The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-01-19
Published by Special Advancement With
THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Copyright: 1888: BY GEORGE CREEL
I'm TWO PARTS-PART ONE)


THE STORY OF BEAUTIFUL COUNT
ESS MARKA, WASHINGTON
HOSTESS, AND OF YOUNG BOB
HARLEY: OF THE INTELLIGENCE
DEPARTMENT, WHO SUSPECTED
HER OF ESPIONAGE, YET LACK
ED PROOFS TO MAKE HIS FEARS
VALID.
If you'd only give me a little more
time" Harley, doggedly insistent, was
fighting hard to keep the discussion
open. II know she's an enemy agent"
UNFORTUNATELY, moral certainty
doesn't happen to be legal proof" The
graying chief Of intelligence moved rest
lessly in his chair. I'm sorry, Bob, but
we've gone as far as we can. Linkham's
been in the Countess Marka's home as
q butler for a full month now, and re-
ports absolutely nothing Of a suspicious
nature. Her mail, kilograms and cables
have been put through the mill without
result, and tapping the telephone has
proved equally barren"
But look how every leak traces right
back to her!"
More guesswork. Let's admit that
the countess makes a specially of young
men in key positions. Nothing very
discriminating there, for so does every
other hostess in Washington. And sup
pose that navy fool did confess he bab-
bled to her about depth bombs"
Don't forget, Rappard," Harley broke
IN. HE swore he never breathed a word
about the sailing Of the transports to
q single soul except the countess"
I'm not forgetting him. Or Jen-
nings, the state department chap. But,
~u Soo~ hox, ~wo~tir~ that <Io 1N,,oJx,
countess turned their heads and got
they knew or guessed, where does it
leave us? Just where we started. There
Isn't any proof Of enemy communica-
where our case falls down. Unless
communication IAN be established, the
countess stands as nothing more than
q rich society woman who likes to feel
she is on the inside"
II know" Harley nodded unhappily.
But we're bound to trip her up soon.
We're bound to, sirl"
Much more likely to get tripped up
ourselves" came back the grim retort.
The Countess Marka is not exactly
what one would call friendless. Quite
Q number of senators park their feet
under her table, and you know how
they'd love to tear u to pieces. This
business of espionage is not any too
popular up on the Hill, or with the
press, for that matter, and If it ever
got out about u tampering with her
telephone and her mail, I hate to think
OF the hullaballoo."
Ten days more. A week?"
mo" The square jaws clamped de-
cisively. I'm calling everything off
this afternoon. If we were on a hot
scent, Bob, I'd stick, but it's plain fool
ish to take the chance Of a senatorial
investigation On nothing more than q
bunch that hasn't worked out"
The chief Of intelligence was misery
with his words when he went no further
than lovely" in his description of the
Countess Marka. A certain explorer,
with a touch of the poet in his make
up, had once compared her to one Of
those ivory blossoms that glow in the
dark heart of tropical forests, and there
were many who held that even this
tribute fell short of full justice. Also,
as If the high gods had decided to
grudge nothing, her rich, compelling
charm was almost an enchantment.
Beauty, when companioned with
wealth and title, has never had large
need of passports in the United States.
Back in the autumn Of 1914, when the
Countess Marka first appeared in
washington, establishing herself in a
most imposing manson, there had been
a Measure Of curious inquiry as to her
antecedents. Now, however, after three
years Of delightful and lavish hospital
ity, only newcomers ventured questions,
and they were answered casually and
vaguely.
"A Georgian, my dear. Or is it Ru-
manian? I can never remember the
names of those crazy Balkan states. A
mere child when she married. A ter
rible man, so they say. Drink and wom-
en-, you know. Anyway, he did the
handsome thing by dying, leaving her
a whole lot of money. Simply coolies!
Hates Europe and adores America. So
democratic! You must see her. Such
dinners! Everybody goes there!"
So thought Prof. Charles Donellan,
looking down the long table at men and
women whose least movement was
newspaper copy. At the right of the
hostess sat a famous ambassador, at
her left a senator from a western state,
arguing for the CONSUMPTION Of wealth,
pausing only to toss back a lock train
ed to be unruly, while here and there
were diplomats, generals, admirals, and
dollar-a-year men, these last enviously
cycling the decorations that glittered on
the chests Of the soldiers and sailors.
Gee" young Donellan smiled to him.
self. IF they take a flashlight of this
crowd, I'll certainly buy one"
He had met the Countess Marka only
the week before, a Signal corps friend
taking him to one of her teas, and while
the few words given him were cordial,
the dinner invitation came as a sur
prise. Up to date, the high lights Of
his Washington social career had been
q luncheon with his congressman and
various receptions Of a mor o. less
public nature. Nice of her to have
remembered him, he glowed, and when
the countess, catching his glance, smil-
ed intimately, his heart skipped a beat.
That the smile was no accident re-
ceiVed faDof in the rawino rOom