Gilpin observer., 1917-04-19

necessary to interpret the secret cana
defense plans on the night Miss Dare
entrusted their return to you and you
in turn saw Colonel Dare give them tc
the major to be guarded against loss p
II can answer that question" re-
piled Bertha Bonn, looking T. O
Adams squarely in the face as she
spoke. 'Major Brent was not drugged
by anyone except himself. forced
him to return the chemical waters to
me. 1t was and is his only offense for
which I alone am responsible. / was
in honor bound to return those waters
to the person from whom they were
originally received"
Let me understand that clearly ~
the judge advocate-general exclaimed
leaning forward, for here was matter
Of vital Importance. "These waters
were delivered to Miss Pearl Dare by
T. o. Adams in the cellar of the Chem
ical building on the night the Foreign
Alliance abducted her in order to OBJ
tain possession Of them. Who gave
them to T. o. Adams7"
II did," confessed Bertha with a
smile.
From whom did you receive them p
II had them manufactured by a
chemist on prescription which T. o.
Adams gave to me-"
The room was in an instant uproar
and Bertha was hastily and finally
excused by the judge acknowledgement
who whispered to her with a smile full
of meaning: "Tm beginning to believe
that you and Major Brent will be mar
ried before the day is over Miss Bonn.
Indeed, hope sol" And no one could
mistake the sincere admiration in the
look he gave the girl as he again es-
tablished order, calling to the stand
the chief Of the army staff.
General" began he, assuming that
tone of Difference due the highest mill
tary official in the land whose distin-
guished figure held everyone amid a
sudden and respectful silence, "who
invented the secret canal defense
plans?"
"a mysterious person who disap-
peared apparently off the face of the
earth leaving no name nor trace"
"Who invented the chemical waf-
ers?"
"The same person"
"Who possesses the manufacturers
prescription for those wafers?"
"That is a secret we have never
been able to solve"
The Judge acknowledgement now or
dered Adams to stand upright. To the
witness: Does Adams resemble the
mysterious inventor?"
A bright light dawned in the eyes of
the chief of staff. Without looking
at Adams who stood still as stone, his
face inscrutable, the aged general
clapped his palm upon his knee in the
first excitement he had ever shown in
a public place. "The inventor wore a
reddish beard. Otherwise Adams is
his exact double. I really think the
fellow stammeredr"
The witness was discharged and
Adams was recalled. By this time the
room was charged with suppressed ex-
element. Pearl Dare was bewildered,
shocked and uncertain Of her feelings
toward the man mounting the witness
box who appeared to be a perfect
stranger one moment, Adams the next,
Senior Vendre of Granadian memories
the next and again someone else, she
knew not who. Her father was as
stupefied as she.
"Adams" exclaimed the Judge ad-
focusing his whole at
tention upon the witness who was the
only person at ease in the room "Have
you ever worn a beardW
II hev," Adams nodded and smiled
at his inquisitOr.
"Was 1t reddish?"
"Sort o-of."
"When did you have it shaved OFT"
II did 1t myself with my barber
tools on the d-day after the canal de-
fense plans got into the hands of t-that
there Silent Menace"
"Why did you shave 1t Off"
II wanted to g-git them plans back
and had to disguise myself to DIDO it."
"You wanted to get the plans back !?
Explain that"
"They belonged ito me-"
$50 T. o. Adams was the mysterious
inventor, after all?" insinuated the
judge advocate-general, his eyes
cleaning In triumph.
Had bomb been exploded at that
moment In the room 1t Is doubtful
whether anyone would have been much
frightened SO spellbound were they in
the suspense preceding Adams reply.
"T. o. Adams was the mysterious
inventor, judge" was the simple and