Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-07-27

during the afternoon and evening. not
leaving his stateroom. The next morn
ing he passed on deck. He expected
every moment that some man would
attempt to make his acquaintance. No
man did, but very pretty young wo.
man sitting In steamer chair looked
at him as he passed her and cast down
her long Spanish lashes. Every time
he passed her in pacing back and forth
she gave him the same glance and the
same downward sweep. He suspected
her at once and put himself on his
guard.
With the exception Of the Spanish
woman there was no evidence Of any
person or persons shadowinghim. But
on the second day out an old lady with
very white hair came up the compan-
ionway and looked about for q seat.
The ship was rolling, and Maitland,
taking hold Of her arm, supported her
to steamer chair. She thanked him,
but no would have nothing to do with
her. Surely he had reason to suspect
every one. The old lady besides thank
Ing him made some commonplace re-
mark, to which 1t would have been DO
lite for him to respond, but no turned
from her az though she had some M
fictitious disease.
Several times after that no surveyed
her from a distance and noticed that
she looked very peculiar. Indeed, after
scrutinizing her one afternoon as she
sat doing In her steamer chair II oc-
CURED to him that she was a young
person disguised as an old woman.
When the day before the ship was
due at Vera Cruz no saw her and the
young Spanish woman sitting side by
side and talking confidentlally he made
up his mind that they had been sent
out from Washington TO steal his dis
patch and that one or both Of them had
already opened his suit case Prob
ably one did the work while the other
kept watch.
A few hours before his arrival IN port
Maitland went to his staterooui, took
the dispatch from his pocket and look
cd at It. He felt very happy. II be
had got It 30 far on the joufney despite
those who were trying to get " from
him surely no could do what little re-
NAMED. Replacing 1t, he picked up his
cigarette case, which he had left ON q
shelf, lighted n cigarette and, lying
down with his novel, began to read. He
soon became drowsy and fell asleep.
When he awoke the ship was in port
He felt nauseated. Something had hap
pened. He clapped his hand to his side
pocket
The dispatch was gone.
Beaten after ALL" he moaned
Starting up, he staggered out and on
to the deck. No one had gone ashore
A last hope occurred to him. He would
have the two women arrested on
trumped up charge. There they were
near the compSnlonway. He rushed
forward and, seSng a policeman on
the dock, beckoned to him. The man
met him on the companionway, and
Maitland, slipping n ten dollar bill into
his hand, told him that there were two
women thieves on board who had rob-
bed him. When the women reached
the dock they were taken into custody
They made great ado ut their arrest,
asserting their innocence.
Il am an American" said the old
lady, "and I demand to be taken before
the United States consul"
Il will take you to the consulate"
said Maitland, provided your confed-
crate will consent to go with u.s."
The old lady persuaded the other wo-
man to make no objection, assuring her
that It was their best course. Maitland
called a carriage, and the three travel
ers entered, the policeman climbing to
the box. On reaching the consulate
Maitland insisted that the Spanish wo.
man go In with them. He did not dare
leave her In the carriage. She seemed
indifferent about II, and the three went
In together. The consul being engaged
at the time, they were placed In the
waiting room.
While waiting, Maitland. facing the
old lady, scrutinized her. What was
there that was familiar about herr
Suddenly--the Spanish woman's back
was turned-she gave him n smile.
He recognized his wife.
Rising. Julie went into the hall,
Maitland following her.
"Don't worry" she said. TITS safe"
"Where2"
I'm my corsage."
How did you come by III"
i've had It all the time. When I |
handed you the cigar box in Washing
ton 1t contained dummy. I kept the
dispatch"
"Who opened my suit caseT
THE woman In there"
How do you known
II saw plainly that she had been
sent to delay the delivery of tho dis
patch and, pretending that was on
the same errand, won her confidence,
and we agreed to work together. Aft
or she found the envelope was not in |
your suit case she was sure you had
It on your person. You were very |
careless to leave your cigarettes In
your statsroom. She picked tho lock
with a skeleton key, went In and re-
placed your cigarettes with those that |
had been drugged. When you were
asleep she robbed you"
"And the dummy What did she
say when sho discovered thatT
"She cried. Had she secured the
dispatch she would have been paid
100000"
While Julie was explaining sho was
opening her dress, took out tho real
dispatch and handed II TO her hus-
band. Returning 10 tho room no had
left, no told the Spanish woman that
he had found tho missing article, apollo
gized and said she might go whero she
liked.
When Maitland delivered his dis
patch his wifo did not appear In the
transaction. H6 was well launched in
tho profession he had chosen.
T. q n - a L Ell
A number Of young work horses and
iunlrAind m AKiuind hARaa