Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1916-01-27
A Catspaw
BY EUNEcE BLAKE

II Before the breaking out of the great
( European war was travelling In
/ France. near the eastern boundary,
when one day l met girl with whom
became acquainted. She said she
had been born in America and had
lived there the most of her life. She
was about twenty years old and SEEM
ed to be very strong for a girl. was
doing my travelling on foot, and, since
she was also pedestrian, we conclud-
ed to proceed together, both being I'M
protected women. | noticed that she
was very secretive.
However, one evening she gave me
her confidence. She brought forth sew
eral drawings on chronological sub
jects, In which science she protested
| to be greatly interested. There We're
| the magnified head Of fly, beetles
wing and a birds foot The drawings
| had on them certain marks which she
| explained to me and gave the number
| of times they had been magnified and
other information. Not having any
taste for or knowledge Of entomology,
could only look at her drawings and
listen to what she said When she had
finished talking about them she told
me that 1t was possible she might wish
to turn them over to me to forward
for her to such place as she should
designate. did not see why such
course should be necessary, since they
could be easily mailed at slight ex-
pense. for they were on very thin pa
per and Of light weight.
One day when we were walking near
some Notifications my friend seemed
to me to have suddenly become nery-
Gus. | noticed a man walking near
us, and whenever his back was turned
she cast furtive glances toward him.
That evening Miss Warbeck-the
name she gave me-handed me an en-
velope and asked me to post 1t when |
should be near mail box. She said
that she had received telegram to
come home Immediately, her mother
being i'll. and would likely leave by the
first train in the morning, though of
this she did not seem to feel certain
took the note and promised to do as
she asked. Before going to- bed went
into her room to say goodby to her.
What was my astonishment to find her
gone, with the handbag she carried on
her travels. l noticed that window
was open. aud she had left the room
in disorder Looking out through the
window, | saw that there was a shed
directly below, on to which one might
drop and thence to the ground
wondered. but said nothing If
she had reasons for leaving the house |
without paying her bill it was no con-
Germ of mine. Landlords. are usually |
able to take care Of their. own inter- |
ests. went to bed and to sleep.
My suspicious having been aroused,
determined to get rid Of the letter she |
had given me at once. Itwas address
ed to some one In Switzerland. After |
breakfast l went out, found a letter
box and was about to put the missive
I'm 1t when I felt a handlOn my wrist.
and man said politely:
II will trouble you for that, made
moiselle."
Had | not been familiar with the.
fact that the eyes Of European govern
ments are always open, especially to-
strangers, would have,been more sur
prised than l was. However, | was
sufficiently suspicious. of Miss War
beck to surrender the letter without
even protest. Returning to my hotel,
l packed my grip and was about to
leave the house whenian officer in uni
form accosted me and asked hurriedly,
where is the man who was walking
with you yesterday"
Man? There was.no man with me-
"Well, then, the woman
II don't know. She left me last
aight"
win you please come with me,
y
dared not protest, but went with
The man. who took me to a military
office. and l was questioned by an Off
GER in uniform. He asked me many 1
questions about my recent companion.
then called on me to establish my own, 4
IDENTITY This l was well able to do
having with me letters FROM home and
other evidences that l was woman |
TO see the world
"This is perfectly satisfactory" said |
the officer You have not been sus-
pected: from the first we have sup
posed that you have been dupe. Your
travelling companion is a man and a
spy. He has been slcetching fNrtiiica-
tons along the border and has COM
you to masl his drawings for
him"
He took the drawings from a desk
and showed them TO me.
"But these are merely drawings ~
insect parts magnified, l protested.
He then showed me that they We're
Of farts with lines from and
about them that caused them to look
like what had supposed they were
The marks that had been told indi-
Gated the magnified power really indl
Gated how many guns there were in