The Monticellonian. [volume] (Monticello, Ark.) 1870-1920, 1917-04-05

forwarding the paper and the locket
of chemicals to Major General Cor
such at Panama, to whom the secret
should in all events be made known
| without delay or knowledge of Others
| than ourselves"
Captain Payne, his eyes bright,
leaped impulsively to his feet. Gen
eral u cried he, with animation, 81 vol
unteer. am now technically on leave.
My going at this time would excite no
suspicion in any quarter; in fact, it
need not be divulged to anyone that
my destination is other than l origin
ally intended Ii should be-"
The general looked fixedly at Payne.
| Excellent !" he exclaimed with a
please1 smile. The other men nodded
their quick appreciation.
Then began a general discussion of
the whole subject. Several hours la
ter Payne left the room. Colonel Dare
and Major Brent remained behind for
long conference with the staff about
other vital matters on which their ex-
pert views We're solicited. In the lin
| ing of Payne's coat, under the left
shoulder strap. the document had been
skillfully sewed, while upon his own
watch chain the locket carelessly dan
gled.
He left the war office outwardly
composed, save for a slight flush upon
| his cheeks and an unwonted light il
| h l.. Ir;r g,a
path, marveling at the queer turn of
| things, obliyious entirely of his sur
roundings. At that hour there were
few passersby and all unnecessary
| traffic had deserted the streets in the
scOrching heat of the sun. UnobserV-
antly he left the sidewalk and started
| toward the curb on the other side,
| when he was startled out of his
I thoughts by the sharp retort of an au-
tomobile horn. At the same moment
a large touring car coming at high
speed stopped still and he found him
self looking into the surprised counte-
nance of Pearl Dare.
Explanations were mutual, for this
was indeed an unexpected meeting.
"Why. Pearl!'
"Of all persons, you, in Washing
| ton !" The note of pleasure in her
voice thrilled him, and in answer to
her inquiring look he started to offer
some explanation, when, for the first
time, he observed her chauffeur. He
was, as usual, Toxic.
Toxic beamed magnificently upon
Payne, who noticed him in a friendly
kind of way while grasping Pearl S
outstretched hand.
mo % he protested, when Toxic
opened the door for him to enter the
automobile. Sorry, I have an imme-
your
1--WE dine at SEVEN" she replied
simply. 81 will expect you to come
and be my escort later to a ball at the
Granadian embassy"
His eyes sparkled in anticipation
and she gave his firm hand a tight,
quick pressure as, with brilliant
smile, she turned her face away and
Toxic, with keen politeness, bowed and
started Off
This was exactly at 3:41 p. M. by
| his watch. He proceeded on his way
in an elated mood.
He went at once to the railroad sta
ton and engaged his ticket and berth
to New Orleans, for he had been in
structed to go to Panama by that
/ n Talyinn ooh hn or
eral minutes at his club, where he dis
patched by messenger an order for
PEARLS favorite flowers for the eve
ming. Then he started to walk to his
hotel.
He had gone but a few blocks when,
in front of cheap lodging house, he
observed an excited crowd in which
were several officers of the police and
plain clothes men in the federal intel
| ligence service.
One of these men recognized and
ran up to him. "Strangest thing that
ever happened" the fiustered officer
whispered in his ear. Man layin' up
stairs in this dump same as dead with
| paralysis suddenly disappears and no
one knows how or when he went or
where. With a trained nurse at that,
and she's gone, too"
Anything to do with the war de-
partment?" demanded Payne quickly.
Yes replied the officer in the man.
ner of one divulging a secret. Con
| fidentially, the secretary himself is
about to be notified"
| A look of quick comprehension
| flashed into Payne's face as he hurried
to the Hotel Wilton, just ahead, and
stepped into the elevator. He burst
into his room, closing the door behind
him with bang and approached the
telephone standing on the writing ta-
| Bile. And now occurred the most
startling experience of his life. There
beside the telephone lay an envelope
His own name was written upon it. II
was unsealed. Picking it up, he drew
forth with nervous fingers, a sheet OF