The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-13
2..esks.ts.


 paper and thrust it forward
 "To write your name, please, meir
 Herr"
 Alban wrote his name without any
 hesitation whatever. The clerk called 2
 boy, who had been playing by timooI
 stack, and dispatched him in quest of his
 chief
 Prom Dantzig, men Herr?" he asked l "No," safd Alban civilly, from Lon i don"
 1 .sAh," said the clerk, q think it would
 be Dantzig. Lot of Englishes from Dant-
 zig-you have not much of the woods in 1 Engerland, mein Herr"
 He did not expect a reply and imme-
 diately applied himself to the useful oc-
 cupation of killing blue-bottle with the point of his pen. Two or three lorries | rolled in and out while Alban waited. 1 He could see ships passing upon the river i and hear the scream of steam-saW 1 from shed upon his left hand. A sol i dier passed the gate, but hardly cast a ] glance at the yard. Five minutes must ] have elapsed before Herr Petermann ap- l peared. He held the paper in thin cadaverous hand as though quite unae- l quainted with his visitors name and not | at all curious to be enlightened.
 "You are Mr. Kennedy" he said in ex- 1 cellent English.
 Yes" said Alban. "a friend of mine 1 told me to come here'
 '1t would be upon the business of the English ship-ah, I should have remem- bered it. Please come to my office. I am sorrow to have kept you waiting He was short man and very fat, clean shaven and a thorough German in ap- pearance. Dressed in a very dirty white canvas suit, he shuffled rather than walked across the yard. never once look | ing to the right hand or to the left and apparently obliyious of the presence oe | stranger. This manner had befriended | him through all the stormy days War saw had lately known. Even the police | had no suspicion of him. Old fat Peter mann, who hobnobbed with sailors | what had revolution to do with him! This way, mein Herr-yonder is my | office. When I go to Dantzig by water my books go with me. That is very good for the health to live upon the water | Now please to cross the plank carefully, for what shall you say to me if you fall in? This Is my bureau de travail-you will tell me how you like him by and by There were two barges of considerable size moored to the quay and substantial plank bridged the abyss between the stone and the combings of the great hatchWay Herr Petermann went first walking briskly in spite of his rat; Al ban. no less adroit followed with lad s nimble foot and was upon the old fellows heels when they stepped on board. Ihe barges. he perceived, were fully laden and covered by heavy tarpaulins. Com nodious cabins at the stern aecommo- dated the crew-and into one of these Herr Petermann now turned, stopping as he went and crying to his guest to take care.
 Ut is rather dark, my friend, but you soon shall be accustomed to that. Fms is my private room, you sec In Ensiahd you would not laugh at man who works ahoat for you-ere all sailors NOW tell me how you like itg''
 The cabin certainly was beautifully fur- nished. Walls of polished wood had their adornment of excellent seascapes, many of them bought at the Paris salon. A bureau with delightful curves and clock set at the apex above the writing shelf pleased Alban immensely-he thought that he had seen nothing more graceful even at "Five Gables; While the chair to match 1t needed no sham eX- nert to declare it's worth. The carpe4 was of crimson without pattern, but ele- eantlv bordered. There were many shelves for books, but no evidence or commercial papers other than great staring ledger which was the one eye sore.
 ''I like your room very iiiN]h i'ie'NN' said Alban upon his swift suryey-not many people would have thought of tnls'
 We are all afraid of the damp in England, and if we talked of floating office, peo- nle would think us mad And then ne added-"But you don't come here Tn win fer. Herr Petermann--this place IS no use to you then?'
 Herr Petermann smiled as though ne were well pleased.
 ..1a 1,au sometimes, he reioined little vaguely, "we never know what is going to happen to us, That is why we should help each other when inc occasion arises. You. of course, are visiting Warsaw merely as tourist, MT Kennedy"
 "Indeed, no-I have come here to hhu a. very old friend. the daughter "No names if you please, MT. kenne- dv. You have come, here. ] think you said. to find the son of a very old friend What makes you suppose that l can heip you?' n,,o, Ions thing to hear-so swift, so masterlul that Alban understood in a moment what strength of will and purpose lay moaeh by this bland smile and benevolent lnah- ner Herr Petermann was far rom hoing the simple old fellow he pretended to he You never could have named him that if YOU had heard him speak as he smoke those few stern words. Alpdh upon his part. felt as though some one had slapped him upon the cheek ana called him q fool CT nm very sorry" he blundered-and +ben recovering himself, he said as mon ast1v" "Is there any need to ask me Tor raasons9 Are not our aims the same, Herr Petermann?'
 ..To sell wood. Mir Kennedy" Alban was almost angry CT was walking dowu from the castle he began. but again the stern voice ar rested him. |, ,
 ..Neither names nor history, 1T you n1ease Mir. Kennedy. We are here 10 oo husiness together as two honest mer- | chants All that I shall have 10 asK you Ne vour word, the word of an English sentleman, that nothing which transpifes mon my premises shall be spoken or out side under any circumstances whatever.
 "That is very readily given, Herr feter- mann"
 Your solemn assuranceF
 'sAIy solemn assurance.
 The old fellow nodded ana smileo' Ilo had become altogether benevolent once more and seemed exceedingly pieaseu with himself and everybody else.
 "It is fortunate that you should have ann1ied fo me-" he exclaimed very cheer ,Iy-"slnee you are thinking of taking
 polish seryant-please do not interrupt ,ne--since you are thinking of taking Polish servant and of asking him to ac- company you to England. by boat 1T you should find the journey otherwise incon- venient-I merely put the idea 10 you there is n young man in my employment ,,,l,o r,iqbt very honestly be recommended