The Detroit times., 1909-03-27
THE Man
Who Stole
The Earth"
CHAPTER LxI.-(continued.)
By W. Holt Whifs.

And at the doorway the officer. turn
ing back. marveled to see that Strong
was apparently again in slumber.
At o'clock the ring of bugles call
ed Strong to his feet, and he proceed
ed to battle, shave and dress himself
with infinite care in his new uniform.
The morning was nasty; the wind
came up in gusts from the southwest,
and the rain fell pitilessly on the
troops assembled in the forecourt OF
the palace.
They formed a great hollow square,
and In the center were two hastily
constructed gallows.
Strong took up his stand at the
head of his staff officers and beckoned
to Hertz to approach.
Go TO both the prisoners" he said,
land ask them IL they desire any spir-
itual comfort. will not at least deny
them that"
The man whom Schaur had fetched
from prison to destroy the "Di" shook
his head sullenly. Schaur burst into
passionate speech.
"Countrymen and patriots" he
cried.
But he got little further than that,
for Strong said, Gag him." And they
gagged him, in spite of his struggles,
pinioned him, and placed him on the
platform Of the gallows.
What followed thereafter was swift
and horrible. Within 30 seconds both
men were hanged.
Strong ther~ ordered the troops to
dismiss, anG, turning away and going
to his room, drew out the following
short proclamation:
This morning two traitors, who
shall be without names, were hanged
at the palace as an example to all
other persons who may possibly con-
template treachery. II ] discover any
further inclination on the part OF any
other of my subjects to dispute my
authority or to imperil my life or my
safety. such persons will be regarded
as traitors to the state and hanged
forthwith. In the meantime / advise
the citizens to remain quiet. All that
can be done for their safety Is being
done. II all work with a will this
country will be impregnable, even to
the assaults of all the other nations
of the world. within a week.
(Signed) STRONG.
Dictator of Bahama"
With that astonishing swfrtness
with which evil news travels, Lud'
wig heard Of the arrest of Schaur and
his companion almost at the moment
that they were being led from Stronge
room. In HIS phlegmatic way he was
angry, but he merely shrugged his
heavy shoulders, and, stroking his
black beard thoughtfully, sat for a few
moments In thought.
Then, seeing that In all probability
Strong would be likely to have the
Mansion house searched for other evi
dences Of treachery, Ludwig decided
on immediate departure.
And so, picking up his little black
commercial travellers bag. he walked
quietly out of the mayors house and
strolled down to the railway station
judging that he would be In time to
catch the o'clock train for Berlin
For to Berlin he must 20. &c would
be necessary, not only to inform the
fugitive King OF Bahama what had
occurred-a duty which he could not
possibly achieve II he remained In
Bomberg-but it also behooved him tC
be as near TO The Hague as possible
In case the absconding monarch whom
he still served should require hi:
presence there.
Again Strong's overweening conf
dence In himself and his system 81
trusting others until they proved
themselves untrustworthy stood Lud
wig in good stead. For there were
many passengers booking their seati
In the express when he reached the
railway station, and neither he mol
any one OF them was subjected 10 any
scrutiny. questioning or hindrance
whatsoever.
And so. shortly after o'clock. the
express started for Berlin, carrying