Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1917-02-22

L
my enemies had possession of evidence
that was a messenger from the Brit
iSh government. This latter considera-
ton did not trouble me much. for it
was clear that they knew all about me.
However, there was one advantage
in their having the dummy. They
must have believed they had the dis
patch l carried, for l saw nothing
more of them till 1 arrived at Mar
settles. My theory is that they were
understrappers, with no authority to
open the dispatch, but took it to some
one who had such power, and this oc-
casioned delay while / went my way.
But they did not lose track of me,
for the man / had seen observing me
on the train from London to South
ampton kept me in sight. At Mar
settles I had two problems to settle.
Should go farther by land or all the
way by sea? And how could throw
my shadower of my track? con-
Guided that, whichever way went, I
would endeavor to make him believe
that had gone the other.
had a trunk with me, and as soon
as could get possession Of it called
tiacre and. putting the trunk in 1t,
got In the cab and told the driver to
take me to the station of the railway
running eastward along the Mediter-
| ranean. On reaching the station bill
ed the trunk for Nice; but since there
was no train for several hours, stroll
ed away, proposing to divest myself,
if possible. of the observance of my
shadower. Lighting Il cigar, strolled
away carelessly, as if bent only ON
passing the time before the starting
of the train. But directed my steps
toward the more frequented streets
and from these entered very narrow
one. After having gone into it for
some distance, seeing door of one of
the houses open. / looked behind me
and not seeing my shadower. darted
into it,
fell in with a lot of women who
received my intrusion so angrily that
concluded to enlist them, if possible.
to my service by appealing to their
patriotism. I told them that was
| messenger of the English government
and was followed by German agents
who We're bent on possessing them
selves of dispatch carried. They
were not convinced till | showed them
a letter addressed to the British min
lister at Athens Then told them that
| wished to 90 out unknown on a boat
that had been told left Marseilles that
night for Italian ports.
When l departed from the house in
which I had taken refuge | did so
dressed in the apparel of one of the
women after dark and under the guild
ance of another, for did not know the
way to the dock About 8 o'clock
went on board. CARRYING my own mas
culine clothing in gripsack.
had succeeded i'll my maneuver in
| respect to the man who had been
watching me in throwing him off my
| track But the enemy had left moth
ing to chance. He had placed an
| agent on the boat Unfortunately l
did not suspect that he would do
this. l concluded to retain my fem
mime costume and it was dead give
away once the light of day shone upon
me, for there is nothing feminine about
| me. and as soon as my enemy saw that
was man it was pretty clear that
was the man who was wanted
| was sitting in a secluded corner on
deck when man approached me. rails
| ed his hat politely and made some pass
| ing remark, as though he wished to
scrape an acquaintance. ] reckoned
that his purpose was the dispatch |
bore I must decide at once whether
should send him about his business or
pretend to be deceived with view to
outwitting him. chose the latter
course for he had an advantage of rae
in the fact that was man travelling
in woman's clothing | did not repel
him. but after few CASUAL remarks l
excused myself and Went TO my state
room.
The first thing did after reaching it
was to doff my woman's apparel and
put OH my own. knew the man who
had spoken to me would be on the look
out for me. and when next went on
deck. seeing him at distance. walk
ed toward him Passing him. / saw
! that he recognized me. | returned his
gaze with one which said plainly,
keep out of my way or will xii!
YOU" He said nothing. and I received
no further attention from him. doubt
IL he cared to commit any act that was
not covered by duplicity, and was de-
termined if he did would scare him
off. did not wish to occasion the de
lay that would come of fight with
him, but / proposed to make him con-
slider me dangerous.
What he did was this: He went to
the captain of the boat and told him
that I was an Englishman fleeing from
justice. OF course since I had come
aboard as woman and was now a
man there was excellent ground for
tItn 4