The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-27
WRAPPED IN SILK"
By CLARENCE BURLINGTON KELLAND

her eyes. I'VE shah be lonely, shall We not,
Renee?"
They disappeared, nor did they reappear I'M
til the gong sounded for the evening meal.
Land sat in his deck-chair and smoked furiously,
while he considered them and compared them
and admired them. He could visualize them
clearly, for both were vivid types, yet Is he
looked at them with the eye Of his recollection.
he could not tell which he would choose wers be
to be given the choice. His own conclusion was
that it was a toss up and God help the hapless
soldier man.
Altho it was rather late, Major Land did not
go below. He remained on deck chatting with
his newly found acquaintance until they re-
tired, then he paced the darkened deck, making
the black rounds again and again. Not q light
was visible on board, every opening, every port
hole was heavily screened. Even the moment
AIRY light that flashed from q door being opened
and closed was hidden from the eye Of a possible
lurking submarine by q spread Of cRnvas 1t
was like walking in a tunnel. Black forms
would spring suddenly out Of the darkness, 80.
suddenly that collisions were oft-times unavoid-
able. One had to guess his way, and a. for
finding the entrance to the cabin 1t was not 10
be done. One waited until somebody opened the
door, and then darted for the brief flash Of light.
TAND sat down to watch the phosphorescent
water as it broke into silver fame against
the vessels side. He was young. He
had been thrown into sudden contact with
romance and with seductive beauty, and his
head was not altogether steady rs be reacted TO
it. His thought was meful. "lf there were only
one Of Them was the motif Of his reflections.
1t was his mature judgment, after a year In the
camps and trenches, removed from pleasures, in
o world destitute Of women, that he could with
facility love either of his new friends-if the
other were not there to interfere.
"Confound it," he muttered, Il can't fall In
love with both Of them. / don't know what this
years rules are, but last year that wasn't being
done"
He sat back and closed his eyes comfortably.
1t was good to rest. For a year he had had no
moment Of rest, and this complete idleness, this
remoteness from the world, from the great and
grim business which occupied all the world, was
very pleasant. He drowsed.
Some one awakened him by stumbling
against a nearby chair.
Pm through banging around this deck iRthe
dark, p" a surly voice said. "Sit down here"
"Well?' said another voice presently, q low,
sweet, pleasant woman's voice.
Its not In his cabin"
You are sure?"
4 q w INV W bCnINll IA y ENlAVVA biAN
t~olerates few mistakes
He is known to have it, it is even known
what it looks like and Its size"
"Yes, a little packet, thin as q letter and no
larger, wrapped in yellow oiled silk"
Major Land sat very still, but he was wide
awake and alert now. A tiny packet, the size Of
a letter, wrapped in oiled sikh Heknew what
that was, for it was that packet that carried him
to America. He listened.
"The thing is not in his cabin. He must
carry 1t with him."
"He looks like the sort who would sleep with
1t in his mouth" said the woman, Her voice
was pitched so low that Land could barely catch
her words. He fancied the voice was familiar;
there was a note in 1t that called to something In
his ecollection.
Where is he, anyhow"
Proving about the decks"
Land strained his ear to catch the slightest
tone of those faint voices-to recognize them, to
identify them. Every nerve was alive now and
quivering. He knew he was the quarry and that
here were the understand he knew how pre-
cious to his country and to the cause Of the
Allies was the tiny packet he carried.
TINE couple arose after a silence and moved
slowly toward Land, fumbling their way in
the blackness. The man tripped over a deck
chair, staggered-and sprawled upon Land,
%uttering an imprecation. As II by instinct the
men grappled; Land with known enemy, the
spy with an unknown who had been an caves
dropper. His hands flew to Lands throat, stop
ped an instant at his shoulder as it touched the
gold leaf indicating military rank.
Its Land" the man said savagely.
The Major twisted sidewise, holding his
antagonist of with his left hand while he placed
his right against his chair and heaved upward.
He ujoa MT in fkA piplr nf onoIttinn rnk thn
clean, powerful athlete Of the days before his
wound, but he was, even In his convalescence
an antagonist to approach with caution. He
struggled to his feet, lifting his a~ssailant with
him and for an instant they swayed, then
pitched to the deck With Land uppermost. He
tore free one hand and struck twice quickly,
powerfully.
He's on top" grated the mans voice.
A little hand came out Of the darkness and
fumbled over the Majors hair, a soft little hand.
Land snatched for II, but it eluded him, and he
was conscious Of the contact Of soft silk. As
thoughts have an absurd way Of doing at strange
moments, this one flashed through his mind:
both wrapped in silk, the woman spy, the pre-
cious packet"
His antagonist heaved and struggled silently;
Land did not think of calling for assistance,
somehow the idea did not occur to him. He
was the sort to fight his own battles. Again
that soft hand touched his hair-locating 1t,
placing it. Then it seemed to Land as II a high
explosive shell had struck close to his side.
There was a paralyzing shock, the shock Of the
impact Of something hard and round against
his skull. 1t was repeated. Lands muscles re-
Taxed, his grip slackened, he collapsed upon his
enemy. The soft hand had not hesitated to arm
itself and to strike.
They rolled him over on his back. The man
flashed a light on the sprawling BODY as thew
knelt beside him, and with hands accustomed by
training, they searched him swiftly, efficiently.
II have it." whispered the man.
"Give it to me-"
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