Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-03-04
THE
STOLEN
TREATY
BY CHARLES LAMBERT
Copyright by W. q. Chapman,

mbh1E passed MS manu- OVER MS
damp forehead and stared at the
L paper In his hand. He could not
believe either his eyes or the good
fortune which had placed 1t there.
A subordinate clerk in the war of
fee at Washington, Lmbrie had faced
life on a salary of $25 weekly. This
was his sole means of support for
himself and Dolly, his pretty young
wife, as well as Dolly's mother, who
lived with them.
He had been shifted into new de-
partment recently-that In touch with
the secretary of states office. or
course Imbrie never saw the great
man himself, or anyone but an occa-
sional permanent under-secretary.
Mostly he lived and worked with fell
low employees, whose talk ran to
baseball and Shows" and who might
have been duplicated in any town Of
the Union.
For weeks Imbrie had been a prey
to increasing despair. There had been
Dolly's long illness, after their little
son had been born and died a few
hours later. Like every man with a
government position, Imbrie had found
1t not at all difficult to negotiate a
loan with money lender at an exor-
bitant interest. He had paid off the
loan by increasing it; then, rendered
desperate, he had gone to another
money lender, and then another. He
had no notion that all three were
watching him and dividing the money
that came to them every pay day,
while the capital actually increased In
volume. Imbrie was paying $40 a
week, and the hundred which he had
borrowed originally had swollen. to
three hundred.
He had not dared let Dolly know,
and though she had looked surprised
at the diminishing returns each pay
day, Imbrie had invented q heap of
excuses. However, the crisis was al
most at hand. Imbrie did not know
what he was going to do.
Then, a few days before, a little,
dark-haired man, who looked like a
cross between a Chinaman and a
Portuguese, had accosted him as they
were leaving the street car together.
He seemed to know Imbrie very well
and had drawn him aside and made a
proposition which made the pulses
throb In Imbrie's cheeks.
ut will be nothing dlshonorable, -
he said. ut is only what everybody
does Think, my friend, is 1t reason
able that your government should In
trust Its secrets to a man whom II
pays a beggarly 500 month";
But l don't know anything about
It," faltered Imbrie.
II shall see that you know. Think
again. A mans work-a big mans
work on an office boys pay. Besides
1t is not as If you were betraylng any.
thing. My government knows all
about this Chinese treaty. but 1t re-
quires its suspicious to be confirmed,
You will confirm them, but you will
betray nothing"
II tell you" Imbrie began.
''In proof of what l say have ar
ranged that the treaty be placed in
your hands for copying tomorrow.
And your money difficulties will be
at an end. Look at this-come un-
der the lamp and lookp"
He counted out so hundred-dollar
bills and placed them In Imbrie's
hands. Lmbrie's hands, clutching fe-
verlshly at them, trembled. The notes
we're genuine Imbrie had been In q
bank once, and knew.
you see, you are dealing with gen
tlemen who trust you" the stranger
continued. "And If you prove false
which is imposslble-we shall know
how to punish you. Also, we shall
know II 1t is the genuine treaty you
bring u.s."
Before Imbrie had quite understood
the gist of the proposition the little
man was gone, leaving him to his
s0liloqules, his bride and Dolly's anx-
ious face.
II was In the sleepy part of the day
the following afternoon that the high
official entered and looked about the
room.
Here, Mr.. Imbrie," he said, laying
down a closely typewriter paper be-
fore him. Copy this, will your It's
rather confidential and we must have
some more copies. Make a couple of
carbons and don't let anyone see.
Bring them to me when you have fin
lshed."
Imbrie stared at the paper. II was
the secret treaty with China which
the japanese government would have
sold its soul to obtain.
ImbrIe made an extra carbon copy
and slipped II into his pocket. He
took the remainder In to the high
official, and, side by side, they com
pared the copy with the original.
every good, very good, Mr.. Imbrie -
said the high official. IL am obliged
to you
Imbrie went home In a daze.
Dolly and he had long talked of
what they would do II ever, by some
miracle, 5000 were to come to them.
They had enylsaged pretty little
farm In Virginia, with roses growing
up the walls, horse and buggy and
fields of corn and peach trees. And
now all this seemed about to come
to pass.
As he stepped Off the car the little
japanese came up to him. Silently
ImbrIe slipped the carbon copy into
the mans hand and left him.
A month passed Tmbrie had told
Dolly that his uncle had died and left
him that $1,000 which they had al