Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-06-06

venture, indeed, he DID not look Tor |
his enemies In Germany, believing |
that Holland. being much nearer Paris,
would be far better ground for their
operations. He purposed to cross the |
North sea from Rotterdam.
Besides his hand bag, Coleman car
ried with him a leather portmanteau,
but his official letter from the Ameri. |
can minister at st. Petersburg to tho |
prime minister Of England he carried |
on his person. On entering Holland In
order to outwit his enemies he kept his
portmanteau on the floor of the car
between his heels. A lady entered the
compartment who seemed to be Ill,
leaning her head bnck on the cushion
and closing her eyes. At the first stop
after her entrance she said, evidently
with effort, to Coleman:
"Would monsieur be 30 good as to
60 into the station and bring me a
glass OF water2 l am suffering with a
burning thirst"
Certainly" replied Coleman. and he
went for the water. When he returned
the sick lady and his suit case were
both gone, Those In the coach told
him that the lady, fearing he would be
left and parted from his baggage, had
got out taking the portmanteau with
her, He did not think It worth while
to look for her, so, handing the glass Of
water to waiter he had brought with
him from the station, not forgetting n
tip. he entered the coach, and the train
sped on. He regretted the loss of his
clothes. but once more he had foiled
his enemies and at the same time had
learned their tactics.
Unfortunately this gave him a pres
ent false security. A passenger. taking
out n cigarette case, asked the only
two other passengers besides Coleman
for permission to smoke. II was grant.
ed, and Coleman also assented. All
were becoming drowsy when they were
startled by crash of a window pane.
Coleman. having suddenly become sus-
picious that the fumes OF the cigarette
the man was smoking was drugged,
feeling himself coming under its lnfiu-
ence, had swung his hand bag against
the glass. A current of air at once re-
stored those affected, but no one seem
ed to understand why Coleman was In
such hurry for air as to smash win
dow. A few minutes later the train
stopped at station, and the smoker
got out.
On approaching Rotterdam Coleman
nerved himself for the browning attack
Of his Journey. Undoubtedly some one
person had planted these traps In his
way and had been informed Of their
failure. He would therefore instruct
his hlrelings to prevent at all hazards
the passage Of the traveller across the
channel. Tho main danger would be
In going from the railway station to
the boat On alighting at the former
Coleman, carrying bis bag In one hand
and cane he had brought from 1t.
Petersburg in the other, entered the
street. It was growing dark. and he
fancied he might skulk through some
Of the narrow streets without being OBJ
served.
He was passing through one of the
narrowest, dlmmest streets OF Rotter-
him emerge from a passagcwny and
look about him. Realizing thnt he
would probably be taken IN front and
rear at the same time. Coleman glnnc
ed back and saw another man coming
toward him. Hurrying forward. when
he reached the man In front the fellow
stood directly In his way and asked
H., tnl 4,
his bag and his cane In his left hand
SEEKING the handle of his cane with
his right he pulled II from the other
part, revealing II blade nearly two feet
long and held It point down over the
head OF the man who blocked his way.
The fellow ducked and ran like deer
behind him. Coleman took advantage
of his absence 10 dodge into the pas
sageway from which his adversary had
emerged and ran for an open street.
Seeing an empty cab standing by the
curb, he stepped In. told the coachman
to drive him 10 the boat and was
rolled away.
He was now near the water and had
only to pass from land to sea. When
unkhttu ltOiu Nhb NuU uB MI w u
man standing with paper In his hand
beside the gangway. On reaching the
shore end OF the gangway the man
stepped In his way and began to rend
something TO him. Coleman, under
standing this 10 be a process of law
to delay him and noticing that the
man was standing very near the edge
Of the dock. pretending TO believe he
was In danger Of being left, rushed to.
ward the gangway and over It, knock.
ing the process server into the water.
A policeman stood ready 10 follow the
reading with an arrest, but the atten'
ton OF every one was diverted 10 the
man sputtering In the water. Cole
man, taking advantage Of the digres-
down into the hold instead OF up into
the cabin, found a convenient Granny
In which TO hide.
The boat did not leave for two hours.
but either the hunters for the message
bearer gave up the chase or could not
find their man. As soon as the bont
had left the dock Coleman went into
throwing himself on a berth. went to
sleep.
He did not awaken TIL the boat
touched the English coast Then. rous-
ing himself, no went ashore. took a
train and In a few hours was in Lon.
don.
Here tho narrative which was writ.
ten by Coleman TO his wife in 1885
and from which this story has been
taken ends There Is no mention Of
tho presentation Of the information no
bore to the English government, but
the knci remnlna TINT Nnnnlaon ILL