The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-05-08

direction. The one he had placed diff
ferently had been reversed.
The discovery took his breath away.
After all, his wife was right If there
We're those on his track who had al
ready shown such skill in hunting for
the document, what more would thev
40! lnstinctively he clapped his hand
TO ms breast pocket. The dispatch
was there. But he did not feel as
sured that 1t would be there " hen he
arrived at Vera Cruz. He vowed tbat
no one should during the passage come
within arms length of him.
He mapped in his berth and read
novel which he had brought with him
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 shadowing him. But
on the second day out an old lady with
very white hair came up the compan-
ionway and looked about for seat.
The ship was rolling, and Maitland,
taking hold of her arm, supported her
to steamer chair. She thanked him,
but he 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 it would have been DO
lite for him to respond, but he turned
from her as though she had some in
fictitious disease
Several times after that he surveyed
her from distance and noticed that
she looked very peculiar. Indeed, after
scrutinizihg her one afternoon as she
sat doing In her steamer chair it &C.
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 he saw her and the
young Spanish woman sitting side by
side and talking conf1dentially 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 stateroom, took
the dispatch from his pocket and look
ed at it. He felt very happy. If he
had got it SO far on the journey despite
those who were trying to get it from
him surely be could do what little re-
manned. Replacing it, he picked up his
cigarette case which he had left on a
shelf, lighted a 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.
20 k4vRna l.
to the deck. No one had gone ashore
A last hope occurred to him. He would
have the two women arrested on a
trumpet up charge. There they were
near the compRnionway. He rushed |
forward and, sedNng a policeman on
the dock, beckoned to him. The man
met him on the companionway, and
Maitland, slipping 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 at their arrest
asserting their innocence.
II am an American" said the old |
lady, "and demand to be taken before |
the United States consul"
II 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 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 it, 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 her?
Suddenly-the Spanish woman's back
was turned-she gave him a smile.
He recognized his wife.
Rising, Julie went into the hall,
Maitland following her.
"Don't worry" she said. Its safe"
"Where?'
I'm my corsage."
"How did you come by it?"
1--we had it all the time. When l
handed you the cigar box in Washing
ton it contained dummy / kept the
"Who opened my suit caseY
'9The woman in there"
'fHow do you known"
II saw plainly that she had been
sent to delay the delivery of the dis
patch and, pretending that I was on
the same errand, won her confidence,
and we agreed to work together. Aft
er 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