Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-06-09
Two International
Spies
By ETHEL HOLMES

Americans supposed that our affairs
did not interest other powers. Since
then We have awakened to the fact
that every government has a spy sys-
TEN within the territory of every other
government. England, France, Italy
and other powers keep secret service
workers in other countries. OF all the
Germans have the most perfect and
extended organization. And yet SOM
of the principal fields of the working
of the German propaganda In America
have originated with the British secret
service men. While these systems may
have been strengthened and enlarged
since the opening of the war, there is
reason to believe that they have always
existed.
Austria and Russia have always been
watching each other on account of the
persistent encroachment of the two on
the Balkans. Some years ago two Rus
sian girls, sisters, went to Vienna as
spies for the Ear upon the intentions
of the emperor of Austria regarding
schemes to carve Austrian provinces
out of Balkan territory. One of these
girls, Maria, obtained a position as
copyist In the Austrian foreign office.
The other, Vera, kept house for the
two In rooms in an apartment building.
Since they were in the pay of the Rus
sian government they did not want for
anything.
Maria was under the orders of Cas-
par Grenthall, q man who conducted
n of the bureaus of the department
in which she worked. He was a hand
some and otherwise attractive man,
and when he made love to her she re-
ciprocated. When they were not en-
gagged In the Office he took her out to
the gardens and other places of amuse-
ment and by his kindness gradually
won her heart.
1t was not long before Grenthall pro
posed marriage to Maria. Though she
loved him, she hesitated to accept him.
Indeed, his being a spy complicated
the affair, making her very unhappy.
Then suddenly Maria received a
shock. One day when she was at work
a girl occupying a desk beside her
slipped a bit Of paper among those be-
fore her. Maria unfolded It and read
that she was suspected of p~urloining a
certain document that had passed
through her hands. Grenthall had won
her in order to find out If she were
stealing such documents. Her room
would be searched that evening.
Maria was not only disturbed at dis
covering that Grenthall had deceived
her, but in terror at the suspicion that
existed against her. Either her life OF
a long Imprisonment would pay the
penalty. As soon as Office hours were
owe she went to her room and told her
sister what had occurred. She had
stolen the paper in question, and ii
was concealed in their apartment.
Taking it from its hiding place, she
was thinking what to do with 1t when
there was q sound of persons coming
up the stairs without. She had only
time to thrust the paper into her
bosom when the door was thrown open
and in walked G%renthall, accompanied
by several men. File made no apology
for his entrance or for having played
the spy upon Maria. He and his men
began a search of the rooms.
Evidently he had expected to sur
prise Maria and, III the missing paper
was In her possession, to find it con.
cealed in her apartments. Not finding
1t after q Thorough search, 1t occurred
to him that 1t might be ON her person.
He sent one of the men with him for
a woman to make the search. When
she arrived he told her to find out
whether Maria had the paper.
Maria, when the man who had Won
her heart to betray her entered, gave
him a look of anger, then, when the
searching began, fell upon her sisters
neck, sobbing %piteously.. While the
two women were elasped in each 9th
er's arms, their bosoms close up
against each other, Vera contrived to
take the paper froIa her sisters bosom
and slip it into her OWL.
Maria was the n suspected, but II
was not to be expected that Vera would
be let off without examination. Be
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she cast about for some mean of get
ting rid of the paper. She started to
leave the apartment, but Grenthall or
dered her back. When the woman
came she made the search in one OF
the bedrooms, the men remaining else
where. Vera was with her sister.
Maria was required to take off her
clothes, which were carefully exam
ined by the searcher and laid upon a
table. While her back was turned
Vera contriYed to slip the paper into a
pocket of one of the garments that had
been examined. Her sister saw her do
this, and hope sprang up within her.
When the search was finished and
nothing found the result was reported
to G%renthall. Having done all he could
in the matter, he withdrew his as
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