The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-16

over Tue WlIcS NAdl HIS lAichu PtoAhAcCu
to do so, though he feared trouble
would result. Caspar assured him that
there was nothing in the dispatch that
would be Of the slightest injury to
France, and this turned the scale.
Nj. Larrabee, deputed to examine tel
egrams received in Paris, was sitting
at his desk when an operator handed
him Caspar's dispatch. The moment
he read the name of the person to
whom it was addressed and noticed
that the message was In cipher his
face assumed the expression Of one
who had unearthed an announcement
to German sympathizers that Paris
was about to be attacked by a hundred
Zeppelins.
Mile tonerresr he exclaimed. Has
1t come to thisf Do the enemy send
cipher messages to their spies In
Paris over our telegraph lines7 To
Mime. Kneiblitz. 81 Rue Pomponier.
Could there be better evidence that
this message Is intended for one of the
horde of German spies in our midst
who are watching our every actT'
Taking up a telephone receiver, he
called up the officer in charge of the
military telegraph and informed him
OF the message, stating that he did not
doubt that 1t had been surreptitiously
sent in the expectation that 1t would
be delivered by some one in the tele-
graph department who was working
secretly In the German interest Colo
mel Bombardier, the officer telephoned.
directed that the dispatch be sent to
him and, after receiving and examin-
ing 1t, called a council Of war to de-
eide what to do in the premises.
When the council assembled experts
in interpreting cipher kilograms were
introduced and began the work Of
translating 1t. This was not easy to
do, for 1t consisted in certain SEN
fences which doubtless had a meaning
for the receiver. However, the ex-
perts. not daring to acknowledge that
they could make nothing Of it, gave a
possible translation, admitting that
they could not vouch for its correct
ness. The meaning they placed upon
it was that it announced meeting of
the German spies in Paris to receive
one high in the German secret service.
Meanwhile Hortense was arrested
and taken to Colonel Bombardier's Of
fee, where she was kept in an ante
room awaiting the result Of the work
Of the experts. In time she was called
In to face an array of men who looked
ready to send her to the gallows.
"Frau Kneiblitz," said the colonel,
do you speak French"
81 don't speak any other language y
was the meek reply.
"Do not try to deceive me. You are
German, as your name indicates. A
dispatch in cipher addressed to you
has been intercepted. It Is an an.
nouncement that an officer of high
rank in the German secret service is
coming to Paris to meet the spy corps
in Paris"
This was said because II 1t were
the true Interpretation of the dispatch
the young woman would likely col
lapse. She did no such thing. She
simply looked at her accusers wonder
ingly.
"Who is Caspar?" asked the colonel
severely.
Monsieur, he Is my husband. Has
anything happened to him?' she asked
! paling.
''You play your part well. but it viii
not serve"
Have you dispatch from him Il
me? Oh, give 1t to metz
After conference 1t was decided t.
read the dispatch aloud to her. The
colonel began with the first sentence
"The weather is very fine" and asked
her what 1t meant. She did not neet
the key to tell him; she knew it by
heart.
81 am WELL" she replied.
The second sentence read was. Eyes
terday it was hot"
Hortense. somewhat abashed, re
piled, Sweetheart, l love you"
The members of the council looket
at one another incredulously.
Again, 1--WE are expecting coole
weather tomorrow"
"That means a thousand KISSES" re
piled the bride. dropping her eyes Z,
the floor.
'This climate is trying"
81 shall never see you again til
France Is victorious"
1.-THE mud is very deep"
"Goodby, sweetheart. shall Low,
you forever"
Several of the men who had beef
impressed with Hortense's gentleness
honesty and, above all, that she wa
essentially French smiled. Colone
Bombardier's countenance assumed
shamefaced expression. He stood wit
the dispatch In his hand wondering
what next to do.
Colonel" said one of the council
you've struck what they call in Amer
lea "a mares nest.
1.-THE case" said the colonel, main
tanning an official tone, will be bel
ter examined into by a woman.
shall send Nine. Kneiblitz to Nine
Leblanc, head of our woman's deteC
tive bureau, and II she reports favoI
ably the prisoner will be discharged"
Nine. Leblanc. instead of assumin
the pomposity of the officers, bega
by soothing the poor little bride an
soon discerned that she was wrappe
up in her husband and had no othe
concern. Hortense produced the ciphe
code, and Nine. Leblanc saw that e'
cry sentence in 1t was nothing MOI
than a love message. Then she n
ported to Colonel Bombardier, WI
pigeonholed the matter.