| Show 6 B L ABED WHITE W THE STORY 80 fart FAR colonel flit flag w will III a c ung isile chief achl of 0 U 8 la in telu tew gence tence department Q G 2 estimated th there ere were european troops la in mexico polled poised for or an attack on the united states both be ba and the prell preil dent wet were powerless power leo to act because became con CHAPTER R IV continued by the end of a week denning benning had gained something of Finc funckes kes confidence together with a knowledge of the workings of van hassels Has seka headquarters at the palace he had adopted the habit of going for a walk awald ea each ch evening with the austrian usually to the alameda denning benning had learned that the austrian was an artilleryman on temporary detail at headquarters because of knowledge of the united states I 1 but at headquarters fincke denning benning prompted life Is not too active it your experience that once headquarters gets its claws on an officer hes sunk the austrian responded with a grunt of contempt im an artilleryman not a staff kulcer he snapped my battery of seventy sevens is at jalisco for target practice and im in mexico city only until the show denning benning laughed and said but with your fluency in english your chief likely to part company with you when our troops head into the united states ive ivd colonel Br avots word for itt fincke said hotly yes Ye and ill remind him of it as soon as he returns from washington which ought to be any do day now denning benning prolonged the promenade with fincke stopping from time to time at the bar of the gonzales beai near the park for scotch and soda once the fincke artillerist enthusiasm was aroused the austrian needed little urging to talk at first he boasted of his own guns thin then branched off into the subject of van hassels Has superiority in artillery he ha painted a picture of well trained regiments splendidly equipped with the best armament what a wonderful show brom kencke exclaimed after he had elaborated the weapons in detail when we va pound their artillery to pieces with our superior ranges they will be helpless in counter battery 0 o not 10 lo too fast fencke denning benning cauti cautioned onedo 1 wo we forget their tremendous manpower once they get them equipped but a million men can crush the americans before they can get themselves rea ready dyll A million men perhaps but how can we ever expect to get a million men mobilized in mexico without rousing the thel americans finally to action fincke st stopped in his trucks tracks and his blue eyes looked gravely at benning through their thick lenses the austrian lowered his voice that is not more mere surmise brom Br orTi iltz this I 1 will tell you in the deep est confidence one day in general van hayeks Ha Has office I 1 glimpsed his little map of the United states and on on it aye are red arrows pointing in from the south the east and the west I 1 had only a glimpse before he returned the tha map to his desk but I 1 caught figures enough to convince me of a million men denning benning managed an indifferent smile end and decided to close this dangerous subject with a million men fincke a great deal might be done he said and added with a glance at his hii wrist watch but its getting late and what do you say to some dinner the two went to a mexican cab areton aret on avenida hidalgo a favorite spot of officers of 0 the new regime denning ordered dinner and picked at his meal apparently he was mildly entertained by the show about him actually he was only vaguely iely conscious of his surroundings ills his mind was busy with Finc funckes kes disc disclosures lol with a piecing together of tho the things van hassek had told him denning made his deci decision slop there was the air corps yet to check and some verification of binckes Finc kes disclosures that should not be difficult but only van hassek would know the broader plan of attack on the united states and denning benning knew now that he must find some way to tap the van hassek brain at any cost A glance at the van hassek operation map might answer all questions in some way he meant to get his eyes eye s on that map his thoughts were interrupted by the action of fincke in springing abruptly to his feet A dark erect man in mexican uniform paused at their table to acknowledge the aus arians greetings imy my colonel I 1 am overjoyed to see you back in mexico I 1 the austrian exclaimed ile he turned to benning who got to his feet ibish 1 I wish my colonel to present our new officer major Brom litz who has reported I 1 to us from europe in your absence major our chief of service colonel bravot the frenchman searched bonn denning ing with a quizzical glint as if f trying to associate him with some vague memary in a moment his black eyes cleared and he ha passed on with a stiff bow memory had clicked instantly on seeing the col colonel onil bravot his chief of service unmistakably was wan sergeant tha masque installment THREE grass MI and the general emeral public tilled failed to r reallie a anse the significance ot of the troops to obtain more definite proof captain dea ben american intelligence officer ofil went to mexico city where he be posed as ai brom dix american army officer who had bad been captured la in paris after turning iirilli 0 4 rader in american uniform on who e trail he had been camping at san ran antonio denning bennung had little more than tattled 19 t down at his allotment of american ne newspapers ws papers the next morning than van hassels Has majordomo mayordomo major domo captain came in an with a summons excellency directs that you report to him immediately muttered denning benning promptly went down the tiled corridor to the van hassek suite lie ile had spent the night on pins and needles knowing that once the bravot in memory emory clicked the jig was up with him what did this summons mean however he kept his faith in his masquerade since leaving bordeaux he had effected those slight changes in appearance pe arance that are the most effective masquerade the atlantic sun and wind had given his face a deep tan and lie he had cultivated a thin mustache cut at a rakish angle at san antonio his hair had been rather full now it was cropped close at the sides and the his head increased by a bristling pompadour his new mexican uniform cut wide at the shoulders gave his torso a different appearance from that of the civilian clothes he had worn in texas there was a catlike animation in yan hassels Has one straight eye that X kissed him ardently puzzled denning Bennt ng the peculiar smile on the generals thick lips was equally baffling beff lini sit down Brom litz I 1 want wani to talk to you 4 van hassek invited tell me are you very much ui in love denning blinked at the amazing query then smiled back with a 9 shake of his head there was a young lady in luxembourg em bourg eh bennings mind instantly picked up PP the ahe van hassek purport and he confessed yes excellency her namey mademoiselle lucette ducos and you promised you would bring her to mexico city with your first months pay Brom litz usually in such cases denning evaded one attempts to make parting finkas as painless as possible van hassek chuckled but sometimes such sach promises come home to roost Brom litz he pushed his call button and came in van hassek grunted instructions left the room to return in a moment with h a young woman ignoring van hassek she rushed up 0 o denning benning and threw her aims arms around his neck and kissed him ard ardently antly on the mouth chore chere I 1 she exclaimed oh but henri I 1 wilt watt for or you to ta send tor for met inel my uncle gave me a ticket to vera cruz and here I 1 im ami I 1 denning benning coldly received the tha caress ile he saw that she was french undoubtedly the french ope operative lucette ducos who had been brom litz undoing she was sti small nall trim and had a doll like fabe ace but with an intelligence in her large blue eyes that tha set her apart from the doll variety A glance gave denning his appraisal pral pra isal sal A girl to turn my any mans head and he understood at once Brom litz mad infatuation for the girl ile he felt a stir of revolt at the thought of an ally from the french secret service but promptly remembered that he had a role to play you have come here this way lucette he coolly tol told 1 her ive a mans role to play here and its no place for a woman 11 van hassek cams came from behind his desk to intervene he took the french frenc h girls elbow in his ch chubby abby ubby hands and his voice was ingratiate Ingrati at ing traitor to the united states after a brief interview with van leader of uie foreign lord in amed armed forces ta in bt silco denning was accepted as ai a staff mem bor ber here lie he trova strove to gain fata the con of fencke an 10 officer now continue coutin ue alth the story 9 mademoiselle now that your identity licks has been established to our satisfaction youre welcome in mexico if your heinle treat you as he should my little cabbage lust just you come back and report the facts to me it mademoiselle threw her arms gratefully about van hasseba Has seka flabby red neck and kissed him on his cheek then she turned to denning benning linked her arm in his and gleefully took him out of the room in the street benning called a taxicab and drove to the alameda where he picked out a seat under a shady cypress what is it you want here mademoiselle he bluntly demanded inform information she replied crisply naturally my government govern mint sent me 1 I should have guessed they had something like this in mind he complained but why do yo you wish yourself off on an me there are excellent reasons she answered regarding himwich him with a level smile for one thing we are both after the same information and ought to be able to help each other I 1 Benning had decided that inevitably he must accept the thai Fre french ilch girl as an associate since he was already in the palm of her hand han d it if by c caprice a price or stupidity she betrayed hia his masquerade ill be glad to give you advantage ady altage antage of anything I 1 may learn he told her but of course we must work separately As you please she agreed and said with unabashed fran frankness kneis but at least well have to live together g e r penning n n ang demanded why do you propose that for two reasons first van hassek hasek thinks im your mistress bistre ss arid I 1 want him to continue thinking that for the time being atlease at least your second rea reason that she said looking at him again with her level smile is the important one to you Brom litz es from vincennes three daysi days after you salted sailed for vera veracruz yera cruz denning sat eat glaring walla laksy hilvi mind swept to an estimate of that calamity dont blame my government i mile ducos spoke up at once it was wholly the fault of a stupid sec i detary reta ry from your embassy emboss who was vr sent to the fort foit to interview inter brom litz an hour after helett he left a guardi guard found your secretary bound in brom litz cell B hid had escaped in the secre clothes and cles youve no doubt will make his fay to mexico mile ducos smiled unconcerned ly not the least but no now that we understand each other mon imon bleur lets find a place to live tonight id Ild like to havey have you od take me to the avenida hidalgo to dine and dance ori on reporting at the palace next morning benning was steeled by a new determination bemeant he meant to ploy play whatever risks were necessary promptly to close his mission in mexico With Colonel bravot on the job Brom litz at large and the french operative on his hands he knew he e skated now on very thin ice with mile ducos he had struck a bargain she was to keep strictly away from headquarters he promised her any pertinent information he picked up and allotted her the task of checking on the air service also she was to keep on the alert for any cancellation of military leaves to mexico city which would bea be a significant development they set up together in an ink I 1 expensive suite on jesus maria when they were alone in their apart ment mile ducos attitude was one of a purely professional asso j chate but when they were together in public during evenings that followed she kept up the nse ruse of a sl romantic attachment they had gone to the avenida hidalgo for dinner one evening when the french girls covert flirtation with a 0 bald headed italian officer in id a colonels uniform brought from denning bonning a sharp rebuke poes nt it strike you a bit inconsistent s si st ent mademoiselle he ch charged arged fo for you to pose as my nancee ancee and i at the same sanle time flirt dirt outrageously behind my back while were dancing together we agreed that you were to lir limit lift yourself at present to finding out about van H isseks air service she looked up at him and smiled as they danced then put her lips cl close to his aarand ear and spoke in a low voice j would it interest you monsieur to know that I 1 have learned most of what we ve wish to know van has air ba bases ses are located in tarn tam auli aull paa pas and behas he has a total of more than a thousand planes with more coming by ship in the near future colonel boggio if louwill you will take the trouble to study his insignia is an officer of the air service TO BE CONTINUED A |
