The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-02
.o International
Spies
By ETHEL HOLMES

tenn 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 anu
extended organization. And yet some
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 car upon the intentions
of the emperor of Austria regarding
schemes to carve Austrian provinces
out of Balkan territory. One of these
girls, Maria, obtained 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, man who conducted
one of the bureaus of the department
In which she worked. He was n 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
shock. One day when she was ut work
a girl occupying desk beside her
slipped bit of paper among those be-
fore her. Maria unfolded it and read
that she was suspected of purloining IA
certain document that had passed
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 or
long Imprisonment would pay the
penalty. AS soon as office hours were
over she went to her room and told her
sister what had occurred She had
stolen the paper in question, and 1t
was concealed In their apartment
Taking it from its hiding place, she
was thinking what to do with it when
there was a 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 Grenthall, accompanied
by several men. He 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, IL the missing paper
was in her possession, to find it con-
cealed in her apartments. Not finding
1t after thorough search, it occurred
to him that it might be ON her person.
He sent one of the men with him for
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 look of anger. then, when the
searching began, fell upon her sisters
neck, sobbing piteously. While the
two women were claSped in each 9th
er's arms. their bosoms close up
against each other, Vera contrived tC
take the paper from her sisters bosom
and slip 1t into her own.
Maria was the one suspected, but II
was not to be expected that Vera would
be let Off without examination. Be
lieving that she would be searched
she cast about for some means of get
ting rid of the paper. She started tC
leave the apartment, but Grenthall or
dered her back. When the woman
the bedrooms, the men remaining else
where. Vera was with her sister
Maria was required to take off hel
clothes, which were carefully exam
ined by the searcher and laid upon {
table. While her back was turned
Vera contriyed to slip the paper into 1
pocket of one of the garments that haC
been examined. Her sister saw her d.
this, and hope sprang up within her,
When the search was finished an(
nothing found the result was reported
to Grenthall. Having done all he coult
in the matter. he withdrew his as
sistants and went away while Mari'
was dressing
The paper was valuable one for tn
Russian government, and the sister
were anxious to save it. That nigh
Vera, dressed as boy, stepped out o
the apartment and gained lower sui
without being noticed. The next morn
ing, though a watch had been estat
lished, she got to the street and AVA
without being recognized. Maria wen
to the foreign office, but was dis
charged. Had 1t been known instead Q
suspected that she was guilty sh
would have been arrested.
Vera succeeded in reaching Russi
with the paper and was paid larg
price for 1t. Her sister finally rejoine
her there.