Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-05-11
II SIcry o|HMe,zca
First" Unmaskixg
AMe,7cu,s Secret Foes
Mcehssd From tie Azcnos ncigre
s'StS1ai Of tie Same Name
RSkssSd BY Pafhe.
esrss. nm. se~ y sn-~s

90
possible angle. A group Of scribes
practically camped on the Dare premi-
ses seeking interviews and pleading for
photographs Of everybody In the house
hold or associated with 1t. The fact
that the Dares were constantly In the
public eye nowadays lent a special in
terest to this adventure which over
Swallowed all others and kept the ews-
paper men In expectation Of more to
come.
The activity Of these news g~atherers
was turned to good account by the gov
eminent officials.
"a newspaper man lets nothing get
by, whether he understands Ii or not
judiciously remarked the president
when Colonel Dare came TO him COM
planning of the nuisance and pleading
against this intrusion into his privacy.
''These fellows may become the right
arm Of the nation In smoking the ST.
lent Menace out. Give them free reign,
colonel. keeping your counsel. Of
course"
Then the presidents c%ountenance
changed. Colonel Dare" His voice
was vibrant with deeply stirred emo
lions. without attaching any blame
on you or your associates. we must ad-
nit that the Foreign Alliance has sue
ceeded In It's initial attempts. What
ever may be behind II all, the secret
Canal defense plans and the chemicals
necessary to interpret these plans are
In their possession. Some hostile for
eign agency now knows something we
ourselves do not know-the one weak
spot In our fertilization Of the canal.
II the canal Is wrenched from our con-
troll the position Of America as the
In world affairs will alter-from
IN aggressive nation, which we now
are, we will be forced to a humiliating
defensive. Our military forces on the
isthmus have been brought to the high
est standard Of efficiency; as many OF
our ~bAttleships as can be spared from
the northern coasts will sail today I'M
der full steam In both oceans 70 guard
each entrance to the canal. From this
day on we can do nothing more thu
await developments there and-pPe>
pare for any emergency here. II Is my
wish that you cooperate unreservedly
with the secretary OF war and the chief
Of the army staff In mobilizing a mill
lion volunteers for army service. My
call OF which you have been informed
will be issued today.>
Colonel Dare. overwhelmed by the
undated confidence OF the chief mag
of the country. solemnly pledged
his word.
After dinner that night, Colonel
Dare called .all the visiting newspaper
into his study and informed them
that at any moment he expected the
secretary Of war. the chief Of the army
stan and q or two OF his junior off,
GERS, including Major Brent. to arrive;
that the purpose Of their visit vas to
discuss informally the question Of rails
ing q million volunteers; how to handle
the movement Of troops; how to dis
RVSC Va tliCln SAi dtCkildily duu GQulH
and train the recruits properly and
quickly; that eventually a written
would be forthcoming. He
asked Them to favor him personally by
quitting the premises SO that the mem
bere>o Of his family would not be sub
tected to the constant annoyance Of
answering door bells and telephone
calls and the conference proceed undis-
The reporters smilingly obliged the
colonel by quartering themselves in the
summer house In the Dare gardens.
When he was told of this arrangement
he laughed. In spite Of the seriousness
Of everything. at the subtle and deter
fessional collector and purveyor Of
news.
They've got a n-notion. colonel"
Adams Informed him. "that you're goin'
over a Hot Of National Guard figures
what'l show u-up jest how
the country's fixed to dig up n million
They w-want to get at them
figures which they think you amt
goin' to give o-out."
"Huhi ~ exclaimed the colonel guard
eddy.
Then there's that t-there Silent
Menace" insinuated Adams. "Thesc
writer-chaps g-got a bet up That he's
goin' to be on the job and beat t-them
to IL on this figger business"
"The Silent MenaceI" echoed the
colonel. sharply. Report that, sir. to
Major Brent ut once. Hes"
81 heard II. colonel" called n voice
from IN adjoining room and the major
now joined them. laughing lightly. "No
outsider will enter this house tonight.
II Is guarded inside and out by picked
from the garrison"
In view Of the distinguished charac-
ter OF the nights visitors. both the
major and the orderly dressed with
more care than usual. Particularly
Adams, who was VIGOROUSLY indifTcr-
ent to his apparel. Some of the men
in the mess rallied him most unuerci-
fully at times, clubbing kim the "mess
Dum." He was Clearly enough In his
habits and was even known 10 shave
several times a day. especially when
assigned TO some duty where he would