The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1915-10-07
o'clock tomorrow morning" / said


situation. But the more racked my
brains the more perplexing it became.
could understand the main feature
If Weisknopf's conspiracy; the sub
stitution of the dress coats. Very
likely Dimitrieff had worn the coat
which had been planted" upon him,
in place of his own. But how could
he have been SO foolish as to have left
the document behind him?
And, save as a method Of insult,
the meaning of the pot of grease, to
which the little spy had alluded, was
absolutely unintelligible.
The one chance of solving the mys-
terry, and, at the same time, of aiding
Dimitrieff, lay in the possibility of the
Hotel Metz valet calling upon me with
the suit in the morning. / remembered
that it had been the spy's intention to
call on Weisknopf at Agram. This
made it just possible that the spy, as
Stunning his mission to be completed,
would not come into touch with Weis-
knopf in time to permit of revision
of the plans already made.
That they had been made with con-
siderable attention to detail, and were,
therefore, difficult to readjust in time,
was clear from the single incident of
the pot of tar. Dimitrieffs exit from
the opera house, and the very line of
his flight, must have been telephoned
to the man who was in readiness with
the compound. Perhaps there were
several of the confederates with pots
of tar, along different routes, waiting
for Dimitrieff.
had discarded every possible solu-
ton in turn before / went to bed.
I was awakened the next morning
by ring at my telephone. The hotel
manager called to me that the valet
was below, waiting to attend on me.
Then I flung on my dressing gown,
and the valet from the Metz, entering
after discreet knock, doubtless saw
before him the man whose appearance
had been described to him by the lit
tie spy.
"The suit, mein herr" he said apollo
getically, placing the greasy garments
across the back of a chair. Secured
though they evidently had been they
represented the dreadful havoc of what
had come fresh from the tailor's shop
on the preceding morning.
/ handed the man two English soy.
ereigns and dismissed him.
When he had gone, I set about my
examination of the greasy garments.
was still engaged upon this interest
ing work when the telephone bell
rang once more.
Herr Ivanoff has just gone up to
your room, mein herr" explained the
clerk. He waC in hurry, and said
he had an appointment with YOU"
quite right I answered, and
could not resist chuckle. For had
solved the mystery in its entirety.
The dress coat and its accompany
ing garments were hidden under the
soft cover when Dimitrieff entered.
It was a very different Dimitrieff.
The man seemed utterly broken. His
face was haggard from the effects Of
a sleepless night, his eyes bloodshot,
and his hands trembled dreadfully as
he essayed to close the door.
He succeeded in accomplishing this
act after two failures; then he came
forward and suddenly flung himself
upon his knees before me.
Herr Weisknopf. have mercy upon
mel" he stammered. II came because
l thought you might be willing to
make some bargain, having given me
your card last night"
"Nicholas!" I began, feeling the
same choking in my throat.
You know how much this means
to mel" Dimitrieff resumed. II will
do anything for you il you will return
me the papers. / will not ask wheth-
er you have had copies made. I will
advance your interests in Sofia, do
anything except betray my country,
if you will preserve to me the sem
blance OF my honor"
Dimitrieff rose from mis- knees, and,
with a dramatic gesture, pulled an
army revolver from his coat pocket
Unless you return me my papers
shall blow my brains out in your pres
ence!" he shouted wildly.
/ took the weapon from his hand
as simply as one would disarm a
child.
in that event." ! answered, you
will blow out the brains Of the stu
pidest, simplest, finest. and most for
getful donkeyhead that ever came out
of Bulgaria Unconsciously l was
falling into the Slav tongue. For the
twentieth time, Nicholas, hast thou no
memory for old friends-from Berlin
from American"
Dimitrieff knew my voice. He stared
at me, and slowly memory came strug-
Cling back. Then, rising, he leaped at
me and flung his arms about my neck,
and violent smack on either cheek
indicated that recollection was COM
plete.
Thou, who hast got me out OF more