The Washington times., 1917-08-19


After his examination Severac haC
been taken to Fort Saint Jean under
heavy guard.
He was shut in a room on the sec
cond floor and two soldiers OF the
colonial infantry were stationed with
fixed bsyonets at the door. one out,
side and one inside the room.
The apartment, lighted by a small
window with iron bars. was fur
nished with a camp bed, a table and
a chair.
When Severac found himself thus
imprisoned he showed neither fear
nor anger. He at once threw him.
self on the bed, his face turned to-
ward the wall with his back to the
guard.
His shaclIles had been removed,
hence, he had free use OF his hands.
He took n handkerchief from his
pocket and covered his face-a pre-
caution lest the man surprise some
teIl-taIe expression of his face. r
"It Will be difficult but not i'm
possible for them to discover the
grottoes.
Their submarines are blind, II is
true. but two clever divers could
easily find the portcullis II Fate is
kind to them.
They will encounter the iron
grating, to be sure, which Vera
must have lowered as I directed
her. a pick and a dynamite cart
ridge will break that down.
Even 81 she defends herself and
kills two. -four. or six divers as they
into lake
Vera will be overcome in the end,
and she and MoIsette will be taken
away. They Will give Moisete TO
H.ctaner. who will make peace with
tho powers.
without Hictaner, Oxus and Full
bert can do nothing. They viii
EuIllotine me, and all Is over.
THAT is certainly what Will hap
pen. and Admiral Germinet knows
II as well as l.
However. one can always prevent
men from doing what one does not
wish them to do. There is a way
somewhere OF evading Moisette's
capture and all its consequences.
What is this way?'
Severac called TO his aid all the
forces OF his broad intelligence, md
all the Ingenious resources of his
mind.
During his struggle against Hic-
taner. Severac had overlooked ONus
and Fulbert.
He did not realize that two men
who were bold and strong enough
to have overturned nature to create
a manfish and ambitious enough to
have declared war against the
whole world would not have laid
down their arms at this stage OF
the conflict.
Because he overlooked this Import
ant phase. Severac's reflections were
nullified in advance. For Vera and
Moisette already had been taken away
by his two enemies.
Severac's reasoning was summoned
up in a single resolve, which eN-
pressed Itself variously as:
Escape, go away, flee, regain lib
erty."
Flee? 1t was to be difficult. Fort
Saint lean was filled with armed
men, the door of his room was guard
ed on each side by an armed senti-
mel. the only window was barred. and
besides It gave on the mouth Of the
harbor. in the midst Of whose mar
row channel lay u torpedo boat al
ways under steam.
How could he take flight?
For the hundredth time this irrl-
tating question. seemingly unanswer-
able. was hanging before his mind
when Severac heard in the neighbor-
ing passage the rhythmic click OF a
soldier on patrol.
A little later the door OF his room
opened and without turning Severac
understood that the sentry was be-
ing relieved and that the first two
men were being replaced by two 9TH
erS
This could not disturb Severac's ar
duous meditatIons. He did not move.
He barely noticed the closing OF the