davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-06-29
e
EPISODE TWO
Treasure"

So young was the June morning that,
though cross-town streets already
glowed with sunlight well nigh as
bright If not so warm as that of noon
day, wide areas Of shadow fingered
athwart Fifth avenues silent reaches
like still broad banners of translucent
violet.
The thorOughfare was as lifeless as
Main street in any village at church
hour of a Sunday a few policemen
blinked Indifference at the taxlcab fly
Ing southwark at such lawless speed.
A few blocks south of Fourteenth
street the vehicle (driven with a reck-
lessness arguing the prospect of a sub
stantial tip as reward for haste) took
a corner on two wheels and came to
an abrupt pause before a residence Of
the vintage caste.
The moment it stopped, out Of the
cab hoped a brisk young man and, on
1pats heels, an anxious young woman
who ran impatiently up the steps to
white front door while her companion
tarried at the curb TO settle with the
chauffeur.
BY the time he was free to join the
young woman ON the doorstep, she was
ringing the bell with a sort of semi
hysteric persistence.
81 can't understand why no n an.
swers," she faltered with a little shiveI
of apprehension. give rung and rung
You don't really think anything
can have happened-dO you, Captain
Parr?"
81 hope not. Miss Channing-but
mean to find out pretty prontO."
She stepped back, and Parr planted
a firm thumb on the bell-push. From
the Interior Of the house came a re
mote buzzing-nothing more. At
venture the young man released TIL
button and laid hold of the dOOr-knOb
To the surprise and somewhat to tn
CONSERVATION of both it yielded read
lily.
For a moment neither moved Onl,
the eyes of each sought the others
mutely eloquent with a%pprehensive In
qulry. Then with a quick gestur
which might have been interpreted a
bidding the girl to wait outside, tn
young man crossed the threshold.
Quietly, the girl followed-to b
greeted by her name, spoken in accent
of wonder. Miss Patty-fo' the Ian
sake"
An aged negro servant clothed simpl
in pajamas stood transfixed in recog
milton halfway down the flight o
stairs to the upper stories.
THAT you. Martin? Where is Nj
Ripley?"
"Mistuh Ripley? All reckon he mus
be into his bed. Miss Patty he gin'rl
American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-06-29
JOHN CLAIMING, Esq.
(B. 1757-D. 1850
Patriot. statesman. SoIdIer.

LallAOLs 2AuLEcAlalf DOluACAs
Founder of the Claiming Secret De
Tense Fund.
Ignoring all else in the vault, the girl
Patria fingered for many minutes be-
fore this portrait Of the ancestor whose
clear foresight and love of country had
created that trust whose burden had
now fallen upon her slender, pretty
shoulders.
Rapt beyond u%tterance, she signiied
her wish to confirm her deceased guar
dams report as to the treasure.
Parr selected one from the nearest
stack Of wooden boxes, aud essayed to
transfer 1t to the table. But it proved
heavier than he had anticipated, and
slipped through fingers unprepared for
it's weight. There was a crash; the
box lay shattered at their feet, its con-
tents spilled-stack upon stack of gold
en- double-eagles scattered upon the
floor.
There was a pause.
Patria sank into a chair and rested
fOrearms upon the table. In her hands
she held Peter Ripley's letter.
After a little, shutting the sheets,
she brought that n uppermost which
showed the words
"Wisely employed. this treasure may
prove the salvation Of your country in
this its hour of direct need"
God make me wise," she said-and
faltered-"God make me wise to ad-
minister this sacred trustl"
Without wholly approaching what he
did, transported beyond himself. Parr
closed his fingers over hers.
amen to that :" said he.
On the echo of his words a dull graf
ing noise sounded above their heads.
HOLOCAUST.
In the twinkling of an eyelash both
appreciated what had happened the
door to the secret passage had swung
shut for whatever reason. Martin pre-
sumably had seen fit to close It.
Without hesitation Parr swung
about, out Of the vault and up the con-
stricted stairway.
At the top he found only the smooth
surface Of the closed door. His fingers
CROPPED vainly over It and round It's
edges; If any means there were OF
opening II from the inside, 1t was too
cunnlngly concealed for his ingenuity,
But If closed. the door was not alto
gether tight. Lights from the library
cleaned round three Of its edges. Parr
could not contrive to get an eye to 9
crack, but he could not avoid hearing
What he heard was, however, difficult
to interpret. Several voices were
audible from beyond the barrier, al
chattering rapidly and though Par
had a fair working knowledge Of the
japanese tongue he lacked as yet the
ability to translate the v~ernaculal
when quickly spoken.
American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-06-29

Her out1ung hand indicated the mas
sive marble chimney-piece. Parr knit
ted his brOws. staring. The thing was
interesting If only as a relic of the
curious artistic taste Of a bygOne day
non but a mid-Victorian intelligence
could have tolerated the thought Of
such a mOnstrOus monument to home
liness. And yet the carving was ex-
quisitely done. He crossed to It, with
Patria by his side, for a closer lnspec-
ton.
In whatever brain the design had
originated, it was a patriots: the
American eagle screamed In sculptured
stone, the flag Haunted blatantly its
mOveless folds, the arms Of Virginia
ianked the arms of the United States,
Immediately above the fireplace the
Charming arms were emblazoned upon
a shield. beneath this a scroll bore the
motto of the house
"PRo PATRlA No5Is."
ITO which the password is my
namel"
Patria put forth fingers which
touched lightly the initial Of the word
Patria on the scroll. She withdrew
her hand with an exclamation; the let
ter she had touched had fallen In flush
with the surface of the scroll. Parr
nodded exeitedly. TRY the next let
ter ="
To her pressure the letter A became
as the letter P; the remaining letters
Of the word followed suit as readily.
And when the last had been depressed
they heard a curious grating noise be-
meath the mantel and. looking down,
saw the apparently solid stone backing
Of the fireplace proper swing massively
inward and disclose the mouth OF a
narrow passageway.
Let me go frsti"
PARIS tone vas imperative. Won
dering a little at the instructive docility
with which she Obeyed him. Patria
stood aside. he ducked beneath the
mantel and disappeared.
The passageway proved short. upon
that level. Parr advanced three PAGES
in utter darkness. Then It turned
aside at a right angle. At the foot of
some twelve steps he found another
level, advanced gingerly a race into the
denser imaRfuabl, murk. and stumbled
American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-06-29

over something soft and yielding that
obstructed the floor. In stumbling he
threw out a hand which encountered
an electric light bracket. Steadying
himself by this he felt for and turned
the switch the brilliance Of a single
bulb d~azzlingly exercised darkness.
He stood in a small, a%irless, window
less chamber. furnished simply with a
square mahogany table and four chairs
on a rug. Otherwise it was %featureless
but for a huge safe-door built into the
wall close by the foot of the staircase.
This door stood ajar. A black void
was beyond it.. AT PARIS feet lay the
obstacle which had so nearly proved
his downfall the body of a little Japa-
nese clad In the Uniform Of a tele-
graph messenger-in his dead hand an
automatic pistol.
Turning, Parr called to Martin to
come down TO him.
The negro's answers to his questions
enabled him rapidly to reconstruct the
prelude to a brutal crime.
It seemed that. shortly before Pat
ria's guardian had dismissed him for
the night, Martin had answered the
door-bell TO admit a telegraph messen-
ger boy with a telegram for Peter Rip
ley. Signing for the message. Martin
had told the boy to wait for a possible
answer, and had taken the envelope to
his employer in the library. But when
Mr.. Ripley had opened 1t, he had found
nothing within the envelope and
when he and Martin had gone back to
the hall to interrogate the messenger,
this last had vanished.
By this ruse (Parr reckoned) obtain
ing admittance to the house when Mar
tins back was turned, the pseudo-mes-
senger had secreted himself and waited
till. finishing his letter to Patria, Rip
ley had found reason TO descend to the
treasure vault. Then. following, the
messenger had tried to shoot Ripley
down. but had met death himself I'm
the attempt. Meantime a confederate
had entered the hOuse-gaining admit
/. lance through the front door. left IN
locked, as Parr and Patria had found
= it, by the first japanese. And when
Ripley. emerging from the secret pas
sage-no doubt even then fatally
wounded-had called Patria in New.
port by long distance-the second
japanese had shot to kill and had sue
ceeded if at cost of his life.
Asking Patria to turn aside while he
with Martins aid carried up the dead
japanese and placed him with the 9th
ers in the d%rawing-room. Parr left Mar
tin on guard, and conducted the girl be
low to the treasure vault.
If any traces Of i%ncredulity had thus
far colored his thoughts, they were
promptly dissipated.
The vault was not large-perhap'
twice the size of its antechamber-anC
was so well-flled with boxes, bales anC
bundles that il afforded scant space IL
which TO move about. Aside from tn,
entrance, three walls were hidden b,
p~acking-cases. The fourth, the Earth
est from the entrance, boosted rack
Of pigeOnholes in which were filed an
docketed packet upon packet of paper:
and in addition a richly framed oil POI
trait of a gentleman in continental IN.
form, Boosting a brass plate with thl
legend
lI rATra- -rsrT AvN~TNEH r.
American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-06-29
SYNOPSIS.

On the eve Of inheriting sole control Of
Channings, Inc, Americas largest arms
= 3 mysteriously summoned from Newport
Ito New York by Peter Ripley, trustee for
her estate. Baron Huroki, chief Of the
Under her response to this summons; but
Patrfa overrides his opposition with the
aid of Capt. Donald Parr, United states
secret service, who suspects Japan of in
triguing to embroil the United States with
Mexico.
American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-06-29
PETER RIPLEY
GOLD

When Parr had finished reading the
last page of Peter Ripley's letter he
looked down to encounter Patria's di-
rect, uncompromising gaze. To her I'M
uttered inquiry he nodded slightly.
"He was sane" said Parr. He
feared Japan-and a Japanese assas-
sinated him. That much confirmation
Of what he wrote we possess, beyond
r%efutation. There remains only to be
determined the actual existence Of this
defense fund In a secret
vault beneath this room to which the
password is your nameH What do you
make of that?'
Patria shook her head.
ITS all too strange. I never
had any suspicion of anything Of the
sort. I'm afraid I don't quite
grasp it YETI
1t was Patria who stumbled upon the
solution haphazard-or, as woman
would claim. intuitively.
"The password my name-Patria
That sounds as though there must be-
a safe door somewhere with a letter
combination or else q"
"Or else-Y7 Parr prompted as She
hesitated.
Look there"
American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-06-29
THE CAST.

MRS. VERNON CASTLE as
Patria Charming.
MILTON STILLS as Donald Parr.
WARNER GLAND as Baron
Hurokl.
DOROTHY GREEN as Fanny
Adair.
American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-06-29

sleep purity late when he done work
late the night befo'@"
did he work late last night, Mar
TIM"
"He sho' did, Miss Patty-leastways
he done say he gwine tub when he send
me off to bed bout leven o'clock"
"Is that the library7" Parr asked.
with a nod indicating a door toward
American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-06-29

him but for you I do fear, when you
shall have set your hand to the task
which mine must yield. | know your
breed we'll enough to know you will
not falter in the discharge of this
sacred trust, ! know Japan well enough
to know she will stop at nothing to dis
courage you.
1 charge you above all things to be-
ware the man who calls himself
Baron Huroki-who poses as a cosmo-
polite of Japanese birth-who IS in
reality secret chief Of the Japanese
secret service in this country.
More than this / hope to tell you In
detail-if / live to see you again. 9th
erwise-I shall die content in the
knowledge that have, at least, done
my best to warn you against the chief
est dangers you must apprehend as
executrix Of the Claiming secret de-
Tense fund.
Your affectionate guardian,
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-04
MAY ELIMINATE
CRUSH HOURS
If DONE 1T WOULD PERMIT RAN
WAYS TO OPERATE ON &
FUEL Il

Chicago, Nov. 30.-With q view W
conserving fuel and man power Of TIL
nation as well as equipment, aS
manufacturing industries and othes
forms of business shortly may be
asked to readjust the working hours
of their employees SO as to eliminate
rush hours" to permit electric raif;
ways to handle all the transportattog
with normal outlay of fuel, man ana
equipment.
The plan which already has 0eoiS
considered in Washington, was made
known today by Briton l. Budd, Dressa
dent of the Chicago Elevated Rail-
ways and one of the five members of
the war board of the electric railways
of the country.
In large plants where thousands ARD
employed, it is probable that the VAR
ious departments will be asked til
start and leave work on progressive
schedule which will do away with,
congestion. Thousands of tons Of
coal would be saved by this plan, the
railway board believes, making pos
sihle the diversion Of this fuel to war
industries. Also large number OF
the extra men employed would be re-
leased for work in essential indust-l
ries.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-04
ALLIES EAGER
FOR U.S.. VIEW
AMERICANS ARE PLEASED WITH
DIFFERENCE SHOWN At PARIS
CONFERENCE.

Paris, Nov. 30-The delegates to
the inter-allied conference were engag
ed today with the committee meetings
at the various French MINISTRIES
there being no general session. The
impression is that the important work
of the conference will be transacted by
these committees, the proceedings Of
which are entirely secret.
The American members are expect
ed to exercise great influence in bring
ing about closer unity. They are
pleased with the cordial and receptive
manner in which their suggestions
thus far have been received.
WAR COUNCIL TOMORROW.
The committee meetings probably
will be continued for three days more
1t was announced officially TODAY
that the supreme war council will be
gin it's sittings at Versailles at IL
o'clock tomorrow morning. 1t will be
attended by Premier Lloyd-George and
General Wilson for Great Britain, Pre-
mier Clemenceau and General Foch fol-
France, Premier Orlando and General
Cadorna for Italy and Colonel House
and General Bliss for the United
States.
MORE FOR UNITY.
While this council is an advisory
body for the formulation OF strategic
plans for operations on the western
front including Italy, 1t is expected its
suggestions will be a great weight will
the commanders of the allied armies
and will result in that unity Of contro
which is so much desired.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-04
FORMER THREE-I
BOSS IS MISSING
JAMES T. HAYES BEING SOUGHT
BY ANXIOUS RELATIVES
At DAVENPORT.

Davenport, Nov. 80. James T. Hayes
for several years vice president of
the Three Eye League and secretary
and treasurer of the Davenport Blue
Sox is being sought by his relatives
and the police, following his myster
ious disappearance from home last
Tuesday afternoon. Mr.. Hayes had
suffered for years from a complica.
ton of diseases but upon the day he
left home. was more cheerful than
usual. The aid of A. r. Tearney OF
Chicago, president of the Three Eye
League; Charles H. Ebbetts. Brook
lyn. N. Y, president of the Dodgers, a
close personal friend, and NJ. H. Sex
ion, of Rock Island, president of the
National Association, has been enlist
ed in the search.
Mr.. Hayes was nationally known
figure in minor league baseball af
fairs.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-04

three officers today and the only
anxiety they expressed about the fu-
ture was the fear that they might
later. be compelled to work far back
of the lines out of the fighting zone.
The engineers love to hear the guns
and to get as close to the firing line
as military orders permit. Some of
them had an unusual experience, much
to their liking, on the first day of the
offensive.
The British called for volunteer
stretcher bearers to go forward to the
battlefield and bring in wounded Brit
ish and Germans. A large number of
the engineers offered their services
which were accepted. They had just
finished hard days work on the rail.
i way, but they gladly undertook the
new, arduous and dangerous task and
labored through the night getting in.
jured soldiers back to the dressing
stations. They were complimented
highly by the British for their work.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-04
WHITE PLAGUE
MAKES STRIDES
MORE THAN $4,000 NEW CASES
DISCOVERED IN SMALL
CHICAGO AREA

Chicago, Nov. 30.-More than $4,000
new cases of tuberculosis have been
discovered in Chicago within a con
gested area of eight square miles
since the beginning of the expert
mental survey by the Municipal
sanitarium in September. 1916. The
survey is nearing completion, accord
ing to the annual report for the insti-
tuition today and complete report
will be issued soon in special
pamphlet
An examination of statistics by the
Chicago health department shows an
increase from PIT cases in 1906 to 49,
700 in 1915.
Since the Municipal tuberculosis
sanitarium assumed charge Of the tn.
berculosis dispensaries of the city in
1910, total of 53,S1S cases had been
reported up to January l., 1916.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-04
SDOWNE
FLAyED BY
B0NAR Law
Pacifist Letter By Former
Power In British Minis
tries Causes Furore in
England; Chancellor Re-
pudiates Suggestions.
FEARS FOR EFFECTS
IN FOREIGN LANDS

London. Nov. 3O.-The Evening
Mail says that at representative
meeting of the unionist party today
Chancellor Bonar Law very strongly
repudiated Lord Lansdowne's pacifist
letter, describing it as disaster
The Marquis of Transformers letter
giving peace suggestions holds first
place in the editorial columns Of the
London morning papers. but with the
exception of the radical Daily News,
which approves it, and the moderate
Daily Telegraph, which indorses it in
part, it is denounced.
NOT ENGLAND'S SENTIMENT.
Lord Lansdowne's great reputation
and past services to the country are
recognized by the hostile critics, who,
however, fear that these add to the
mischief which they believe the letter
will cause, by misleading American
and other foreign opinion into the be-
lief that the views expressed represent
an important section Of the nation.
Such belief, they declare, would be
utterly mistaken.
The letter by the marquis pleads for
revision of the allies war aims and an
attempt to secure peace before the
prolongation of the war leads to the
ruin Of the civilized world"
FAvORS NATIONS LEAGUE.
The MARQUIS of Lansdowne is a typj-
cal representative of the old Tory par
ty. He was a member OF Asqulth's
coalition administration and was secre-
tary for foreign affairs in Lord Sails
bury's and Mr. Balfours ministries.
He was viceroy of India and governor
general of Canada. He was the last
public man to be suspected of pacifist
tendencies His letter gives formal ad-
hesion to President Wilson's policy OF
a league of nations, and he asks.
What will be the value Of the bless
ings of peace to nations so exhausted
that they can scarcely stretch forth
hand to grasp them?"
WOULD REVISE AIMS.
Lord Lansdowne contends that an
immense stimulus probably would be
given to the peace party in Germany II
It were understood.
First, that humiliation of Germany
as great power was not desired; Sec
ond. that we don't seek to impose on
the German people form of govern
ment against their choice; third, that
except as legitimate war measure, we
don't desire to deny Germany her place
among great commercial countries;
fourth, that we are prepared after the
war, in concert with other powers to
examine international problems con.
nected with freedom OF the seas; fifth,
that we are prepared to enter an inter
national pact under which ample op-
portunities would be afforded for set.
Element of international disputes by
peaceful means"
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-04
Law Rails While
Shells Burst
Within 100
Yards
AID CAMBRIA ADVANCE.
by Associated Press Staff
COrrespOndent. I

British Army Headquarters
in France, Nov. -(Delayed)
American engineers, the first
American troops to be engaged
in military operations on the
British front, took a prominent
part in the breaking Of the Hin
denburg line by General Byng
last week. Military necessity
has made it impossible to speak
of their presence, but it is now
possible to inform the people of
the United States that engineers
of the American army had a
large part in pushing up the vital
railways behind the advancing
British soldiers.
UNDER FIRE FOUR MONTHS.
AS matter of fact the American
engineers have been laboring on the
roads through the devastated battle
fields of the Somme district for nearly
four months and two of their men who
were wounded were the first American
casualties announced from Washing
ton.
The speed with which the lines
have been laid through the broken
Hindenburg defenses during the past
week has called forth the highest
praise from the British authorities.
The Americans have been working in
shifts twenty-four hours day and no
such amount of track has been laid
l. IL: IN, c1 NJ n fSyvon hn-
fore The manner in which they stood
up under the strain has led to their
being dubbed the force Of American
athletes" For these untiring soldiers
are today as fit and as willing as be-
fore the battle began.
WORK WHILE BATTLE RACES.
Naturally the Americans for long
time have been working under range
of enemy artillery and more than once
they have come under heavy shell
fire. One of the most striking sights
along the front has been that of the
engineers laboring coolly at their
tracks while great shells were burst
ing hundred yards away.
At one time the Germans cut loose
with their guns on section OF the
tracks and tore up three miles of
rails which had been laid with much
labor, but they scarcely had finished
this bombardment when the twin lines
of steel began to creep forward once
more. After the engineers had reached
a point where they were exposed on
the skyline it was necessary to work
at night or on foggy days in order to
avoid enemy observation.
EAGER TO JOIN PERSHlNG.
There have been three forces Of
Americans employed in this region
since about August /. Two >of them
have been occupied with the operation
and maintenance of light railways and
the other has been constructing mar
row guage lines The importance of
this work hardly needs emphasis for
it is well known that over these rail-
ways food, ammunition and material
of all sorts are rushed up to lend sup
port to the fighting forces.
The correspondent has visited
many of these engineers since their
arrival and has found them as fit as
possible and eager for work Most Of
them undoubtedly look forward to the
time when they will be able to join
the American forces, but just now they
are content to do their bit here and
learn valuable lessons in military rail
reading.
CARRY WOUNDED FROM FIELD.
The. correspondent was talking with