Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1918-02-14
ga ~ ~ m n AAA HM
THE BOMB" PLOT.
~ BY JOHN c. WELDON. -
~ n~~~~~~~~~~W

can 20 10 war, spoke EfstOn
Dacre. "They won't take me, but you
bet can do my bit running down spies
and traitors !"
The announcement began dolorous-
ly. 1t terminated in positive burst
Of enthusiasm from Dacre. His fiancee
regarded him proudly but with won
der-eyes tinged with q token of fear.
Don't run into danger, Elston !" she
urged. Father says you are doing
your full duty in encouraging others
To serve your country in noble. self
sacrificing way"
Perhaps" acceded Dacre, ''but /
want real action. l think l shall go on
hunt for spies"
As Dacre had often expressed II, he
was patriot from way back" He
had met with an accident the first day
Of recruiting for the war, breaking a
limb. AT the end of three months he
had 'iimped down to the recruiting Of
flee to be Informed by the examining
surgeon that 1t void take year, may
be two, to stratghten out the injured
member.
He was engaged to Lille Burton, and
that CHEEKY, loyal little specimen Of
femdninlty was well worthy of his re-
gard. She deplored his new resolution.
but did not express her full opinion,
and sighed as her lover left her that
evening, for Dacre was thorough In his
nd cf1a
and traitors, IL anybody could.
Lille tried to dissuade Dacre from
what she believed to be a waste Of his
time, but her lover was headstrong.
She missed him and she worried about
him for about a week. Then she re-
ceived letter from him dated ut Els
dene, manufacturing town thirty
miles away.
II am on the verge of n great dis
covery," wrote Dacre. 'Day and night
j am watching two suspicious stran-
gers who have been In Elsdene for Il
week. They are up to some big plot
| know this much: ii involves bombs,
and an airship."
-
sensational suspicious. He had struck
his clue" after several days hanging
around Elsdene. At its principal hotel
one evening he was seated reading a
newspaper, when n man lolling in the
next chair started up and shook hands
with newcomer, greeting him effus-
lively.
"Glad you've come. Hard work kill
ing time In this dead town." spoke the
first man.
Got delayed" explained the new
conner mo easy task finding an avi-
ator with machine to acc. immediate
all the truck we will have to1carry, be-
side ourselves"
Bombs all ready and shlpped2'
"And the airship viii be on hand as
soon as our baggage is at the rendez
vous. We VIII start tomorrow evening.
If the sky is clear The trail runs over
twenty towns, you know, and We drop
the bombs directly over the center Of
each"
"Bombst-f repeated Dacre in a
brenthless gasp, as the two men moved
away, why they are going to make
regular raid on every town in the
county,
Dacre was terrifically stirred up.
What should he do2 Here was posi-
tive evidence of deadly work. Dacre
cid not close his eyes in sleep; he
scarcely ate for twenty-four hours.
The next afternoon he traced the two
men 10 garage. They went inside.
mnde some Arrangement with the pro-
prietor and went away. Dacre sought
an immediate Interview with the ga
rage owner. He learned that the two
men had ordered an automobile and
driver TO take them over to Leeyile,
twenty miles away, at six O'Clock.
Dacre Influenced the garage man to let
him act us chauffeur. Two hours later
he was nj the wheel. Just at dusk the
two men left the machine at Leeville.
They struck off down a lonely country
road. On foot Dacre followed them at
Il safe distance.
II was an hour Inter when they
climbed fence and at an opening,
amid dense grove of saplings, came
upon an airship. Beside 1t, in boxes,
were black round objects, supplied
with fuses and having also appended
Il square package done up I'm thin It's
sue paper.
A third man welcomed them and all
hands proceeded to pile in the bomb
like objects The trio were evidently
about TO start their flight. Dacre had
two revolvers. There was no time to
lose If he hoped to prevent a desperate
bomb raid A weapon in either hand,
he rushed forward, stumbled over a
looping vine, one revolver was dis
charged and his head struck tree.
STUMP, stunning him.
When DOcre returned TO conscious
ness IL was 10 find himself tied to Il
tree. lie heard whirring sound
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