Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-12
The Daily Story
SEEING wAR-BY HARRY VA NAMBERG.

be wrong. j had been watched. Now
some one had removed my clothing,
doubtless for a purpose. Why l could
not divine. l lay perfectly still and
presently saw the tent flaps parted
again and heard some one replace my
belongings, | was curious to know II
they showed any signs of what had
been done with them. but thought IL
better to wait till morning. l did NOT
care to have it appear that 1 was
awake and cognizant of the incident.
When day came I looked through
my clothes. but nothing was missing.
Nothing had been added They were
just as when l had taken them off tie
night before. was more puzzled thar
ever.
During this day I could not detect
that l was watched as the day be-
fore. was not treated with more
cordiality, but more Indifference. Eli.
Their there was a change Of feeling to.
ward me or no time to attend to me-
But I had met with n surprise during
the night not to say a shock, that ]
did not recover from. l passed the
day in fear lest something should hap
pen to me. had come to see men in.
jure each other and now dreaded lest
they injure me. And the worst of II
was that such injury wGs being
wrought out in secret
My fears were somewhat allayed
during the day by the officer who was
responsible for me giving me an in.
vitation from his general to dine with
him in the evening with a party of
friends from Berlin. I replied that
had no evening dress with me, but
was informed that under the circum.
stances this would be excusable. The
dinner took place in the open air by
the light of Chinese lanterns The
guests consisted of both men and
women. I had drunk enough wine to
make me feel comfortable and Danish
my fears when a lady sitting next to
me, screened by the table. put crum-
pied piece of paper in my hand. !
dared not look at it. so I put it in
my pocket till the dinner was ended.
On parting with the other guests I
did not bid them goodby, for they were
not to return to Berlin till the next
examined the paper. 1t read:
We are both in danger, both being in
the same service. I shall not be permitted
to depart, and tomorrow the information
of the German forces l give below will be
found on me. l can destroy the papers, but
prefer 10 turn them over to you. hoping
that you may succeed in getting away
with them or transferring them to an
other.
Here at last was an explanation of
my singular treatment, an explanation
that filed me with apprehension. And
when l thought that might be arrest
ed with this paper on me / felt the
marrow in my bones CONCEAL. How
should get rid of 1t? If tore it into
bits and threw them away they might
be collected and put together. The
only safe way was to burn them-that
4, is, if could do so without being seen.
| / finally hit on an eXpedient. i had a
pipe with me and while putting tobac-
| co in 1t for n smoke contrived to put
the paper in also. Then, lighting the
| contents. l smoked vigorously. The
paper stopped the draft, and l was
obliged to relight several times. Final
! ~ there was nothing left of the paper
but ashes.
After the departure of the guests
from Berlin the general sent for me
and received me with a manner en-
tirely changed.
II have to offer you an apology" he
said, ''for a suspicion that has attach
ed to you since you came into our
camp. We had information that a spy
answering your description was seek
ing admission to our camps. That Is
the reason you were sent to me instead
of being expelled from our lines. We
have been watching you while giving
you every facility to gather informa-
ton which we did not intend you
should take away. The lady who gave
you q slip of paper last evening did so
at my request since we desired evil
dence against you.
However, the traps we have laid
for you came to a halt this morning
by the arrest of the spy we We're after.
He might have been your twin broth
er, he is so like you. Permit me to
congratulate you on very narrow es-
cape"
| Ihank you"
HE is to be shot this afternoon
Would you like to see the execution?"
I declined the honor and asked the
generals permission to depart at once
On getting out of the German lines
made bee line for home. l had seer
very little Of war, and what had seer
concerned myself and not others. L
is a far different matter seeing Others
killed from being killed oneself. WheI
I reached home / was asked repeat
eddy:
How does 1t seem to see a mai
killed."
II don't know" I replied, land
don't wish to know l narrowly es
capped death, and that not in the excite
ment of battle, but standing before
f1le Of rifiemen or by a rope"
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