Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-09
SPY MEETS MATCH
IN SHREWD WOMAN
OutWitted on Fast Train Going
Through Scotland and Is
Put Under Arrest.
ACT ARoUsEs SUSPICION
NY ROGER PoCOCK.

<s...,.u Cor,esuondence Of The Sunday
star and New York Worldly
LONDON. November 25-The best spy
story in a long time comes from
medical officer, one Of the big guns OF
his corps and profession. 1t is all ABOUT
the Aberdeen express. one OF the world
quickest long-distance runs. You leave
London after the theater, go to bed in
the train. have a cup of tea in bed at
marlborough and breakfast in Aber-
deem, 500 miles from town. Northward
from scarborough there are stops
while on the Forth bridge. from whence
Won look down onto the decks Of first
class battleships. and at Dundee and
Montrose.
The woman boarded the train at Edin-
borough and the porter showed her into
compartment OF the day
coach. The other passenger was for
eipn man-of what nationality 1t would
be hard to say, but foreign. AS to the
woman. she seemed harmless and was
some ffty-three years of age The point
is that one of the two was really Ger
man spy, and any ones first suspicion
would point to the woman. She owned
up frankly that she enjoys a gossip.
and found the foreigner quite good
fellow. AS to his nationality. the accent
gave no clue. She pumped him perse-
veringly.
Train Stops at Bridge.
A few miles out from Marlborough the
train stopped on the Forth bridge. They
say that the three great bridges at New
York, end on, would equal the three spans
Of this stupendous cantilever. the biggest
bridge in the world. From the trains
one looks down upon naval base Of
first rate consequence. A spy, making
rapid summary Of the capital ships in
full view. might pick up important In
would be correct is another matter-they
say the admiralty is so artful The thing
which seems to be is not the thing which
is; and If that statement sounds obscure
can only refer you for particulars to
the nearest German spy. He has a worry
ing job; .,.
window, shutting out the view. and an
noying the woman, who also wanted to
have a look. Moreover, she saw him go
through long, fumbling procedure which
perturbed her extremely. What on earth
was he up to? The only thing she saw
was the last swift movement which emp
she caught the glimpse OF a wing. Now
the whole thing was clear-there must
have been a message scrubbed rapidly,
folded and made fast, and then the sud
den release Of a carrier pigeon.
The Woman's Speciality.
And then the foreigner flashed round to
see if the woman had noticed anything.
No. evidently not. She looked vacant,
nodding and half asleep.
ST looked stupid" she said afterward,
but that's my specially"
thinking before he had time to turn
Her first impulse was to run
along the corridor and find the guard
or rouse the first soldier she saw. But
first movement that he was in danger,
and she did not want to be strangled.
thrown out of the window and drowned
in the Forth estuary: That would
wondered what had delayed the train
SO long. He expressed noble senti-
ments concerning the allies and con-
tempt for Germany.
But as the train pulled into Dundee
the woman expressed her conviction
that the morning papers would be for
sale by this time at the bookstafl. She
felt that a little run on the platform
would ease her limbs after the cramped
compartment. She would buy paper
content and consented to her request
that he should see that nobody took
her window seat in her absence.
Halfway to the bookstall she met
a porter. It would be natural to ask
him how long the train stopped.
Don't be seen speaking" she said.
as she passed the porter. There's
spy in my carriage. Send the station
master to me at the bookstall."
Instructs Station Master.
When the station master came behind
t.
newspaper just as though she were
ing to me" she said. There's a spy
in my carriage. The train stops at
rose"
She paid for her bundle Of papers
and walked back to the carriage. If
the spy had seen her speak to any
body he might attempt to escape along
the corridor. or onto the railway track
form. Or he might jump from the
train outside the station before it gath
cred speed. Worst of all for her,
he might have confederates in the
train.
Yet he seemed unsuspicious, sitting
where she had left him. much obliged
for the newspaper. The plucky woman
sat opposite to her spy and entertained
him until they reached Montrose.
Then came to their compartment a
British officer with an armed guard and
a detective. who greeted the spy at
once like a long lost brother.
why" said he, I've been searching
for you for months"
The spy looked out through the win
dow eastward and saw an armed SEN
try waiting on the metals in case he
attempted escape. Then he looked at
the woman-the artful woman-and
sighed.
Later the woman received an official
communication of warm congratula-
tions on her patriotism, courage and
high intelligence, begging her to ac-
cept the Enclosure, memento Of fine
deed done for her country.