The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-07-28


works, lurked in the oiIing with ear,
a-prick for every hint and every SyI
liable of incautiuuS gossip. Inevitably
there dawnrd day when the news
was hruitcd To the world.
1t was the day preceding that on
which Patria pUrpoScd starting in her
private car for the border ranches. To
see for herself what was the truth
about the situation in the Southwest,
as well aS 10 inspect her flying corps,
TAX" personal instruction in aviation.
and supervise such preparations
against armed invasion as might. in
her judgment and DonaldS, be deemed
. wise.
/ What was really going on along the
border and south of it was masked in
/ rumor. INSTRUMENTATION and official cen
SorShip. The country'S halftrainrd and
! ill-cquipp"d militia had been modified
and transported 10 the Southwest; fol-
lowing which it had acc0mplished-by
| all repOrts-preciSely nothing.
To look into these conditions. then.
| to find out for herself how grave the
danger was of invasion following the
prospective withdrawal of the Ameri-
can troops from Mexican territory.
and TO make due provision to protect
her own propertieS-SinCe she would
in all probability be prevented by adj
miniStrative ukase from extending
such protection to Others-waS the
main purpose of Patria's contemplated
journey.
And because she had become one of
the widely advertised personalities in
the United States. since her accession
TO sole control of Channings. Inc, she
had caused her plans to be made with
all possible secrecy.
None the less they had become pub
lie property. While she dressed for
her last trip to Powder Town, to re-
view her employees there. newspaper
story advised her that she could hope
ledge of the people.
Beneath portrait of herself, in dis
play headlines, she read:
Miss Patria Charming
Americas Bertha krupp,
who is rapidly converting her extern
sive arms and ammunition factories
into armed camps, forsakes society to
safeguard her vast properties in the
Southwest-is reported to have said
she will spend s1oo,ooo,ooo to protect
this country against peril Of Japanese
influences in Mexico.
Over this the girl shook an exasper-
ated head.
She made no doubt but that Baron |
Huroki-presuming that he were still |
in hiding somewhere within the radius |
Of metropolitan newspaper circulation |
was reading with keen interest that |
salf-same story.
And she was right.
Many miles away, in a dead little
house in dead little side street in Jer-
sey City, seated on the floor of an
apartment cunningly transformed by
means of screens into the semblance
of room in a japanese hOuse-a room
from which every ray of daylight was
jealousy excluded-HurOki was curl
ing his lip over the headlines which
made Patria's secrets his, and all the
worlds to boot.
But when he had finished reading,
the sheer had faded from his face, a
cast of thOughtfulness replacing it.
For many minutes he sat bordering.
as still and immObile as one of the
craven gods which, secretly, he wOr-
shipped. When at length he moved, it
was merely to clap his palms together
thrice; this done, he relapsed into
Nor did he stir so much
as to turn his head when his summons
was answered.
A cringing, servile creature in jap
anese robes slipped noiSelessly into the
room and stood at attention, annOun-
cling himself by one word in his native
tongue:
Master 2"
HurOh thought for another moment
before he spoke.
'N "AN tOddS ItpbIiS, MILO .
They say that we are apparently
safe. All efforts at pursuit have been
abandoned. The Claiming girl is at
ler hotel in New York. Captain Parr
spends most of his time in the Cham
ing factories near Powder Town. 1t
5 certain that no sort of watch is be-
ng Kept upon this house; not once
ince we took cover here has one of
he Charming Investigators approached
his neighborhOod."
The baron nodded approvingly.
Order my roadster to the door.
Fetch busters, caps and google masks
or yourself and me-"
1T is an ORDER
katO said no more. and his tone WAS
olorleSS; yet in the barely perceptihIe
eSitatiOn he evidenced about putting
heSe orders into effect. Huroki Sensed
II unuttered criticism: Was this wise
n his part?
In response he touched the newSpa-
err on the floor beside him.
You have read this story. Kato?"
"EXcellency-yeS."
DO you believe ii is true that this
irl is converting her factories into |
rmed campSy" |
"Our reports show that the Chan
lngs employees everywhere are being