Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-08-07


Koeh's home on Queens Terrace was
the summer home of a major of fusi-
leers, whose station was up the Nile.
But this summer it was not occupied.
The major had hurried his family
back to England at the first mutter-
ings of the great war, and he himlsef
had to stick by his regiment up in
the doubtful Sudan country. Like
Doctor Koch,s place. the majors yard
was surrounded by q high wall, over
which the fronds of big palms and
Powered shrubs draped themselves.
The nearest villa, aside from the
Kochs' across the street, was a hun
dred yards away. At night an arc
light, set about thirty feet from Doc
tor Koch's gate, marked all the road
t%hereabouts with sharn blocks of
light and shadow. One lying close
screened by the palms and the heavy
branches of some night-blooming
ghost flower, could command a per-
feet view Of Doctor. Koch's gateway
without being himself visible.
At least, SO Billy Capper found it
on the night following his visit to the
German physician's and his subse-
quent communion with himself at the
Tavern Of Thermopylae. Almost with
stepped off the train at Ramleh sta
ton, ferried himself by boat down
the canal that passed behind the ma
jor's home, after careful reconnoiter-
ing. discovered that the tangle of
wildwood about the house was not
guarded by a watchman.. and had SO
achieved his position of vantage on
| ton ~ kh4 rry41 1ipA 4 ~--- 49,
gateway of No. 80. He was stretched
flat. Through the spaces between the
dry fingers of a palm leaf he could
command a good view of the gate and
of the road on either side. Few pc
destrians passed below him; an auto
mobile or two puffed by; but in the
main. Queens Terrace was deserted
and Capper was alone. 1t was a te-
dious vigil. Capper had no reliance
with spy's work to assure that he
would be rewarded for his pains.
Some sixth sense in him had prompt
ed him to come thither, sure in the
promise that the night would not be
misspent. A clock somewhere off in
the odorous dark struck the hour
twice, and Capper fidgeted. The hard
stone he was lying on cramped him.
m sound Of footsteps on the flag
ged walk aroused momentary interest.
He looked out through his screen of
green and saw a tall well-knit figure
of a man approach the opposite gate,
stop and ring the bell. Instantly
Capper tingled with the hunting few
err Of his trade. In the strong light
from the r he could study infinitely
the face Of the man at the gaze
with thin lips above a strong chin.
1t was a striking face-one easily re-
membered. The gate opened; beyond
1t Capper saw, for an instant, the
white figure of the Numidian he had
bumped into at the alleys mouth. The
gate closed on both.
Another weary hour for the ferret
on the wall, them something happehs
ed that was reward enough for
cramped muscles and taut nerves.
An automobile purred up to the gate;
out OF 1t hoped two men, while a
third, tilted over like one drunk, re-
NAMED on the ear seat of the tom
neau. One rang the bell. The two
before the gate f1dgeted anxiously for
1t to be opened. Capper paid not SO
much heed to them as to the half
reclining figure in the machine. It
was In strong light. Capper saw, with
a leap of his heart. that the ma in
the machine was clothed in the khaki
service uniform Of the British army
Ian officers uniform he Judged by
the trirnness Of it's fitting, though he
could not see the shoulder straps.
The unconscious nan wa barehead-
ed and one side Of his face was dar-
kened by a broad trickle. Of blood
from the scalp. r
When the gate opened, there were
a few hurried words between the Nu-
indian and the two who had waited.
All three united in lifting an inert
figure from the q and carrying it
quickly through the gate. Consumed
with the desire to follow them into
h e/labyrinth Of the Doctors yard, vet
not daring, Capper remained plaster.
ed to the wall.
Captain Woodhouse, sitting in the
consnltation room with the doctor.
heard the front door open and the
scuffe Of burdened feet in the hall,
Doctor Koch hoped nimbly to the
folding doors and threw them back.
First, the Numidian's broad back.
then, the bent shoulders Of two other
men. both lily dressed, came into
view. Between them they carried the
form of a man in officers Khaki.
Woodhouse could not check a futter-
Ing Of the muscles in his cheeks: this
was a surprise to him; the doctor had
given no hint Of it.
"Good-good!" clucked Koch, indi-
eating that they should lay their bur-
Den on the operating chair. Amy
None In the least, Herr Doktor."
the larger of the two white mar n
swered. "At the corner Of the ware
house near the docks. where it is.
dark--he was going early to the
Princess Mary and-
Yes. a tap on the head-so?"
Koch broke tna casting q quick glance
toward where CaHtain Woodhouss
had risen from his seat. A shrewd.
appratstng glance II was, which was
not lost on Woodhouse. He stepped
forward to join the physician by the
side OF the figure on the operating
chair.
TO be continued.