Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-07-27
A Nest
Of Spies
BY DONALD CHAMBERLIN


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
was contained in 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 a 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 house and asked for
some dinner. The occupant claimed to
be Frenchman, but Edgerton could
not make out exactly what was his
native nationality. At any rate, he
spoke 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 place where he could wash
his face and hands.
His host showed him to q 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 1t on The man had already brush
ed off the dust, doing the work while
the captains face and eyes We're COW
cred either with water or a towel
And this was no brief time, for if
there is one thing about which an
Englishman Is particular 1t is his ablu-
lions.
AS soon Us 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 on
one Of these exits Edgerton heard him
speak few words to the woman.
Now, Edgerton was a Cambridge pro.
fessor Of languages. The words spo
ken were Persian. They were said in
a tone so low that he could hear only
| few of them. These were "Be ready
to- A vague feeling that something
was wrong about the couple seized
upon Edgerton, and he involuntarily
put his hand to his breast to see that
his dispatch was there. Feeling its
bulk he was again satisfied. Before
leaving he offered to pay for his din.
ner. but the man was too good 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 before
Mike called from the rear:
"Captainw
We'll" turning in his saddle.
Have We the dispatch?'
Certainly l have. Why do vol
ask?"
"Thim's not Trenches; they're Turks
or somethin' O. the like"
Edgerton unbuttoned his coat, tool
out what he had been supposing to bt
his dispatch to find that it was news
paper folded to the shape of the pack
age with which he had started on hi.
mission. He was thunderstruck. Turn
Ing, without word he rode back tt
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 will
the woman. She had carried the dis
patch, dropped it, and Mike had hi.
grip on it..
ride for the nearest troops!" criet
Edgerton, "and bring them. We'v,
stepped into nest of spies!
The captain remained where he was
guarding the woman, and in a few
minutes Mike returned with small
troop Of cavalrymen. They beat thu
bushes and captured the man.
Edgerton narrated what had occur
red to the officer in command, who
told him that information had beer
going to the enemy from some source
and they had been unable to locate 1t
The house was carefully examined
and under it was found telephone
machine, from which wire ran I'M
derground to hill occupied by the