The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-07-09
CHAPTER ill-Continued.

| ne DAtSSCu III liIt slut
wall, sliding bacl; a panel. and disap-
| peared. the rough boards returning in
stantly into place. | was left alone,
staring at the spot where he had dis
appeared. Beyond doubt the entrance
awaiting me lay straight ahead CON
cealed by the hanging curtain. |
| stepped cautiously forward. listening
for some guiding sound from beyond
that barrier, afraid 10 draw it aside
and take a blind plunge into the I'M
| known. / could detect the murmur of
voices, several of them speaking Span
! ish, yet In such low tones I could dis
| tinguish Only an occasional empha-
sized word. There was mo door be-
tween us only that thick. hanging cur
tain, and l ventured far enough TO
draw this aside sufficient to peer
through with one eye. Beyond was a
reasonably large room, but so dimly
lighted as to be scarcely visible from
end to end. l could discern men pres
ent, number of them, louRging about
on chairs. their outlines being fairly
revealed, but the light was not suffi-
cient to give me any impression of
their faces. II seemed quite possible
that l might slip in unobserved, and
pass among them unrecognized except
through accident. But the risk of dis
cOvery was too great must find some
other point of entrance.
Tho nriyata HOnrxxnu 81.
Wine hau disappeared gave me the
thought that there might also be 9th
ers. / dare not follow after him. but
If there was another opening to he
found l was perfectly willing to en-
plore into its mysteries. The search
was brief, yet the very nature of the
rough board wall made concealment
impossible. Behind the dangling coats
/ uncovered what / sought. and not a
moment too soon. Even as my hand
touched the exposed latch, a murmur
of voices in the outer entry reached
my ears-there were new arrivals be-
ing questioned. and admitted.
The panel slid back silently in its
grooves. and l peered through the re-
vealed opening into absolute darkness.
All | could be sure of, as exhibited by
the dim light Of the passage. was a
single step downward. and then ap-
parently strip of earth floor. | dare
not walt and meet those entering:
there was but one choice of action. /
pressed through the orifice, forced the
panel back into place, and stood erect
In the intense darkness and silence.
listening for the slightest sound.
/ was still motionless, my heart
beating fiercely, when several men en-
tered the passage | had Just left.
Pressing my ear against the thin crack
l distinguished words so as to piece
together scraps of conversation. If
seemed to me there were three voices
-one speaking Spanish entirely, the
others using English. One of the lat
ter spoke first.
TITS a dirty night out. but good for
our purpose. You came by motor.
Alonzo?'
mo. Wine said that was too risky
L walked from the car line. What's
up? Do you know, Captain?"
The fellow addressed exploded in
Spanish.
"Why you call me that? l tell Won
my namel"
ITS safe enough il here. but I'll be
careful outside. What was this meet.
ing called for?'
cit was a message from Wosb;no-
ton, orders maybe, that we act soon
/ hone it,"
From Washington? Is Mendez
here?"
"Saprista, mol Can he move with
out dozen spies at his heels? He find
messenger no one ever suspect She
bring the word"
'She? A woman?"
"Surel that was better. No ORC
know her; no one ever see her with
our people. Ii was good trick. and
IT fool the pigs"
But who is the woman?"
The other uttered gruff exclama-
ton of disgust.
IF / know, you suppose l tell? Not
much, but do not know. They trust
hers 1t not enough? 'Ifs my guess
she come special for to do this"
"She is Chilean them"
Maybe; maybe American. Spanish.
What difference If she be in our serv-
Ice? They know what she is; tonight
she is Marie Gessler-it has the sound
Of Switzerland. Beyond this care
nothing"
But you have seen her. perhapsr
Not sight; none Of the boys have.
she was TO meet Alva at Times square
lnls noon. I went with him. but no
- 2 n'na'1 ~ theee Va