Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-01-19

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, motioning the others aside
to give her a chance to collect her
self for 1t was apparent that she was
deeply agitated.
Captain Payne" presently burst
from her lips. She gestured dumbly
toward the telephone. "A great mis-
take has been made! Stop it-he's
innocent"
Then she became in%articulate 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 erred" MUIR
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 f~uriously,
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 I"
The colonel dismissed him, more
perplexed than ever, for this much of
Pearls story was corroborated. But
he could not wholly believe that a
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 its
whereabouts, was he inclined to the
opinion that she had fallen into the
hands Of common ruffians 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 reiteration that the
leader Of this mysterious group Of
political criminals was a man of dis
tinguished rank and great personality,
the president gave s~phinxlike atten-
ton.
"You would recognize his figure
his voice-you think?"
Pearl hesitated. II am not sure"
She ran her hand YEARLY across her
forehead. 'Pm so confused"
After a silence, the president with
q significant glance at the others, took
Pearl kindly by the hand. perhaps
you would be willing to do me a per-
sonal service, Miss Dare, and thus sat
isfy your own peace Of mind in this
whole matter?'
Colonel Dare's daughter flushed I'M
der the implied confidence of the ma
tons executive. She nodded eager as
sent.
Suppose you carry from me a note
to MI. Payne. After reading it, If he
is innocent, he will tell you so. And
If he is guilty as the facts unfortunate
ly point, I think that he will confide
in you. Is this requesting too much"
She gazed TREMENDOUSLY into the pres
ident's eyes. They were very human.
"All l ask is that our interview be a
private one" she replied, simply.
The president scrubbed a few words
upon a sheet of paper and gave 1t to
her. Pearl rose, bowed d~eferentiaily
and left the room IN her fathers arm
followed by a battery of attentive and
admiring eyes.
Then began q long discussion.
That evening Pearl, accompanied
only by Toxic, took the "limited" south.
At the Washington barracks a spe-
cial stop was made and two federal
guards hustled Payne up the steps and
into a private compartment. Knowing
that the trip would consume the bet
ter part Of forty-eight hours, Pearl
postponed the dreaded interview I'm
til morning in the hope that a night
Of much needed repose would steel her
heart to the trial no matter what the
outcome; and she did not notify the
prisoner that she was on the train.