Macon beacon., 1917-04-06

ing in unbellef from Bertha as she left
the witness box, bowling smilingly up
ut the judge, to Adams whose name
being called was in the act of rising
deliberately to answer the summons.
Did the packet you received from
Miss Bonn contain the stolen secret
canal defense planS?" queried the
judge acknowledgement coming 10 the
point as soon as Adams took the stand.
ut did" responded Adams almost
insolently, boldly facing the battery of
accusing eyes,
Miss Pearl Dare and her father were
rendered SpeechleSs.
| did you know the packet contained
the stolen secret canal defense planS?'
81 did"
The silence in the inquiry room be-
came more profound and accusing.
"Where and how then did you obtain
possession Of the national prepared
ness budget which you returned to
Senator Warf1eld?"
Il g-got it away from that there
Silent Menace d-down in the basement
Of the senate building just as he fin
ished making press c-copy and
knocked me fiat"
Knocked you flat?'
"Biffed NINE on the head. knocking
me out long enough to escape"
"Then you kept the stolen secret
canal defense plans which Miss Bonn
brought to you? What did you do
with them?"
"Put them in Captain Payne's army
b-belt, after l went into service" con-
fessed the dumbfounding orderly.
"On a former occasion you swore on
your oath that you found these plans
in Captain Payne's army belt. You
now acknowledge that you lled|
Il didn't exactly lie. C-couldn't
find them after l put them t-there?"
Excused" vociferated the Judge
acknowledgement. Miss Bertha Bonn
again, please
AS Adams reseated himself, two
guards at sign from the presiding of
ticer stepped forward and stood behind
his chair.
With Bertha again on the stand the
judge advocate-general took new
tack, causing another and equally con-
fusing diversion.
"Who gave you the packet to be
delivered to 7. o. Adams?" was his
first question.
"The Silent Menace sent 1t to me.
1t was brought to me at my hotel by
a uniformed man resembling senate
building guard"
You, of course, refer to Major
Brent as the Silence Menace?"
II do not. Major Brent is not the
Silent Menace"
Here the presiding officer introduced
his new sensation. "How long have
you known Major Brentw
"Since girlhood," was the soft re-
sponse.
"Since girlhood !" calculated the pre-
siding officer, himself taken by sur
prise, with an involuntary glance In
Brent's direction. "How Is that?'
"We were sweethearts, once upon
time," the girl answered in tremulous
accents. She ventured a timld glance
at the major and instantly all inward
fears fled; for he was smiling in man.
ly corroboratiOn to the surprise of
everyone, Adams most of all.
Are you sweethearts no longerY'
Again the words fell softly from
her lips. 81 have recently consented
to marry the major. Our wedding H.
cense has been issued"
Everybody turned toward T. o.
Adams who was squirming In his chair
and articulating in an incoherent way.
watch that man! He may have
poisoned himself" cried the presiding
officer.
This had composing effect on
Adams who Immediately Strengthened
up and begged the judges pardon.
Order being restored the judge ad-
vocate-general asked Bertha this ques-
ton: "There is a personal reason,
therefore, why you shield Major
BrentT'
Bertha nodded brightly. "Not shield
HAS Miss Pearl Dare to whom Ma
jor Brent paid court known of your
prior acquaintance with him?"
At that Brent WINGED, but Bertha |
answered: "He desired to
inform her on many occasions. would
not have it so until after the unmask-
ng Of the Silent Menace"
zone more question, Miss Bonn.
Since you know Major Brent so in
can you inform the court
whether it is true that the Silent Men
ice or his thugs drugged Major Brent
md stole from him the chemical waters