he blame.

Reassuring reports had somewhat quieted Colonel Hathaway and Mary
Louise, but although they returned to their rooms, they could not
sleep. Aunt Sally, realizing the situation, had an early breakfast
prepared, but when she called Josie O'Gorman the girl was not in her
room or in the house. She appeared just as the others were finishing
their meal and sat down with a sigh of content.

"My, but the coffee smells good!" she exclaimed. "I'm worn out with the
excitement."

"Did you go to the fire, Josie?" asked Mary Louise.

"Yes, and got there in time to help drag some of the poor fellows out.
Three men in the building where the explosion occurred were killed
outright, and two others seriously injured. Fortunately the night shift
had just quit work or the casualties would have been much greater."

"It's dreadful, as it is," said Mary Louise with a shudder.

"What was the cause of the explosion!" inquired the colonel.

"Dynamite," replied Josie calmly.

"Then it was not an accident?"

"They don't use dynamite in making airplanes. Twenty-two machines, all
complete and packed ready for shipment, were blown to smithereens. A
good many others, in course of construction, were ruined. It's a pretty
bad mess, I can tell you, but the machines can be replaced, and the
lives can't."

"I wonder who did it," said Mary Louise, staring at her friend with
frightened eyes.

"The Kaiser," declared Josie. "He must be in fine fettle this morning,
since his propaganda of murder and arson has been so successful."

"I--I don't quite understand you," faltered Mary Louise.

"Josie means that this is the work of a direct emissary of the Kaiser,"
explained the colonel. "We know that among us are objectors and
pacifists and those who from political motives are opposing the
activities of our President, but these are not dynamiters, nor do they
display their disloyalty except through foolish and futile protests.
One who resorts to murder and arson in an attempt to block the
government's plans, and so retard our victory, is doubtless a hired
assassin and in close touch with the German master-spies who are known
to be lurking in this country."

"That's the idea, sir," approved Josie, nodding her tousled red head,
"and better expressed than any answer of mine could have been."

"Well, then, can't this demon be arrested and punished?" asked Mary
Louise.

"That remains to be seen," said Josie. "An investigation is already
under