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

the newsboy were forgotten, ana the
young man felt his self respect rising.
His heart was beginning to get into
normal action again and he could on.
troll his thoughts. Then suddenly, the
crisis arrived.
The cup and fish courses had been
disposed OF. and the table was being
prepared for the entree. The host
leaned back genially In his chair and
said. BY the way, Mr.. BurfIham, did
you know l had an ak to grind In ask
ing You here this evening" That sounds.
~inhospitaole, doesn't it? But I'm sure
we're all grateful to the AK that has
given us the opportunity Of meeting
you. We are delighted at having dis-
covered you"
Gordon bowed, smiling at the COM
pliment, III the murmurs of hearty
assent around the table showed him
that he had begun we'll. II only he
could keep it up! But how, how, was
he to get possession OF that magic bit
of paper and take it away with him?
Mr.. Durham, / was delighted to
learn through a friend that you are an
expert in code reading. l wonder, did
the message that my friend MI. Burns
sent you this morning give you any in
tlmation that l wanted you to do me a
favor?"
Gordon bowed again. Yes: it was
" In tlldS you lldu III
message you would like deciphered, and
l have also a letter Of introduction
from Mr.. 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 If 1t were hardly
necessary to read what was written
within since they already knew so de-
lightfully the man whom 1t introduced.
The duplicate cipher writing in Cor
don's pocket cracked knowingly when
he settled his Goa about him again, as
If 1t would say, my time Is comingl
1t is almost here now"
The young man wondered how he
was to get it out without. being seen,
In case he should want to use 1t, but he
smiled pleasantly at his host with no
Sign Of the perturbation he was feel
ing.
You see" went on Mr.. Holman, I'VE
have an important message which we
cannot read, n our expert who I'M
derstands all these matters Is out Of
town n annot return for some time.
1t is necessary that know as soon
as possible the import Of this writing"
While he was speaking Mr.. Holman
drew from his pocket a long, soft leath-
er wallet and took therefrom a folded
paper which Gordon at nee recognized
as the duplicate Of the one he carried
in his pocket. His head seemed to reel,
SNA'A oiA SiiS "a 81 Slo al
as he reached a cold hand out for the
paper. He saw in IL his own advance
ment coming to his eager grasp, yet
when he got it would he be able to
old it? Something of the GOODNESS Of
a man facing a terrible danger came
he held his trembling fingers steady
as he took the bit of paper and opened
it carelessly, as If he had never heard
Of 1t before, saying as he did so:
Il will do my best"
There was a sudden silence as every
eye was fixed upon him while he I'M
folded the paper. He gave one swift
glance about the table before he
dropped his eyes to the task. Every
face held the intensity of almost ter
rible eagerness, and on every one but
that of the gentle hostess sat cunning
craft that would stop at nothing to
serve it's own ends. 1t was a moment
Of almost awful import.
The next instant Gordon's glance
went down to the paper in his hand,
and his brain n heart were seized in
the grip of fright. There was no other
word to describe his feeling. The mes
sage before him was clearly written in
the code Of h 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 had
to do with the secret service work, a
question the answer to which had
puzzled the entire department for
weeks, That answer he now held in
his hand, and he knew that If it should
come to the knowledge Of those out
side before 1t had done It's work
through the department it would result
in dire calamity to the cause Of right
%ousne in the country, and inciden-
tally crush the inefficient messenger
who allowed 1t to become known. For
the instant Gordon felt unequal to the
task before him. How could he keep
these bloodhounds at baylor such
they Were, he perceived from the i'm
port of the message. bloodhounds who
were getting Ill gotten gains from in
nocent and unsupecting victims-some
Of them little children.
But the old chief had picked his mar
we'll. Only for an instant the glittering
lights darkened before his eyes and the
cold p~erspiration started. Then he
rallied his forces and looked up. The
welfare of a nations honor was in his
hands, and he would be true. 1t was
a matter Of life and death, and he
would save it or lose his own life IL
need be.
He summoned his ready smile.
Il shall be glad to serve you If I
can" he said. "Of course I'd like to
look this over a few minutes before
attempting to read it. Codes are diff
ferent. you know, from one another,
but there is a key to them all if one
can just find 1t out. This looks as If
1T might be very simple"