Evening star., 1898-09-03

He was supposed to be some drunken pris-
oner bowling away the riotous mood of his
fnebriation.
Between the hours of 0 o'clock, when the
van had been captured, and 1890, when it
started from its hiding place to go to the
Rue Bfevet, the vehicle had lain concealed
w:thln the courtyard of a great building
smut III by high wall. 1t was a depoSi-
tory for grain, a corn warehouse situated
IN that region of commerce behind the Rue
du faubourg Poiss sonniere. The distance
from there to the Rue Brevet. was some five
minutes by the prison van, and the route
lay mostly through dark and narrow
streets The warehouse was in the hands
OF a wealthy German merchant and the
key of the gate was in possession of the
cOnspirators.
gate 1T was drawn up against the WALL the
gate was relocked and Vansittart's cell was
opened They took the van lamp and pass
ed through the fag-paved courtyard to the
building. 1t was a dingy-looking, common
place pile, with small, rudely boarded win
doWs. Within there was a smell of hay
and corn and fine dust in the air. and worm
down wooden stairs and pulleys and tackle
and piles upon piles of bags, bags empty
and full, yellow and gray and brown and
black Without, two or three cranes pro-
jected from windows near the top.
The men, with their prisoner ascended
| four flights of stairs. 1t was evident that
they did not know the place, for, all the
while. detachnents of them ran opening
ubblS ueTS anu seeking IOr d Sulta-
bic apartment to which to conduct their
captive. At last one of them. opening a
door, cried aloud
I'm here, then
They entered. 1t was an extremely large
apartment, heaped In various parts with
bags of grain In corner, rallied off
from the rest of the room by an iron rail-
ing, a small square sort of alcove
Near the center was old deal table with
pen and ink on it,: and near this worm
eaten bench.
The men locked the door of their en-
trance upon themselves and gathered
round the table. Vansittart shook the wet
from his waterproof, and sat among them
on the bench. The lamp they placed on the
table; its dim CLEAN shone on their faces.
but left the distances of the room in shad-
ow almost absolute.
Among the men there began at once
cultural discussion in rapid German. 1t re-
lated to what was now to be done with
Nansittart. This, the simplest detail of all
the plot, had it was clear, not been yet
considered. But the simplest detail as of
ten happens, called forth by far the great
est wagging of tongues.
Putting aside the fact that the warehouse
was not exactly a hotel there had never
been any intention that the prisoner should
occupy it for any length of time. 1t had
been fixed upon merely as being tempo
rarily convenient and good hiding place
for the van. During the daytime 1t was
surrounded and occupied by swarms of
ouyriers. The majority secuted the idea of
making it the four days prison house; a
minority thought that that would be pref
cradle to the risk of another journey even
IN the stillest hour of the morning, and to
Ine nearest house that was proposed But
there was no agreement; for ten minutes
the confusion of tongues lasted. Vansit-
tart sat listening with his quiet smile
At length one of them got up and went
whispering round among the others. His
idea was that it was not decorous and ex-
pedient that their prisoner should sit there
listening to their various ideas. and hear
ing the addresses of the houses which on
all sides were being mentioned.
Until the point in dispute was settled it
was agreed that Nansittart should be re-
moved out of immediate hearing. They
looked around the room. Yonder in a cor.
ner. just visible. the grating which
shut off the alcove from the apartment
kindly come with US this way, Mr. Van
Sittart, said one.
Vansittart bowed, rose and followed three
of them
When they came to the grating they
found that it was locked; but the paddock
by which it was secured had in it the rusty
key. 1t turned with squeak, the grating
swung back and Vansittart stepped into
the alcove AS he did so he shivered and
drew his waterproof high up round his
chin The night was cold, and his feet
We're wet. The men shut the grating upon
him and returned to their parley.
Vansittart had not stood there thirty sec
ends when he felt a sudden hand clapped
ever his mouth and deep in his ear heard
the snakelike hiss of the words:
Not syllabei / am Folliet."
The next moment he felt the flooring
gently give way beneath him. In his aston
ishment and dismay he caught for support
at the recedng railing He was sinking
the railing was rising from him. HIS
clutching hand In passage through the air
struck upon rope.
He only just succeeded in preventing him
self from bursting into loud laughter; he
was in a lift.
The lift was used for the raising and low
ering Of grain between the upper and lower
rooms in this part of the building. Past
the third, the second, the first floors they
slowly and noiselessly sank. Then only
Foliet spoke.
We'll. sir, 1 think there may now be
chance
M. Folliet. allow me to compliment you
on your ubiquity."
''There'n be a race sir no doubt. Can
you climb a gate?'
Il hope so. But they are engaged in
discussion which may last some time"
Il don't fancy it will. sir. The stiffness
of the alcove will attract them. They will
go to look. We may not have moment to
lose"
They were in deepest darkness. Folliet
struck match. They were near the level
CT the ground floor. He touched a rope.
They alighted ran through store room,
down passage, came to an outer door
and. passing down the steps, were in the
courtyard.
We can climb onto the van, sir, and so
gain the wall. There is a good high drop
Oii llie OlNeF Siue.
They ran forward, fiinching and covering
beneath the scourge of the peIting rain
ike people toling under a burthen
When they came near the gate in order to
climb the van, Folliet, to make sure groped
about the lock on the inside and, to his
surprise, found that the Germans, after
turning the key. had left it there.
Here is luck, SIR he said in low voice.
We need not climb, after all. And now I
can offer you a shelter from this rain"
AT once he threw The gate wide seized
the languid head of one of the drenched
horses and slowly and cautiously led the
van from the yard.
He conducted Vansittart to the stems at
The end. reclosed the gate and locked it on
the outside, mounted to the drivers seat
and started. Inside the van. Vansittart
was sitting in the very cell which he had
occupied in his journey to the warehouse
W men Folltet thought himself out of hear
ing OF the conspirators he whipped the
horses into gallop. Once he was hailed
Dy policeman, who, faithful to his recent
~ received instructions, pursued the van
nttle way, blowing a whistle of alarm
foiiiet, plying his whip continually. took
no notice. He made straight for the Rue
BreVet' and at one end of it jumped down
Drawn up along the street he found the
detachment of gensd armes whom he had
ordered to be there. He gave the sergeant
the Key of the warehouse gate and told