The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-12-09

as / was to the city nothing familiar
greeted me in my swift glance up and
down the street My guards gave
me no opportunity to perceive much,
closing tightly about, and pressing me
hastily forward. The taxi stood slightly
at one side the hotel entrance, but [
caught a glimpse of the chauffeur's
face in the blaze Of electric light, as
l was Unceremoniously thrust through
the open dOOr-he was the reporter,
Eisenbarth- Franzen and Swigert
jammed themselves into the back
seat on either side of me, still gripping
my arms, and Brandt had one foot on
the step, when he paused suddenly,
and closed the door
wait a minute" he said shortly
until l use the telephone"
Helpless to move, crushed IN as 1
was, / could see the hotel entrance, and
watched him disappear, leaving the
house-detective lettering In the door
way No one spoke, except for a grOwl
from one OF my guards as l attempted to
assume as easier posture. The glass
windows were up IN front, and the
chauffeur appeared only as q mere
shadow During those few moments
there was borne IN upon me a full con-
sciousneSs of my desperate situation
Previously l had taken the matter
rather lightly, unable to comprehend
how such an outrage as this could be
consummated IN the very heart OF the
city. l was not unknown, or fTiendless
even In Chicago; TO my eOuntrymen
my name stood for much, and there
were many all about who would rally
at word to my relief. 1t had seemed
that could l once escape from that room
up stairs any appeal for help would
meet with instant response Yet the
possibility of my attempting such an
escape had been anticipated, and
IL I 4 l.
en- fool, being taken home by friends,
under direction of the hotel police
officer Any appeal l might make
would only be laughed at. And these
fellows were IN earnest; they were pre-
pared to go far In attaining their
ends This was a plot, well conceived
and thought out. From the first
appearance of Miss Probyn the object
of every move was to get me into
their possession; 1t had all been planned;
the quarrel at the cafe, the room rented
IN this obscure hotel, the rifling of
my pockets, the offer of money. And
now, when all these means Of learning
my secret had failed, these men were
equally prepared to go with on even
more desperate tactics EisenbSrth
had not asked where he was to drive
the machine; he already knew.
did not, yet my mind grasped one
probable fact was either to be taken
10 some re10eZNOuS, W1efS Il cOQlQ De
safely kept from discovery, or else
to the hangar where my monoplane
was under guard The latter supposi-
ton did not appear reasonable IN view
of the fact that such an appearance
would involve the danger of exposure,
Brandt would never risk that, except
as a last resort He was a secret agent,
and his ability to produce results de-
pended largely on his presence being
unknown From the conversation
overheard 1t was evident my men had
been already tempered with-the Pin
kertOn guard-or one OF them, at least
bought, and Ramon rendered use
less by intoxicants But De Yigne
remained sober and Eetehful and
the hangar could not be broken into
without creating alarm No, the
object must be to get me where l could
be handled, tortured If need be, and
driven to reveal an I knew And
could expect little mercy, once they
deemed themselves safe I had heard