Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-30
The Dailv
Short Story
THE SECRET AGExT
BY Victor Redcllnn


zled. S'1'
Airline was plqued because
fayorite attendant and friend pss
dal Morse, had suddenly droosas
away from his devotion and 49,
tions. The day before saes,
function she had received 4 pas
from him. stating that fmportsr.
business prevented him from kesn
ing his appointment.
The next day girl friend I'm
parted the information that Ranssl
had left the employ Of her fs7hss
and Airline questioned tie lstts.
on the subject
Randall had left the plantr ss
told her, land neither you nor
may see much Of him for soma
time to come. Don't let that worrv
you. Airline. and don't discuss lie
matter with anyone"
All OF which put Arline's mini
in a new turmoil ~ Speculation
and mystery. They had been moro
than close friends, and she resent.
ed this abrupt and ineHplleab'e
abandonment There were secret
whispers among her girl friends
as TO the desertion, and, worse al
all, Lionel Drury. rejected suito-
came again upon the scene.
Tell you, Miss Driscoli," he re-.
marked one day. there's a gooi
deal Of the inexplainabie abogt
Morse. and | happen to know TIA.
he is suspected Of sediticus ten.
denotes"
"Oh, never" flashed forth Arlins.
"You cant tell" rejoined Drurv
"You see, he was abroad for sey.
eral years acting as agent for
big harvesting machine house
That's now he comes TO speak halt
a dozen different languages. Ma
urally he may have imbibed anar.
chistic principles. happen to
know that he has been seen in the
close company Of some suspected
foreign spies"
Lockport was a busy manufae-
turing, center, and with the advent
of the war a large number OF mu-
nitions contracts had been given
out TO local plants. Nearly all the
employees were foreigners. and seY-
eral persons accused Of disloyal IT.
terances had been arrested and
punished. Their confreres hal
retaliated by deeds Of vandalism.
A mill had been fired, and a plot
to blow up a factory furnishing
cartridges to the government had
been discovered and foiled Just In
time.
Airline came home from q visit
to a girFsfriend one evening greatly
perturbed. Just after quitting tins
one of the storage houses OF the
Driscoll works had been blown up,
1t was true that the building was
old, held very little machinery, aud
was practically abandoned, but il
was a serious warning to loyal
manufacturers Airline hurried 70
the library, where she noticed
light. She paused at the sound 0.
voices, and recognized that OF
Lionel Drury. 1t was excited and
highly pitched.
Yes, sir, ! am positive OF what
l say. | was passing the bloWn-up
building when l noticed fare al
its rear. The next moment I saw
Randall Morse dash from the spot,
and the next the building went up.
Have you spoken to anyone
about this?" inquired Mr.. Driscoll.
NO, sir: l hurried here, feeling
it my duty to advise you first"
You have given me valuable In
formation" said the manufacturer,
but we must be guarded Don't
repeat a word of this until | have
made plans to capture the mis-
creants who are working all this
and be terrified. VIII you kindly
remain to dinner and keep her
mind away from it?"
"Oh, sir, indeed, yes, voiced
Drury.
airline had retreated to another
room. She was pale and trembling,
but she we'll simulated a ealmness
that deceived her father.
airline" he spoke, Lionel
Drury is here. This last outrage
sends me out to investigated VIII
you entertain him for the even
ihg?" and Airline, dumb with anA-
iety and mystery. assented.
Drury. in a fervor Of delight a.
being honored with the eonfidencs
of the father and the company OF
the daughter, remained until u
o'clock. Airline sat at the open
window of her room until MD
night, consumed with distressing
lnDuL
TO retire. she saw her father ana =
companion enter the garden an
pace to and fro, engaged IN earn
est, low-toned conversation, ana ths
companion was Randall Morse
What did it mean?
1t was two evenings later Whsu
her father summoned her 10 tn'
library. AS she entered the apsll
ment Randall Morse arose ana
greeted her smilingly
Il am going 10 leave it 10 MoIss
here-the man who blew up the
old warehouse-to explain 70 you
Airline" spoke her father AS n'
had my permission and the SANG,
ton OF the government, you VIII
understand why he did H.
Randall had done il because pc
tending to be affiliated with an gu
envy group, he gained their conn
dence by just that act tbs AnoS'
edge OF different languages MS
willingness 10 stand a test No s,
completely won their favor. ~, =.
had directed the officers u the "a"
to their secret meeting piaS',
where they found evidence o. . ~
crimmality and intentions OF '''
dangerous group. ,,rsr
So Airline did not lose net ~ 80.
after all. and later gained = ne not
band. but Lionel Drury u'u
come 10 the wedding