Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-06-01

no one should during the passage come
within arms length of him.
He mapped in his berth and read a
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 ONE man would
attempt to make his acquaintance. No
man did, but a very pretty young wo-
man sitting in a 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 put an old lady with
very white hair came up the compan-
ionway and looked about for a seat.
The ship was rolling, and Maitland,
taking hold of her arm, supported her
to a 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 1t would have been po-
lite for him to respond, but he turned
from her as though she had some in
fictitious disease.
Several times after that be surveyed
10, frap, q 1te+ono1 ov1 vofioad fhof
she looked very peculiar. Indeed, after
s~crutinizing her one afternoon as she
sat doing In her steamer chair it oc-
Cured to him that she was a young
person disguised as an old woman
When the day before the ship vas
due at Vera Cruz he saw her and the
young Spanish woman sitting side by
side and talking confidentially 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 1t from
him surely he 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.
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 a
trumped up charge. There they were
neal the comp9nionway. He rushed
forward and, se&ng a policeman on
the dock, beckoned to him. The nan
net nfm On the curnpanr@way, und
Maitland, slipping a 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 lock they were taken into custody.
They made a great d at their arrest,
asserting their innocence.
81 am an American" said the old
lady, land l demand to be taken before
the United States consul"
81 will take you to the consulate"
said Maitland, provided your confed-
crate will consent to go with us"
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 1t, 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 MN a smlle.
He recognized his wife.
Rising, Julie went into the hall,
Maitland following her.
"Don't worry" she said. Its safe"
"Where?"
In my ~corsage."
"How aid you Come by itT"
1--WE had it all the time. When 1
handed you the cigar box in Washing
ton it contained a dummy. I kept the
dispatch" s
"Who opened my suit caseT
1.-THE woman in there"
How do you known"
81 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 Ill