Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-03-02
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their personal friends or acquaint-
ances, not even to Pearl Dare who
was spending the summer in town at
her fathers house.
This was In July toward the close
Of q century after one James Monroe.
q president of the United States. pro-
claimed the law of our seas to the
nations of the world.
In the ground under one wing Of the
army administration building at the
capitol Is a certain chamber, the exact
location Of which remains a profound
departmental secret. Its existence, In
fact, IL known only to a chosen few
high military officials having to do
with the program of the war college.
A concealed passage connects Ii with
one Of the private anterooms in the
suite Of the secretary of war. through
a panel hidden In the wainscoting.
Thither Colonel Dare. upon reach
ing the war Office, cautiously picked
his way. Major Brent. he found. had
already arrived as had also the chief
Of stan and his aides. Presently Cap
tain Payne entered, completing the
caucus.
At a sign. an aIde-de-camp closed
and bolted the door. outside which a
trustworthy officer of rank stood on
guard. Chairs were now drawn close
to the table while from q portfolio the
chiefs personal aide took a slim. OBJ
long packet which he presented to his
superior.
The packet was opened. 1t was
found to contain q sheet OF paper
about thirteen inches square. On n
side was an ink sketch of q magnifi-
Gently designed tree. each leaf bear
ing a numeral. The other side of the
paper. when exposed to the silent
Inspection Of the confreres. appeared
to be plain
"rhis, gentlemen" gravely an
nouneed the chief Of staff, lis a mill
tary document Of the last importance.
Up until recently we have thought u
Notifications OF the Panama Canal
adequate to successfully defend 1t
| against attack Of a foe. This piece
Of paper proves. In a startling way.
the fallacy OF this view. 1t concelves
q simple strategy to capture the Zone,
from a land source hitherto over
looked by US. without destroying the
locks"
The effect Of this speech upon the
little group Of grim-yizaged men at
the table was electrical. In consterna-
ton their eyes were riveted upon the
drawing the speaker held In his hand.
The mind of each, familiar with every
foot of ground at the IsthEus. was
filed with wonder and perplexity.
but. already Is this masterpiece in
army tactics stepped la a tragic cir
| cumstance; and that Is why you are
here" went on the chief of staff. hard
" able to repress the excitement he
felt. Its author purports to be a
young civilian engineer, lately returned
| from the Zone. Upon arrival he came
| directly to me. delivering the document
and-this." He took from his watch
chain a plain gold locket.
1t was a simple ornament Of Jewell
~ such as Is commonly worn. 1t
| opened on a hair-thin hinge into
halves about the size Of a 50-cent piece.
| Each Of the lids held a false casing be-
| hind which a wafer, resembling paraf-
fine. was hidden.
'This wafer" explained he. remov-
ing one and holding it In the light,
| lis a chemical invention of the design
| er Of the document. He alone knows
Its component parts. although this
much he has told me A fluid compound
Is formed by dissolving II in pure rain
water. This applied thoroughly TO the
apparently plain back Of the tracing
exposes the key to the numerals on the
| leaves of the tree now concealed In
invisible ink and reveals the plan in
Its entirety.
snow, here" he continued. speaking
rapidly TO his thoroughly astonished
audience, "a terrible contingency has
arisen. The plan Is In the original, no
| copy having been made. No n but
this remarkable person actually knows
the details In IL. he came on his first
and only visit TO headquarters merely
to lay the matter before the attention
Of the general army staff. He left upon
my request for a few hours time in
| which to consult with the president
and secretary Of war and TO arrange
for a subsequent meeting. On leaving
he went TO his hotel and retired at
| once to his room. We. Of course. had
him observed. A few minutes later a
bell-hop passing in the hall heard
| groans from within. He tried to open
| the door. 1t vas locked. He climbed
| over the transom. The room was In
frightful disorder. The man was lying
on the floor mumbling incoherently.
The surgeon general of the army him
self informs me that he is dying. He
has been completely paralyzed and can
not talk, see or. apparently, hear. The
mystery about him Is that he Is not
known to Gorsuch by the name he gave
US. Nothing In his personal effects
throws any light upon his identity.
I'm view Of all of which," he con-
Guided. tersely, II have decided not to
translate the secret of this document
here or run the risk OF exposing Ii to
thaft IN - ro.. hoya oaaordinyfv ro-