directed to take an important com
municatiOn TO the general commanding
the left wing of the same army. Il
was contained in a fat envelope and
must be carried in the captains side
coat pocket
Edgerton took with him an orderly,
an Irishman named Michael Farriday,
recommended by his company comman-
der for possessing a cool head. Mike.
like good soldier who knew his place,
rode forty PAGES to the rear whenever
there was no especial danger.
The two ZigZagged along, sometimes
in advance of the British line, some
times in the rear. At one moment they
would be riding through shot and shell,
at another would be where there was
all the quiet of rural cemetery. The
captain had been told that there was
no need for hurry; all that was ex-
pected of him was to get the mes
sage through during the day. At noon
he stopped at a house and asked for
some dinner The occupant claimed to
be a Frenchman, but Edgerton could
not make out exactly what was his
native nationality. AT any rate, he
spoke a kind of French to which the
captain was not used. The day was
warm, the roads dusty, and the officer,
who was an English gentleman and
could not brook dirt, asked to be
shown a place where he could wash
his face and hands.
His host showed him to a room on
the second floor, where the captain
took off his uniform coat and plunged
his face into basin of water. When
he had finished his host stood with his
coat in his hands ready to help him
put it on. The man had already brush
ed off the dust, doing the work while
the captains face and eyes were COW
cred either with water or a towel.
And this was no brief time, for il
there is one thing about which an
Englishman is particular it is his ablu-
lions.
As soon as Edgerton had buttoned
his coat he put his hand to his breast
to feel If the message was still there
| and, feeling its bulk, complacently de-
Scended to the dinner table. A woman
had cooked the meal, but she said
nothing to the captain. who ate while
the others served him. The man talk
ed good deal about the war, was very
bitter against the Germans and hoped
| they would soon be driven from French
| territory. He was continually going
out to the kitchen for Dishes and Oh
one of these exits Edgerton heard hin
! speak few words to the woman.
Now, Edgerton was Cambridge pro
fessor Of languages. The words spo
ken were Persian. They were said II
tone so low that he could hear only
a few Of them. These were BE ready
to- A vague feeling that something
was wrong about the couple seize(
upon Edgerton, and he Involuntary
put his hand to his breast to see tina
his dispatch was there. Feeling it:
bulk he was again satisfied Before
leaving he offered to pay for his din
ner, but the man was too good a pa
triot to take anything
Meanwhile, the orderly remained
without, munching a piece of bread
and meat the woman had given him
As soon as the captain appeared Mike
led his horse to him, Edgerton mount
ed, and the two started on their jour
ney. They had not gone far befor,
Mike called from the rear:
Captain
"Well?" turning in his saddle.
Have We the dispatch?'
Certainly I have. Why do you
askT
"Thim's not Trenches; they're Turk.
or somethin' o. the like
Edgerton unbuttoned his coat. tool
out what he had been supposing to b,
his dispatch to find that it was a news
paper folded to the shape of the pack
age with which he had started on hi
mission. He was thunderstruck. Turn
ing, without a word he rode back t,
the house he had just left. 1t was de
serted.
Mike, who had meanwhile caugh
sight Of something fitting through
wood, gave chase and returned witt
the woman. She had carried the dis
patch. dropped 1t. and Mike had hi
grip on it.
ride for the nearest troops!" crieC
Edgerton, "and bring them. View
stepped into nest of spiesw
The captain remained where he was
guarding the woman. and in a few
minutes Mike returned with SINAI
troop of cavalrymen. They beat tn
bushes and captured the man.
Edgerton narrated what had occur
red to the officer in command, VIII
told him that information had BEEF
going to the enemy from some sourc
and they had been unable to locate II
The house was carefully examined
and under it was found telephon
machine, from which a wire ran un
derground to a hill occupied by tn
enemy.
Edgerton, having given his testimC
ny, rode on, delivered his message, an
when he returned on passing the hous
where he had dined he found it razed
The occupants had both been shot. A
Edgerton rode on he unused aloud:
81 wonder how they got that dis
patch without my knowing it?'
What were ye dom all the tint
captatn?'
/ Edgerton told him how he had vast
, ed and dried his face.
Faith, captain" said Mike, I'VE can
/ see with your eyes full Of water @
through towel"