The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-22

As soon as the chief received her
wire his message would go back to
the other camps ordering instant ac-
! ton. But here-at E1eter-no one
could foresee the result
| The afternoon light was fading IN
| the dim station as Dixie crept out.
She took the road to the gorge, step
/ ping into shadows as heavy wagons
numbered past with cargoes that she
/ dreaded to guess at. A great purring
/ car slid past and she heard Madame
| Stephan's laugh tinkle out on the
night air. A sudden activity had
sprung into being. Everywhere were
wagons. rTmbling through the night
and men hurrying past on strange and
unwonted, errands. ~
| From the friendly shadow OF a
boulder Dixie looked down upon the
will o'-the-wisp lights OF the camp
and the greater glow of the windows
| Of the main camp building. The
| shadowy outlines. OF wagons against
1.-THE darkness Of the night, runrbling
into the camp yard, the silhouettes
of men at the loading doors, carry
ing the long boxes filled with rifles
| for Geru1any's army In America!
A lump rose in Dixie's throat and
she clenched her hands In passion
Of earnestness.
Make Grant get here in tihnel''
she prayed. HE must get here in
timel"
The thought brought to her the
! need Of being on the alert at the
station for messages. She rose
quickly and leaving the lights OF the
camp hurried back over the dark
road to the little station. She let
herself into the little office and seat
ed herself before the telegraph instru-
ment, signalling for the relay sta
ton at Buffalo. She waited impa-
tiently for q moment and then heard
the answering call.
She tapped her message.
Anything for B-xf" The long ST.
lence that followed was finally brok-
en- by the clatter Of the instrument.
Nothing"
Dixie sank back in the chair. Her
message had gone through hours be-
fore, certainly by this time Grant
should lave received 1t and answered
her. h
But the instrument was clicking
again-calling Tor Exeter
''Ex-ex- eDexexexexex- exppi-
exexexexexexex
20. K. Ex-go ahead" Dixie tap
ped in an agony Of impatience. The
Hello Ex-thought I'd tell you
wire trouble between here and New
York. Ought to clear ND soon"
The instrument ceased it's clatter.
Dixie settled back, hopeful-and yet
hopeless. Now there was no means
OF knowing. Her communication had
been cut off. She could only wait
waft-with the te3ta OF anxiety gnaw-
ing Mt her Eeart. Wait, while all
through the nSrthern states, Imperial
Germany's reservists were hurrying
to their stations. Walt-while out at
the main camp, Heinric Won Iertz
and MADAME stephan were giving
| orders that would cause rebellion to
flare at the first word from Won
Papen. q.
But Dixie frightened q BIT as she
caught at the cheerful thought that
Won Papen's message could¬ come
through until the wires were opened
still when the wires were opened,
Won Papen's wire might come through
and Grant would not be there to stop
the resultant activity.
Hour by hour dragged endlessly as
the night wore on. Dixie sat by the
telegraph key, waiting. Cali after
call sent through Buffalo brought
back the answer,
it." 'S'-A ~
The moon dimmed, and the chill
air of night made her huddle closer
in the chair and shlver Would the
night never end and the call she was
waiting for come?
AS the dawn lighted the dingy in
terror OF the station it showed Dixie
Mason with tumbled towsled head fall
len .sleeptly on one shoulder.
The staccato clicking of the teIe-