Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-09
CHAPTER yI-tContinued).


"IETHY not?" sevrance looked up sharply.
w "rraln and are going to dine. We
fancied you might be willing to give us a lift
in your carriage and set us down ut the
Primordial"
"You are perfectly welcome" Won Holz-
born put in. with a short laugh. "That 49,
he amended, III YOU are willing to chance
tho risk"
"Rislt?" inquired
The Prussian gave me a glimpse Of those
Opaque eyes There's danger" he said
curtly.
ITO he frank with YOU" added the Rus
sian, Monsieur de Holzborn is known for
my very good friend. We fear that his
lodgings may have been watched-
"In this bcastly fog?" sevrance protested.
Even so. II his carriage has been
noticed and followed, it is barely possible
that we may be attacked before we reaCh
Il safe place"
| heard Sevrance express n terse opinion,
beneath his brenth-"Rot!' ~ was what he
said--and I confess that my views rcsembled
his own; for the life Of me | could not
imagine how n cab could have been tracked
through n fog as dense as that
Aloud: 80 much the more reason why
YOU should travel we'll guarded. then" said
Severance. Trail and will be glad enough
to bear you Company-ns far as tho
Prlmordial Club, Mt least"
ION your own heads" commented Won
Holzborn lifting his shoulders indifferently'
Accordingly, we decided to accompany
them with the more reason since, as
Sevrance pointed out, II would be the devil
of "A deal of trouble to come upon another
cab that night. For my part. | was in no
mind to let any fanciful danger whatsoever
stand between me and my food. would
have dared the whole Russian army for
good dinner.
And so. with a slight delay for prepara-
ton we set out. Fritz | remember, went
ahcad-siently. confidently. De Netze and
his German friend went next, the Russian
leaning heavily upon the others arm'
Seyrancc and bringing UP the rear.
waited for Sevrance TO lock his door,
quite assured that I needed his guidance
before the blank blackness of the fog-bound
courtyard De Netzc and Won Holzborn
had struck out boldly without waiting; nor
did we come up with them until we were
cleared of the covered alleyway and had
blundered into a waiting hack-a vehicle
which. | understand, was the captains pri-
vate turnout
heard Won Holzborns voice, pitched In
an angry undeTtone, before we encountered
the trio \ second later they loomed blackly
before us De Netze was seemingly attempt
ing to pacify the Prusslan. who was inter
rogating the coaChman, ] gathered heard
him say "BlocIhead" :" furiously.
THE man was not to blame. mon ami"
interposed the Russian.
Won Holzborn turned upon his man Fritz.
By this time we We're near enough to make
ont that the fellow was standing stolidly to
one side, holding his right forearm with his
left hand and staring off into the obscurty,
'IIow did it happen?' Won Holzborn de-
manded.
The valet stlrened, dropping his hand to
his side II followed your instructions,
Herr CAPTAIN" he said respectfully En-
terIng the carriage | fell against some per-
son who attempted to stab me-" lie added
two or three phrases in German, doggedly.
and So" he concluded the fellow got
awny Ernest"-he nodded toward the
coachman's box-"will tell you as much.
| haf my best done. Herr Captain. 1t ISIS
not my fault"
"oh, that's palpable," De Netze affirmed
decidedly
whats thls?" Scvrance put in
The Russian explained calmly. There
had been an assassin waiting In the car
riage: their prccaution in sending Fritz on
ahead had saved the Russians life for the
second time.
'.You see" he concluded, 1--WE were not
mistaken. They are watching me ike cats
a mouse. -, ,,-,...,.
saw him slip something into Fritz,s
paIm: Won HozbOrn's back was turned
The valet saluted with his hurt arm
"a mere scratch" he assured me- IN reply
10 nv question. and climbed upon the box
with the coachman, being so ordered by MS
master.