The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-11-17


"Whstw Streetman exclaimed. And
he FASTENED to examine the find. "Oh,
ho! WHAT'S this?" he asked.
Henri Christophe was no less sur
prised than the others. He took the in
strument from Otto and turned it over
curiously.
"Why, m'sieu-it is telephone" he
said with an air of the utmost mystif-
cation.
81 know. know-but what Is il do
ing there?" Streetman asked imperi-
ously.
II do not ynow, msieu," Chrlstophe
stammered. In d fash he saw that
things looked very black for himself.
"Why di" you hide itY' Already
Streetmap Lad found him guilty.
II did nor hide it, m'sieu"'
An inspiration seized Streetman
then. And he took the telephone into
his own hands.
"Who are you?" he asked in French
speaking directly into the transmitter.
The fellow received an immediate
reply. AND he said to his men In the
next breath ut was a Frenchman who
spoke! That telephone leads to the
French. II is the work of n spy" And
then Streetnan ordered Ottos comrade
Hans to ask Major Won Brenig to re-
turn.
Poor Henri Christophe forgot all
about his simple menu. He stood there,
crestfallen. The whole affair was too
much for his befogged brain.
"You were warned against any at
tempt to communicate with the en-
emy," Streetman said.
81 never saw that telephone BEFORE"
Christophe declared.
''Don't lie to me! You put 1t therew
81 swear to you" The innkeeper
claimed his innocence. But his pro-
testations had no effect upon the in
dignant Streetman. The man seemed
absolutely relentless, inhuman.
You are either French spy or har-
boring spy under your roof" he told
Christophe. ut is an act of enmity to
us. You must pay the penalty at once"
"On my honor have done nothing
absolutely nothing!" Henri Christophe
cried Even in that moment his thoughts
were upon his daughter Jeanne rather
than upon himself. He was afraid
for her.
"Our proclamations have told you
what to expect" Streetman snarled.
at will be a good warning to the 9TH
ers," he added grimly.
The Belgian innkeeper stared at him
as If in trance.
serted.
The callous Streetman paid not the
slightest heed to his denials In a most
brisk and businesslike manner he COM
manded the corporal to call in the
guard and make ready firing squad
against the wall outside" he said.
Then little Jeanne Christophe opened
one of the doors timidly. Some errand
had necessitated her entering the room.
And when she saw her fathers ashen
face 1t needed little intuition to tell her
that there was some tragedy impend-
ihS' WIN INV ely sic SpldhS W hSi
fathers side.
My fsther-my father-what is it,"
she asked him.
n Is spy" Streetman said con-
temptuously.
Non, nou, m'sieur' she cried.
wait! Come here" he or
dered her roughly. And Henri Chris
topic whispered to her to obey. you
have seen that telephone before"
Streetman inquired. Already the cor
poral had returned with four men,
bearing rifles.
mo, no! Never in all my lifew the
girl walled.
Your father hid 1t there" he in
sisted.
Non. non. m'sieuw she said with all
the vehcmence she could muster.
Enough of talkingw Streetman said
with a cruel glance at her white face.
Take him out!' he ordered the cor
poral.
For one brief moment father and
daughter clasped each other in a last
embrace.
at is the end, my little Jeanne!
Good-by! Fray for mer' Henri Chris
tophe said brokenly. And in that in
slant new dignity came to nina
dignity such as must have clothed the
ancient martyrs, or that later tragic
figure, for whom his own daughter was
named-Jeanne d'Arc-when the SUI
preme summons overlook them. ut is
all over, ma petite" he repeated. And
then he drew himself up to his fullest
height and looked ut his unyielding
Judge unfllnchngly. II am innocent,
m'sieu!' he said.
Those were the last words that Henri
Christophe spoke.
Henry Streetman made a gesture of
impatlence. The scene bored him.
Jeanne Christophe burst into a wild
torrent of words. Alternately she adj
dressed Streetman and her father.
mo, no, nor she shrieked, as IL she
could not have that frightful thing
that Observation-Disclosures "Oh, msieu!
For the love of God! My ia