The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-27

"N~A ~N e~@ SNNA SAN@ 49, 1NC
'ment was not q roll but an undulation,
as If it sleepily fexed its muscles.
Suddenly the surface Of the ocean
was disturbed-an infiniteSimal bubble Of dis
turbance in q universe Of placidity. For an in
slant it reminded one Of the wake Of q tiny
animal swimming across a pond-ot amuskrat
making his crossing. At first it barely broke the
surface of the water; then it erected itself gradu-
ally, sinisterly, like the ~tentacle Of some obscene
creature Of the depths-a tentade bearing the
creatures eye. 1t was the periscope Of a sub
marine.
On her deck appeared a man in the uni
form Of an officer Of the Imperial German
Navy. For half an hour he stood. on the
CONSTRUCTED deck until to the eastward appeared
vague blot which seemed to spread along and
cling to the surface Of the water. The oficer
turned suddenly and went below. The opening
closed itself and the vessel began slowly to move
as slowly to disappear. 1t submerged itself
until only a fragment Of the periscope remained
above the surface, and there it waited.
The vague blot on the horizon approached,
became distinctly the trail Of smoke billowing
from the tunnels Of an ocean liner. Then the
vessel itself, painted in fantastic designs and
colors, issued from nothingness. Nearer and
nearer it came, until one might have seen the
captain on his bridge scanning the waters about
him with unmistakable anxiety. The liner had
OSCu uLSpldy AAk LO ndks puNucIllJ LIOIu uSISL6TH
broke out the Stars and Stripes above flag OF
white. Her engines stopped. Officers in uniform
might be seen passing about the decks, obvi-
ously reassuring the passengers. Suddenly a
man shouted, "Per~iscope-there's periscopel"'
Instantly there was confusion. Some rushed
to the rail to view the spectacle, some scurried
below to seize life-preservers and valuables, and
to return ~frantically to take their appointed
fEat-stations. The periscope heightened itself
into the view Of the men and women on the liner
until presently the untersee boat lay at q distance
Of fifty yards, deck above the wash Of the sea.
Once more her hatch opened itself to the
officer who had scrutinized the sea with his
glasses half an hour before. He was followed by
two Seamen, one Of whom hoisted the German
flag above a flag Of white. The second sailor
carried a megaphone, which he passed to- his
superior.
The officer took it and shouted to the bridge
OF the liner, Il have your passengers. Send a
boat to take them aboard" There was no trace
Of German accent in his speech.
A BOAT let itself down s~piderwise, and pres->
~ emily was being pulled toward the SUBJ
marine, on whose deck, in obedience to
the summons Of the German officer, appeared
two women.
The boat drew alongside the submarine, the
women were helped to descend, salutes were
exchanged, and the small boat drew away. Be-
fore it had covered a dozen yards the submarine
was again sealed, her decks bare, and she was
beginning to sink beneath the sea. By the time
the boat reached the liner she had disappeared.
Had it not been for the two heavily yelled
women in the boat the passengers might have
fancied there had come to them an exceptionally
vivid dream.
They had seen something which no logical
mind could grasp; they had witnessed the i'm
possible. They had, with their own eyes, per-
ceived a friendly passage between a German
submarine and a liner flying the flag Of the
United States. 1t is no wonder they guessed
crafty. The ~craziest guess fell short Of the
truth =
I Thirty days prior to this date there met In a
certain famous buildingsin Berlin half q dozen
men whose word and wills controlled the des-
TIMES Of the Teutonic Empires. They sat in
council, and their discussions dealt with the
newest Of their enemies, with the potentiality
for harm there might lie in that enemy.
Presently a woman entered the room slowly.
She moved with the 1.-THE grace Of youth, with
a certain splendor Of movement possible only
to women whom Nature has taken pains in the
forming. She was yelled, but one hoped her face
was as beautiful as her figure. 1t would have
been impious to set other than a beautiful head
on such a body.
'"The features of Mademoiselle are known
only to me-to no other soul" said the Chief.
$50 long as none but myself know her to be in
my employ she is invaluable. If one other knows,
even yourself, her value is decreased by half"
with your Majesty's permission" she said
in q clear, musical voice, q voice that was not
German.
"You are French?"
mo, .M9jestdt."
"Belgian?"
"No, Mqjestdt."V
what then?"
"Whst your Majesty p~leases."
TINE Kaiser smiled grimly. Proceed" he
ordered.
Unjust be set down in America bymeans
which will at once make me conspicuous and
place me above suspicion. This is my plan. /
shall proceed to Belgium, where l shall take up
my residence. l have selected the spot. l shall
make one woman friend. | have selected the
friend. She is young and beautiful-and patrl-
= otto"
"Patriotic?"
'She loves Belgium"
"Ah--!"
with her I shall plot to free prisoners Of
war. We shall be detected, tried, sentenced.
The Edith Cavell episode repeated, Mdjestdt."
The Emperor frowned. The name Cavell
was not grateful to his ears.
Proceed"
"There will be an outcry from Englandfand
America. Germany will be obdurste The world
will ring with the matter. Finally Majestdt will
intervene. He will pardon the crime OF myself
and my friend upon condition that we accept
exile in America. 1t shall be stipulated that we
be placed on board an American-bound vessel
and shall not return to Europe for the duration
Of the war. 1t will be done. We will be received
in America as he~roines-myself and my friend
who is indeed q patriotic Belgian. l shall be q
Belgian. Henantecedents are plain and beyond