Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1917-06-12
A Valuable
Cigarette
BY DONALD CHAMBERIIN

another vessel to Greece. On this sec.
ond voyage L was sitting on deck one
day In my steamer chair when lady
passed me, leaving behind her dain..
ty handkerchief edged with lace OF
course, / arose from my chair, picked
up the handkerchief and, going aftes
the lady, handed it to her, calling her
attention to the fact that she had
dropped it.
She thanked me in broken English,
adding: Il judge from your accent
that you are either English or Ameri-
can. / think you are American"
admitted that 1 was, and she said she
had been in America and since she
seemed DESTROYS of chatting about my
country drew two chairs together and
we sat down side by side.
The lady was about twenty-five years
old and had very winning way with
her.
We chatted together for whole
morning. l gave her my card and she
gave me her name, which was Anna
Lefevre. Whereupon l said, You must
be French" At this she laughed and
replied, II am a citizen Of the world"
We met frequently on deck and
smoked together Mile. Lefevre smok-
ing cigarettes, l my pipe. She did not
enlighten me as to where she was GO
ing, where was her residence or In
deed, tell me anything about herself.
When we separated at the end of the
voyage l expressed a wish that we
might meet again. At this her face
took on a peculiar expression and she
said she was not quite sure that she
would like to meet me again. l asked
her why, but got no reply.
After landing in Greece | made my
way to Saloniki 1 remained with the
army there some time, making friends
with the British officers. At that time
the Saloniki forces We're expecting to
advance, and l thought l would have
chance to see something of war. But
l was disappointed in this and, becom-
ing tired of waiting, concluded to move
on, when something turned up far more
interesting to me than q battle.
Being invited to dine with the COM
mander of one of the allied forces, /
found several ladies present, one of
them my companion on shipboard-
Mile. Lefevre. She paled slightly at
meeting me and for a moment seemed
to hesitate to recognize me; but, quick
ly making up her mind to do SO, she
advanced toward me with a proffered
hand and a smile that was plainly
forced. Some of the officers present
took notice of our acquaintance and
asked where we had met. Something
in their manner told me that they were
more than casually interested in ouI
acquaintance.
l confess the dinner was not an en-.
joyable one. The officers present seem.
ed interested in something beyond com.
panionShip.
When the time came for smoking
cigars and cigarettes they were passed
Smoking by women is very common
in Europe, though members of the sex
confine themselves to cigarettes. Mile
Lefevre, who sat directly opposite me
produced her cigarette case and sait
to me:
II have some of those cigarettes yor
liked on shipboard. Try one"
Instead of handing me the case she
selected one for me, accompanying II
by look that evidently meant some
thing, though l could not interpret 1t
| took the cigarette, lighted it and gave
a few puffs when it went out. l was
about to light it again, when the donor
gave me another look, this time o.
mute appeal This time | understood
and refrained from relighting the weed
l was handed a cigar and instead O
o4era x.I. 4 Ill
before me, smoked the cigar.
When we rose from the table
caught frightened glance from Mile
Lefevre. Then she dropped her eye
to the partly smoked cigarette ON tn.
plate. l glanced around to see that
was not observed, then carelessly tool
1t up and as we were passing out o
the dining room put it in my yes
pocket.
l never saw Mile. Lefevre after tn
) dinner party broke up That night be
: fore going to bed | took the partl.
smoked cigarette from my vest poke
, and unrolled it. One end had bee
J filed with tobacco; the rest containe,
closely rolled very thin paper on whic
; was written information concernin
the allied forces in Greece and, NOR
!. important still, secret message fron
! some Greek officials to the emperor O
) Austria.
9 l was puzzled what to do in tn
( matter. l could not find 1t in my hear
: to cause the woman to be shot for
I spy. L tossed all night considerin
s what action to take without result. 1
the morning 1 asked for Mile. Lefevr
and was told that she had left tn
place for Athens. 1t was confided [
0 nae that she had been suspected of bt
4 ing a spy for the enemy and after tn
a dinner had been searched. But sine
4 nothing had been found to incriminat
a her she had been permitted to go be
4 way.
: Further deliberation caused me t
y keep my secret. The spy had not bee
: able to get her information through til