The government expected a nation-wide propaganda by the German interests which would be carried on secretly and boldly, in every conceivable way, to alienate the labor organizations, to bribe or menace the harvesters, to despoil crops, and particularly to put obstacles in the way of the raising and harvesting, the transporting and storing of wheat.  It would take an army to protect the nation’s grain.

Dorn was earnestly besought by this official to compass his district, to find out who could be depended upon by the United States and who was antagonistic, to impress upon the minds of all his neighbors the exceeding need of greater and more persistent cultivation of wheat.

“I accept.  I’ll do my best,” replied Kurt, grimly.  “I’ll be going some the next two weeks.”

“It’s deplorable that most of the wheat in this section is a failure,” said the official.  “But we must make up for that next year.  I see you have one magnificent wheat-field.  But, fact is, I heard of that long before I got here.”

“Yes?  Where?” ejaculated Kurt, quick to catch a significance in the other’s words.

“I’ve motored direct from Wheatly.  And I’m sorry to say that what I have now to tell you is not pleasant....  Your father sold this wheat for eighty thousand dollars in cash.  The money was seen to be paid over by a mill-operator of Spokane....  And your father is reported to be suspiciously interested in the I.W.W. men now at Wheatly.”

“Oh, that’s awful!” exclaimed Kurt, with a groan.  “How did you learn that?”

“From American farmers—­men that I had been instructed to approach, the same as in your case.  The information came quite by accident, however, and through my inquiring about the I.W.W.”

“Father has not been rational since the President declared war.  He’s very old.  I’ve had trouble with him.  He might do anything.”

“My boy, there are multitudes of irrational men nowadays and the number is growing....  I advise you to go at once to Wheatly and bring your father home.  It was openly said that he was taking risks with that large sum of money.”

“Risks!  Why, I can’t understand that.  The wheat’s not harvested yet, let alone hauled to town.  And to-day I learned the I.W.W. are working a trick with cakes of phosphorus, to burn the wheat.”

Kurt produced the cake of phosphorus and explained its significance to the curious official.

“Cunning devils!  Who but a German would ever have thought of that?” he exclaimed.  “German science!  To such ends the Germans put their supreme knowledge!”

“I wonder what my father will say about this phosphorus trick.  I just wonder.  He loves the wheat.  His wheat has taken prizes at three world’s fairs.  Maybe to see our wheat burn would untwist that twist in his brain and make him American.”

“I doubt it.  Only death changes the state of a real German, physical, moral, and spiritual.  Come, ride back to Glencoe with me.  I’ll drop you there.  You can hire a car and make Wheatly before dark.”