American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-08-24

the GROUNDS OF the various
works, lurked in the ofiing with ears
a-prlck for every hint and every syl-
liable Of incautious gossip. Inevitably
there dawned a day when the news
was bruited to the world.
1t was the day preceding that on
which Patrla purposed starting, in her
private car for the border ranches, to
see for herself what was the truth
about the situation in the Southwest,
as well as to inspect her flying corps,
take personal instruction in aviation,
and supervise such preparations
against armed invasion as might, in
her judgment and Donald's, be deemed
wise.
What vas really going on along the
border and south Of 1t was masked in
rumor, misiDformation and official CEN
sorship. The country's half-trained and
Ill-equipped militia had been modified
and transported to the Southwest fol-
lowing which it had accomplished-by
all reports-precisely nothing.
To look into these conditions, then,
to find out for herself how grave the
danger was Of invasion following the
prospective withdrawal of the Ameri-
can troops from Mexican territory,
and to make due provision to protect
her own prOperties-since she would
in all probability be prevented by adj
ministrative ukase from extending
such protection to others-was the
main purpose Of Patria's contemplated
journey.
And because she had become q of
the widely advertised personalities in
the United States, since her accession
to sole control of Channings, Inc, she
had caused her plans to be made with
all possible secrecy.
None the less they had become pub
lie property. While she dressed fol
her last trip to Powder Town, to re
{ view her employees there, a newspapers
: story advised her that she could hops
} to make few moves without the know
| ledge of the people.
Beneath a portrait of herself, In dis
play headlines, she read:
= Miss Patria Charming
l. Americas Bertha Krupp,
who Is rapidly converting her eNten
I sive arms and ammunition factorie
into armed camps, forsakes society t
safeguard her vast properties In tn
southwest-ls reported to have sal
she will spend $too,ooo,ooo to protec
Q this country against peril Of Japanes
4 influences in Mexico.
n Over this the girl shook an exaspeI
g ated head.
s She made no doubt but that Baro
l. Huroki-presuming that he were sti
in hiding somewhere within the radiu
a of metropolitan newspaper circulate
d was reading with keen interest tina
t salf-same story.
d And she was right.
Many miles away, in a dead lit
l. house in a lead little side street in Je
sey City, seated on the floor of d
d apartment cunningly transformed |
"a means of screens into the semblan'
a. of a room in a Japanese houSe-a roo
L from which every ray Of daylight WI
10 ~iealously excluded-HurOki was Gu
u ing his lip over the headlines viii
y made Patria's secrets his, and all q
d worlds to boot.
IL But when he had finished readir
the sheer had faded from his face
u cast of thoughtfulness replacing it.
For many minutes he sat ponderir
= as still and immobile as n of [
:. craven gods which, secretly, he VIZ
shipped. When at length he moved,
- was merely to clap his palms togeth
- thrice; this done, he relapsed il
~ movelessness. Nor did he stir so mu
as to turn his head when his summo
was answered.
40 A cringing, servile creature in il
anese robes slipped noiselessly into
- room and stood at attention, anno'
cling himself by n word in his nat.
tongue:
or Master ?"
Huroki thought for another NOM
no before he spoke.
N "What are today's reports, katoT'
in "They say that we are apparen
Of safe. All efforts at pursuit have b.
of abandoned. The Claiming girl Is
mr. her hotel in New York. Captain ?
a spends most Of his time in the Oh
ming factories near Powder Town.
MI is certain that no sort of watch is
.se ing kept upon this house; not o
10 since we took cover here has one
nv the Claiming investigators approac
-er this neighbOrhOOd."
The baron nodded ~approvingly.
ria "Order my roadster to the do
no Fetch busters. caps and google ma
Ira for yourself and me-"
of at is an order"
Kato said no more, and his tone
ri ~colorless yet in the barely perceptI
hesitation he evidenced about putt
these orders into effect, Huroki sen
an unuttered criticism Was this v
M on his part2
Ia. In reSDOnSa no tOuchpd the news