Arkansas State press., 1944-02-11

VIC On eisHl fele SAID as he
passed him. He would have liked to
add "One ten," but Military Intelli.
gence, once in motion, was like the
mills Of the gods and he didn't want
Anne Haywood ground exceedingly
small, Heaven only knew what she'd
get into before she got out. Q
He switched on the ignition. Some
thing else was worrying him too. an
old story he'd picked up a long time
ago when he was covering Spanish
speakeasies, Why Don Alvaro's
name stuck in his memory he didn't
know, except that names and dis
jointed facts had way of sticking
there and were part Of his luck as
newspaperman He shrugged his
shoulders. The whole thing was fan
tastic, probably all speakeasy pipe
dream. The idea that Don Alvaro. or
any man alive today. knew the Con.
questadores' secret Of San Juan's
water supply. and could choke off Ell
Moro and her sister fortress San
Cristobal, was absolutely cockeyed
II he took a story Of the sort to
G 2 they'd have him in the nearest
insane asylum in nothing fiat The
water supply was certainly one Of
the chief strategic problems Of the
Island, but 1t was problem in en-
cheering. and he wasn't going to
believe that the old Conquistadores
had left secret the Army engi.
neers couldn't figure out.
He stopped abruptly as something
else flashed into his mind. II was
an order he'd seen couple OF weeks
before, from the War Department
In Washington. cancelling Miguel
Valera's previous order to report for
active service with the 65th Infantry
at Fort Buchanan. That was all
there was to it. And now he was
here.
Il wonder what the hell :"
Pete thought as he returned the sem
try's salute and hurried inside.
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas J.
Fletcher looked up from his desk
with slight frown He liked Puerto
Rico and he liked Pete, but he had
been Assistant Chief Of Staff, G 2,
for only couple of weeks, and his
predecessor Colonel Mayhem liked
neither Pete nor Puerto Rico.
And he had warned Colonel Fletch.
er. They're all alike. They think
the Army Is the city desk of a yell
low journal. You've got to watch
them closer than you do the damn
natives. They 60 off hah-cocked.
Look out for what they call their
private sources OF inform ton. Don't
trust any OF 'em-and watch Will
cox. A uniform doesn't change a
jackars spots" n
1t was not only his predecessors
warning that disturbed Colonel
Fletcher at the moment. It was the
letter on the desk in front of him.
Fortunately 1t had come in time. II
1t had come little later there might
have been hell to pay in Washing
ton, and Colonel Fletcher might
have found himself back in the States
teaching r. 0. T. c. boys squads
right.
He returned Pete's salute.
''Taussig is in room 108 at the
Granada, sir" Pete said. He re-
membered the "sir" just in time.
"You can call it of, Captain Will
cox"
Fletcher spoke evenly and quiet.
ly. 1t was his own fault, of course.
He should have taken Mayhew's ad.
vice instead Of the offchance that
Wilcox really had something.
"You may read this"
He handed Pete the letter. "Taus-
sig is not only substantial citi-
zen-he has very powerful politi-
cal sponsor"
The letter was to Major General
Dutton, the Commanding Officer Of
the Puerto Rican Department The
letterhead and the signature be-
longed to a United States Senator
whose relations with the Press had
not always been free Of virulent
name-calling.
MY dear General" it read. 1T
is very great pleasure for me to
take this opportunity to commend
my old friend Mr., Richard Taussig
to your kind attention. Mr.. Taussig
is sanitary engineer of interna-
tional repute. shall regard any
courtesy you can show him as a
personal favor. believe he is espe-
cially interested in the more do
nestle arrangements Of the military
establishment, and hope you will
see your way clear to allowing
him as much freedom for investiga.
ton as Is consistent with the best
interests Of all concerned. I am
looking forward to his unbia scd re-
port on the use we are making Of
the vast funds pouring into our
Caribbean bases. With warm per-
sonal regards, am, very sincerely
yours . ~
Across the bottom the Generals
aide had scrubbed. lis dinner
enough? Have arranged tour. How
long is he staying?"
Pete handed the letter back
That's all, Captain. And by the
way" Colonel Fletcher smiled faint
ly. Are you sure this wasn't cam.