Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-18
THE PRIVATE WAR
EY LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE THE aaiRsaissss aaiseis s. eovxLn

in her arms, her face a mirror Of her
compassion for his suffering
1 caught CLEAN of those cloudy. malev.
olent eyes of his dulled by the lowered
lashes and turned away.
De Netze, Sevrance and Mrs. Morchester
had drawn to one side where they stood
whispering, with heads together, awed by
the rustling of the wings that seemed to
be lowering over the Prussians head-the
wings OF death.
Grady was leaning with his back TO the
railing Of the landing. n revolver dangling
In one hand keen eyes intent on the wooded
park that stretched inland. Recognizing in
him sufficient sentinel against another
attack, Joined the group.
They received me with subdued greetings
sevrance, in an undertone. introduced me
to Mrs. Morchester. We nodded and
touched the tip of a Roved finger which
she extended. She impressed me as
neutral Identity. pale and coloress. of in
different Importance and | paid her little
heed--though there was slight need to do
So for she spoke but infrequently.
De Netze, with the glasses, occasionally
turned and stared at the yacht. AS | ap-
preached, he announced
The boats returning"
You are wounded, sir?" asked him
He smiled family. "a mere scratch
again." he disclamed "They are unror-
tunate-those enemies of mine II was a
close call, but'--he bowed Cercmoniously-
II had your assistance, as usual Another
time" he pursued speculatively, they may
have better luck"
"Havo you identified them2" inquired
There's hardly need" he laughed nerv-
ously. "Still-T was about to do SO"
He moved off, with n gesture inviting
me to join him. Sevrance took the glasses
and focused them upon the Mvosotis Hest.
tatlng for an instant, I concluded to go
with the Russian If there was anything
to be gotten out of Mrs Morchester,
could trust Sevranco to do his part In
the meantime, the Russian might let some-
thing slip in all incautious moment
He proved, on the contrary extremely
close-mouthed We visited. in turn, each
of the five bodies which lay about in the
little clearing, witnesses to our prowess +:
and each he examined closely first for signs
of vitality. afterwards for papers--I pre-
sumed.
Neither was found. The men lay stark.
one and all cold At this De Netze nodded
his satisfaction "If there were no more
about" he said thoughtfully, i've might con-
slider ourselves fortunate. l am aston
ished," he continued, that they should have
followed us so cunningy; I had thought
them outwitted"
who are they? Do you know?"
De Nctze pursed his lips favorinB me
with keen. sldelong glance. not however,
devoid of respect and liking.
Two of them" he said slowly "you
should remember: Sept and Baron Won
Beller They afforded you some entertain
ment upon night not long ago AS for
the others. all that can say is that they
are members of the notorious Secret Chap
ter. Ah what is 1t, now?"
For /, bending over the body of the man
whom Sevranco had shot. had cried out in
surprise.
The fellow was our aged and inqusltive
friend of the Rainbow
explained the circumstances briefly, Do
Netze nodding his comprehension.
so they tracked us through YOU" he de-
liberated That is the way of It. Ger
tainly we can speak this good of the dead
they were acute, mon dmk And this old
gentleman-"
He laughed unpleasantly and, with q
single movement, and abruptly, scalped the
patriarch of his slvery white wig, expos
Ing head of black hair. close cropped. A
tug at each of the heavy and ovcrhanging
eyebrows removed them also. The face
that, sightless and lifeless. stared up to the
stars, then seemed to have lost 20 years it
proved that of a young man, not above 80.
Very careful and cautious !" De Netze
commented,
His searching Of their pockets and pat
ting of their clothes brought to light moth
Ing but poCketbook filled with Bank of
England notes and n couple of handfuls of
silver and gold with as much more mlscel-
laneous trash of no Importance. such as
men are accustomed to cart around in their
pockets.
Now as to that automobile" De Netze
pondered aloud, where would IL be?"
impossible to say" l responded VERY
likely It is at n stop In the roadway some
where near Saltacres, That should be
looked into"
II will see to It," the Russian replied
''If 1t is gone we may take II as conclusive
that our friends are not all dead. We may
yet have trouble with them'
"Beggn' your honors' pardons," Grady
put it, but twas myself thot heard at
Taste wan av thin scuttlin away through
tn bushes, jist afther tn shindy,"
"Ah" De Netze nodded. II fancied as
much"
Presently we were interrupted by the
arrival of the boat; hail from the beach
below apprsed us of the fact: and a me-
ment later six or eight dark forms made
their way up the stairs Among them
was surprised to notice the fiutter of