Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-26
THE PRIVATE WAR

query, 1 checked my suitcase to London
and bought me a ticket: ruse designed
to make it appear that | was leaving Bar
mouth on the midnight train.
Afterwards we returned to the platform,
standing in the driving rain to converse
Callahan stalking up and down at a dis
tance, but without losing sight Of us:
sort or sentry against Interruption.
l eyed Sevrance curiously. lie was more
than usually subdued In demeanor-de-
cidedly worried. II his expression counted
for aught--though he wore his ordinary air
OF determination and resolution
"Well?' l asked. Where's Grady?"
Heaven knows!" he declared. you've
not seen hlm?"
obviously why should l ask. other
wlse?"
I'm not easy about him." sevrance re-
turned. 81 wired him to tell Fritz and
Won Holzborn that the attempt was sched.
uled for tonight to watch for the signals,
and to leave Saltsea on the latest night
train joining me ut the Rams Head in
London He should have done 80 by ten
this morning, at the latest But, beyond
wiring that he would carry out my in
structions, have not heard from nor seen
the fellow 1t distresses me. | hope that
nothing has gone wrong-that Internal
Probably not. Something easy to ex-
plain has taken place. Is II for Grady that
you're waiting here?"
Yes. There is train due now" He
TOOK out his watch and verified his state
ment by reference to the hour. Surely"
he insisted "the man would have sense
enough to join us here IL he missed me
in London"
"He will doubtless be on this train" I
thought.
But we were to suffer disappointment.
me IL 40 special from London drew in
ana out of yarmouth, leaving but few pas
SefEerS Grady not of them.
I'D give deal to know what It means"
grumbled Sevrance. But we'll have to go
without the fellow, trusting to luck that
all IL right. Come along"
In comparative silence-for the wind and
the peltng downpour made conversation a
matter of extreme difficulty. as you may
fancy-we hastened down through the bet
ter-class section of yarmouth and into the
rougher districts where the shipbulders'
employees lived
Presently | made out that we had come
directly to the high boarding which inclosed
the Roger & Greer yards. In the shad-
ow OF the cmbrasure OF the main gate en-
trance we posted ourselves and waited.
heard nearby clock boom out the
half hour. We had then. 30 minutes more
before the time appointed. Sevrance
stepped out into the middle of the thor
oughtare and glanced up and down, scan
ming the neghborhood narrowly.
IL lay quiet and deserted enough to all
appearances. The gale and the rain were
enough to keep the people from the streets
that night indeed dIsagreeable as II was
the conviction forced itself upon me that
the very elements were aiding and abetting
our project.
Opposite us the lights of low glnmill
cleaned duly through tear-streaked win
dow panes. Farther down the street two
more publcs stood out In contrast with the
less brilliantly illuminated dwellings OF the
thn ntla Inn
condition of affairs existed. There were,
in short, five such places of entertainment
within stones throw of us.
In n lull in the gale Sevrance put his fin
gers to his mouth and whistled shrilly,
schoolboy fashion and twice Immediately
1 saw dark figure detach itself from a
background Of shadow, in the shelter of the
nearest publcs doorway and souch across
the street. The man proved the one who
had acted as Sevrance's messenger. Gar
vim" Sevrance called him, adding that the
fellow was temporarily his lieutenant.
"A broken-down gentleman" he said who
has seen deal OF sea life and tries to
disguise his birth and breeding with the
bearing of costermonger."
At word from Sevrance the man turned
rightnbout and sauntered back to the pub
lie. saw his figure silhouetted for an in
slant against the light that streamed out
through the open door and then he dis
appeared. In two minutes, however. he
came out turning to the left and souching
up to the next place of entertainment, where
he repeated the performance and so visited
in turn all the publics in view.
Shortly after his exit from each the
door would again be opened and three or
four men would come out, all converging
upon common center-the gate whereat
we were waiting.
They've been here for several days, some
of Them" Sevrance told me. in an aside
II only hope that none have fallen out
I tried to give them no more money than
would board and lodge them until today,
but they may have drunk It all up within
the first "a hours"
How many altogether"
'Thrty-siX, including you, Callahan and
myself l shall get their names as they
come up; you count them"
Inasmuch as the first group was at hand,