Evening star., 1930-05-04
Continued from Fifth Page

by SO that leak was plugged.
A sPANIsH-ANIERICAN I. P. had perilous
adventure. He was summoned one day to
the counter espionage Office in Gievres one Of
the greatest centers on the services of supply,
where there was constant fear Of enemy spying.
do you want a dangerous mission?" asked
his chief
Eyes, SIR" replied the l. p, his dark sharp
face lighting, large eyes eager.
DO you speak good Spanish? Can you
pass as a Spaniard among Spaniards-and
not get caught?"
eyes sir" the l. p said, still more eagerly.
ct lived seven years in Madrid as boy"
Later that was to save his life.
Good" said his chief. "At little place
called Selles-sur- Cher, near Gievres, we are
building the largest refrigeration plant in the
A. E. F. the third largest in the world, to store
food en- route to the front. There IS lot OF
civilian labor Maltese, Belgians, Greeks, Swiss,
but mostly Spaniards. We have checked up on
them and they're guarded but there's some
thing wrong. I can't tell you more than that.
Wen get you in among them, and you'll have
to find out what 1t is. But we hear they're
tough crowd Watch yourself"
Pedro PadiIla from Madrid came to the Span
ish labor camp ut Selles-sur- Cher, dirty and
rather ragged but with an intelligent face ana
good recommendations, so he got job at
francs day. He walked through the gate into
an atmosphere that to his sensitive facultaes
seemed oppressive with danger.
Immediately he felt himself observed, object
of suspicious glances, muttered words by the
polyglot dweIlers there, especially the Spaniards
whose confidence he was to win. Two or three
pointed out his soft, rather small hands ana
asked one another, what sort of workman Is
this?" He was starting wrong, he sensed so
that evening in the bunk house he asked In
loud voice what work there was for painter
I'm no day laborer," he said. "They told me
there was painting to do"
Had it gone over? He could not tell and fell
asleep to dream OF Threatening swarthy races
crowding close, baleful light cleaning from ther
eyes He sprang awake to find hashhght
thrust into his face, behind it the faces of two
men he had seen talking, aloof from the rest.
Get up" said one "but be quiet. Come
with U.S."
They led him to a dark recess, where they sat
down, but kept him standing with the light
full in his face. Then began an ordeal he has
never forgotten.
"Padilla" said the first, whose pale, intent
face showed imperious WILL whose slim body the
L p. found later was strong as steel, you say
you are a Spaniard from Madrid. Maybe you
are. But you don't look like workman. We
know these Americans think there is something
going on here and blame us for it-thefts or
something, maybe German spying and sabotage.
We know they are going to send a secret serv-
ice man here. You may be that man.
The eyes of both seemed to bore into the l. p,
whose each particular hair arose and stood on
end
IF you are" the speakers voice became fe-
rocIous, "wen tear you limb from limb. If you
aren't, you have nothing to fear. Now, answer
our questions"
Then began a grilling that third degree,
conducted by the white-faced leader, aided by
I1n<l 1ell h hf0 in
Where did you live in Madrid?" the leader
asked Then, Prom that place, how would you
get to such and such a school, such church?
What streets would you cross? Who was priest
in that church? What kind of house did you
live in Who else lived there? Who lived next
door? Across the way?"
Padilla quaked inwardly. But he really had
lived in the Gale Zorrilla, Madrid, and most Of
the questions he could answer or bluff through.
He felt he was succeeding when he saw from
the corner of his eye the almost imperceptible
nod with which the Madrid man told the leader
he was answering correctly. Despite fear, In
strange surroundings, half dazed by the fash
light, the secret agent was winning the battle
of wits. The leader seemed about to admit it,
when the man from Madrid raised heavy-lidded
eyes and lifted a massive threatening arm.
Let me try" he said.
The I. P's heart sank
who was Garibaldi?" his new inquisitor al
most shouted.
"Garibaldi?" Padilla exclaimed, cudgeling his
brains why an Italian patriot, suppose"
Nobody from Madrid would say that the
Spaniard said ominously. who was Garibaldi?
Answer met"
Like flash of light came childhood
memory.
THAT was the nickname for that old half
wit character who went about with the funny
uniform and medals"
"EnOugh!" the Spaniard interrupted He
pushed the flashlight almost into the ]. P.'s
eyes. "One more question. If you lived in the