Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-08-10

VI NnehAlAAo " NAJOI 4eueEhA GOE-
such at Panama, to whom the secret
should in all events be made known
without delay OF knowledge Of others
than ourselves"
Captain Payne, his y e bright
leaped impulsively to his feet. "Gen.
eral" cried he, with animation, II vol
unteer. I am now technically on leave.
My going at this time would excite no
suspicion In any quarter; In fact, 1t
need not be divulged to anyone that
my destination Is other than 1 origin
ally intended It should be-"
The general looked fxedly at Payne.
Excellent" he exclaimed, with a
pleased 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
a long conference with the STAFF about
other vital matters on which their ex-
pert views were 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 in
his eyes. He walked briskly down the
path, marveling at the queer turn of
things, oblivlous 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
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
toni" 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 m~agnihcently upon
Payne, who noticed him in a friendly
kind of way while grasping Pearls
outstretched hand.
moi" he protested, when Toxic
opened the door for him to enter the
automobile. "Sorry, I have an imme-
date engagement. When can 1 see
your"
1--WE dine at seven" she replied
simply. II 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 a brilliant
smile, she turned her face away and
Toxic, with keen p~oliteness, bowed and
started off.
This was exactly at 3:41 p. IN. 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
route. Taking a cab, he stopped sew
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 a 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 flustered officer
whispered in his ear. Man layin' up
stairs in this dump same as dead with
paralysis suddenly disappears and no
n knows how or when he went or
where. With a trained nurse at that,
and she's gone, tool"
Anything to do with the wal de-
partmentT" demanded Payne quickly.
"Yes," replied the officer In the man
ner Of n dlvulging a secret. "Con-
hdentlally, 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 a bang and approached the
telephone standing on the writing ia
BILE. And now occurred the most
startling experience of his life. There
beside the telephone lay an envelope.
His own name was written upon 1t. 1t
was unsealed. Picking 1t up, he drew
forth with nervous fingers, a sheet Of