Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-08-17
II Sfory 0Hmey7ca
First" Unm0SkiRg
AMe,7ca'S Secret Foes
MoOchzcd From Me Afonoz Rchurs
SERIAL Of He Sane Name
RehaJCd By Pahbe
essts "a. &C. ? sso--g

hANAk hA NAA1 NNAn 4aEE1
are, therefore, other than patriotic
motives why she should undertake to
get at the bottom Of the man. The
Dare's-" He stopped speaking
listened intently a second or two and
dp-tOed to a window. They all heard
a ~throbbing noise on the street. He
turned with an explanatory exclama-
ton. "Here she is now in her auto
mobile !"
A curious hush fell upon the group
and the war secretary fastened from
the room. When he returned, after
an interval, Pearl Dare, dazed and
~dishevelled, leaned YEARLY upon his
arm.
Her eyes at once caught the figure
Of the president. She tottered toward
him dropping on her knees. He raised
her gently, m%otioning the others aside
to give her a chance to collect her
self for 1t was apparent that she was
deeply agltated.
Captain Paynei" presently burst
from her lips. She gestured dumbly
toward the telephone. "a great mis-
take has been madel Stop it-he's
l~nnocentI |"
Then she became inarticulate and
grew very pale. A clock on the mantel
was striking the hour Of six.
Pearl slowly bowed her head, chok-
ing back tears. Through a slit in the
window blinds filtered a streak Of sun
light.
"God forbid If we have erredl" mur
INJURED the secretary Of war, at the
conclusion Of the sixth stroke, his eyes
fixed upon the clock. THE sentence
Of Ralph Payne has been executed"
Pearl turned upon them %furiOusly,
crying out: You idiots!'
Then she tainted. They carried her
to a sofa and summoned the colonel
from the barracks. TO him, when she
had sufficiently recovered, she related
her wild and incOmprehensible adven-
ture.
The colonel listened dOubtfully to
her tale. He called in the chauffeur,
Toxic, inquiring whether any Of the
Dare servants had mentioned burglars
In the house during the night.
Toxic nodded. "Mimi-she smell of
chlOroform. Say someone knock her
out"
The colonel dismissed him, more
perplexed than ever, for this much of
PEARLS story was cOrrObOrated. But
he could not wholly believe that u
band Of gentlemen such as she de
scribed the foreign alliance to be was
secretly plotting to overthrow the
government by casting the guilt upon
De Mira and the former officer Ralph
Payne. Rather from her appearance
and condition, and the fact that SHE
! could but vaguely recall the rendez
vous and not at all designate it,
, whereabouts, was he inclined to the
. opinion that she had fallen into the
: hands of common rufIians of De Mira
. or Payne, escaping in some miraculous
manner after being drugged.
Pearl stuck to her testimony, how
ever, repeating it clearly and concise
ly to the president and his counsellors
? To her emphatic relteratiOn that tn,
{ leader of this mysterious group Oi
political criminals was a man of dis
: tlnguished rank and great personality
the president gave sphinxlike atten
ton.
You would recognize his figure
his yOice-you think?'
Pearl hesitated. 81 nm not sure
, She ran her hand YEARLY across he.
forehead. I'm so confused"
After a silence, the president witt
, n significant glance at the others, tool
J Pearl kindly by the hand. "Perhap.
you would be willing to do me a per
sonal service, Miss Dare, and thus sat
4 isfy your own peace Of mind in thi
whole matterT'
! Colonel Dare's daughter flushed IN
der the implied confidence Of the ma
TONS executive. She nodded eager as
= sent.
Suppose you carry from me a not
r to Mr.. Payne. After reading 1t, If h
Is innocent, he will tell you so. An
II he Is guilty as the facts unfortunate
ly point, l think that he will conhd
% In you. Is this requesting too much?
She gazed TREMENDOUSLY into the pres
ldent's eyes. They were very human
"All 1 ask is hat our interview be
private one" she replied, simply.
!" The president scrubbed a few word
re upon "A sheet OF paper and gave it I
K her. Pearl rose, bowed deferentlall
o and left the room on her fathers arr
II followed by a battery Of attentive an
y admlring eyes.
ii Then began a long discussion.
D. That evening Pearl, accompanie
only by Toxic. took the 'llmited" soutl
Is At the Washington barracks a sp'
IS clal stop was made and two federl
10 guards hustled Payne up the steps an
le into a private compartment. Known
r that the trip would consume the be
j. ter part OF %fOrty-elght hours, Pea
/ postponed the dreaded interview III
til morning In the hope that a nlgl
s, OF much needed repose would steel he
n. heart to the trial nc matter what II
IN outcome. and she did not notify III