The daily Alaskan., 1917-06-20
A Spy's
 Sacrifice
By RICHARD MARK1EY

Lne auneEenID OI lnc 4HAAu0o AA1 bAS shogun the mikado's troops were be- sieging a fortress which both Hdes wanted, for 1t was in SR important strategical position, and the troops who occupied it were reasonably certain Of success.
 But there Is one matter of impor" tance concerning 1t that is pertinent to this story. The mikado'B army was very small, and force of the shogun was coming up to the relief of the bo- sieged. This force was expected with in week. The success of tho mikadO depended upon how long his enemy g supplies would hold out. If there were enough for but few days the beAieg- CTS might Rmain and reap the benefit of their lRbors. Ifthe provisions should last longer than that they would better be of before the relief force came up or they might be overwhelmed by q Gu' perior army.
 To know what supplies tho dsfend' CTS of the fortress had would b0 OS inestimable value to the beEieGOd IS meant a possible possession of the point of attack, and 1t meant proven ton of a possible HnnihllRtiou of the emperorB army and the probable loEs of his cause.
 The devotion of the Japanese people under such circumstances is wOndeE. It is that devotion which enabled them to force a peace upon the Russian bear that had threatened to walk all over their little islands and take possession of them. It is that devotion that has en- abled them to protect themselves while cultivating the commercial methods of western civilization.
 There came a noble t0 the mikRdo and said to him:
 70 mighty emperor, lt h on Hc- count of your mRjesty'B virtue that l feel an impulse spring up within me. My ancestors are looking down upon me and smile pleasantly upon me as yield to the inspiration. l will dis guise myself and obtain admittHnce to the fortress. There will observe for how many days your enemies are sup piled, and 1 will return and advise you of the fact"
 q am we'll pleased" replied the em- peror. that my virtues have produced in you such 8 worthy motive. You have my permission to go Into the fortress and observe the supply of food our enemies have and return to me and tell me. will request the shades of my own ancestors to watch over you, but if you die fin your Rt- tempt you will have the satisfaction of knowing that both ri'"e and your Rn- cestors will welcome yu,. fin spiritlRnd." |" So the noble prostptrd himself be- fore his majesty and turned md went away. That same day 8 nan dressed as a shepherd found access to the ! fortress and went among the graRR- ries and found them nearly empty. There was food enough to last but two days. The shepherd, satisfied with the information he had gained. was about to leave the fortress when one who had known him before the war came on recognized him. The spy was seized and hurried before the shogun.
 This man." said his captor, "is a no- ble who supports the mikado for the position to which your majesty is en- titled. He has been among us in this ralment of a shepherd and knows just how many days supply we have on hand. What shall we do with him?'
 Cruelty him." said the shogun.
 With that they were leading the spy away to cruelty him when the ShOgun called to them to bring him back.
 "If you will go to the wall" he said to the spy, land tell your people that we have supplies to last several weeks l will spare your hfe."
 'That I will do," said the other, "My ancestors cali to me to stand Arm and they will receive me at my death joyfully, but I have a wife and ehil- dren in the mlkado's camp, and 1 am loath to leave them for my ancestors, whom l reverence greatly, but have never seen. am so weak as to prefer my wife and little ones"
 "GO. then; tell them what have said to you, and will in time return you to those you love"
 The spy was conducted to the wall and stood upon 1t, the soldiers of the shOgun keeping in the background. Be signaled the besiegers to come near that he might speak to them. So they all drew as near as they dared, the family of the spy coming with the others. The spy stood looking at them benignly as they drew near and saw his wife and little ones looking up at him anxlously, knowing that he must have been discovered by the besiegsd people and that 6 crisis was at hand.
 The shogun sat in the center of the fortress, rejoicing that he had found q means of deceiying his enemies and sending them oR when near the accom- 1 plishment of ali they had been so long striving for. About him stood hiB sol diers waiting to hear the spy ten his people of the abundance of supplies there were in the fort.
 Then the spy raised his hand for Bi- fence and said to them:
 l H0 my naoDla I haVs examined fhp