Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-11-09
II Story Of Hme,7c0
First" UnmaSkfAg
AMenca'S Secret Foes
MOehSed From tie MoHo1 Rotnre
SenaI of tie Sane Name
RELEASED By RaMe
ey~tN ma SevE Sa-s

Adams, %curiously.
~ am positive, as you arel" burst
from the girl.
"There is no telephone connection
from that council chamber, is theref'
mo connection Of any kind with the
outside world"
"And no one In the chamber knew
what was to be done with the plans
and the waters when the meeting was
called2"
"Not until they assembled did any
one except the chief Of the army staff
know, not even that there were such
plans and waters"
Adams laughed lightly. "Then there
is only n answer to this puzzlel" he
exclaimed. payne must have been
guilty of forging his own handwriting
on that note Of warning and Of telling
Toko-or the Granadian ambassador
that the priceless secret was on his
person-and where. That's all there
is to that, PEARL"
She looked at him Questioningly.
"You do not believe that Do your"
He laughed again. what else is
there to believer"
She fell silent, signing, and he said
nothing more on the subject just then.
AS oon as they reached the Dare
residence, and before they entered the
house, Adams very gravely requested
Pearl to go with him to TOko's quar-
tiers over the garage. She eagerly con-
sented.
When they entered the chauffeur's
room it was apparent that Toxic had
been there recently. The floor was lit
tered with torn-up pieces of letters and
envelopes, on which the addresses, sig
natures and dates, as well as the post
marks, were rendered undecipherable.
There was not a stitch of clothing or a
single personal effect of the chauffeur
in the place, not even a trunk Or valise.
"He cleaned everything out, didn't
he? Bag and baggageg" commented
Adams, disappointment written on his
face. 1--WE shall probably never know
who Toxic was"
"What's this?" questioned Pearl,
paying little heed to his remarks, alb
sorbed in a discovery she had made.
Tackled on the back of the door was
a plain, bulky envelope, sealed.
"T. o. ADAMS"
the address read.
That's what I've been rather ex-
pecting to find, Pearl % Adams cried,
with an enthusiasm at which she Won
dered greatly. MAY I have it, please?'
A curious depression came upon
Pearl as she looked from the name on
the envelope to the owner, whose face
was wreathed in smiles of real joy.
She handed it to him without removing
her eyes from his. Then an unfinished
conversation at the army administers
ton building flashed into her mind.
do you recall the unanswered Ques-
lions 1 asked you, Adams, several
hours ago?" she inquired, quickly and
seriously, coming quite close to him.
Eyes, Pearl" he replied in low,
tense tones.
"Will you now answer them,
please?" she continued, in a pleading
way; $50. that all may be clear be-
tween us-so that there may be no
hidden mystery to crop out in the
years to come and-and spoil our hap
piness and content and mutual trust.
Is your name really Il. o. Adams? Do
you come from Monks Corner, Nebras-
ka, or wherever that outlandish place
may be? Did you know that Toxic wa
the Silent Menace? You were not I'm
any way in league with him, were
your"
Must you have your answer to all
these questions now?" he inquired in
a strange, thick voice.
"As you WISH" she rejoined, not
without a tinge of impotence.
81 am not II. o. Adams of Monks
Corner, Nebraska" he finally admitted
In hollow tones.
The statement did not seem to sur
prise her. She made no comment, look
ing down at the tip Of her slipper,
waiting.
II am not the mysterious inventor
Of the Canal Defense plans or the
chemical WATERS" he continued in the
same tones.
She looked up at that, her face
showing pain and surprise.
81 never said that 1 was" he con-
tinued, quickly, interpreting her
thought. 81 said that T. o. Adams was,
and he was. And he was from Monks
Corner, Nebraska"
She seemed to be puzzled at this ex-
PLANTATION, which was not an explana-
ton at all, so far as she could see.
Il did not know that Toxic was the
Silent Menace, although 1 suspected
1t, and /, of course, was not in league
with him in any way. Now, are my
answers satisfactory
mo" she exclaimed, candldly, step
ping back a pace. Her voice was cool
"Who, may / ask, is the man to whom
l have given my love and pledged my
life? What has become of Il. o. Adams,
whose name and character you have
assumed@ must admit, so well?"