Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-08-20

discipline and tradition o. the serv-
Ice q given to his conservation q
hard grain. In common with most
Of those in high command, he held
to the belief that nothing existed
nothing could exist-which was not
down in the regulations of the war
Office, made and provided. For up
ward Of twenty-five years he had
played the hard game of the service
in Egypt, in Burma, on the broil-
ing rocks Of Alden. and here, at last,
on the key to the Mediterranean.
fully pursued his duty, had slowed
away in his mind the wisdom dis
seminated in blue-bound books by
that corporate paragon Of know
ledge at home. the war office. But
never had he e in anything but
fluffy fiction of a place or a thing
called the Wilhelmstrasse. reputed by
chambers Of diplomacy. The reg
ulations made no mention Of a Will
he1mstrasse, v e though they pro-
vided the brand Of pipe clay that
should brighten mems pith helmets
and stipulated to the ounce an emer-
gency ration. Therefore. to the Off
cial military, mind at least. the Will
helmstrasse was ~non-existent.
But here ome a beach-comber, a
lllScIdUi0 JdChol 1IOll llS UdSh dACyS
Of society, and warns h governor
general of the Rock that he has a
man from the Wilhelmstrasse-a spy
bent on some unfathomable mission
in his very forces on the Rock. He
says that an agent OF the enemy has
darded masquerade as a British Off
Ger in order to gain admission inside
the lines of Europe's most impregn-
able fortress, England's precious
otrorrhn11 fhoro IN dn n,iachfafl
General Crandall's tremendous re-
sponsiblity would not permit him to
ignore such a warning, coming even
from 80 low a source Yet the mar
found himself cropping blindly in the
dark before the dilemma presenteds
he had no foot rule of precept or ex-
perience to guide him.
His fruitless searching for a prop
in emergency was broken by the APP
pearance Of Jane .Gerson in the door
opening from Lady Crandall's room
was dressed for the out-of-doors; In
her arms was a fragrant bunch Of
blood-red roses, spraying out from
the top of a bronze bowl. The girl
hesitated and drew back in confusion
at seeing h o occupied; she
seemed eager to escape Undecided.
But General Crandall smilingly
checked her flight.
CT thought you would. be out"
Jane stammered. "and-'
"And the posies-" the general
interrupted.
Were for you to enjoy when you
should come back She smiled cas-
lily into the mans eyes. they'll
look 81 much prettier here than in
my room"
Very good Of you, I'm sure"
General Crandall stepped up to the
rich cluster of buds and shifted critic
ally. Without looking at the girl.
he continued: "It appears to me as
though you had already made a con-
quest IN the Rock. One doesn't
pick these from the cliffs. you know,
Il should hardly call 1t a conquest"
Jane answered. with a sprightly toss
Of her head
But a young man sent o these
generals tone was bantering, III his
ayes did not leave the piquant face
under the chic summer straw hat that
shaded 1t.
surely. One Of your own men
Captain Woodhouse, of the signal
stems in the bowl. apparently ready
to accept what was on the surface of
the generals rallying.
"Woodhouse, Ell? You've known
him for a long time, I take It."
Since last night, General. And
yet some people say Englishmen are
slow" She laughed gaily and turn
ed to face him. His voice took on a
subtle quality Of polite insistence:
before Gibraltar"
"How could I. when this is the first
time Captain Woodhouse has beer
out Of Egypt for years."
Who told you that?" The genera
was quick to catch her up. The CIR
felt a swift stab Of fear. On the in.
slant she realized that here was
the mystery which she herself could
not understand. but which she had
pledged herself to keep %inviolate
Her voice fiuttered in her throat a.
she a~nsyered:
Why. he did himself, General"
"He did, eh? Gave you a bit o,
his history On first meeting. Con
fding chap. what! But you. Mis-
Gerson-you've been to Egypt, YOU
say?"
mo, General"
Jane was beginning to find thi
Icross-examination distinctly painful
She felt that already her pledge, 81
glibly given at Captain Woodhouse'
insistence. was involving her in 9. sit
uation the significance. OF whicl
might prove menacing to herself
and one other. She could sense tn
beginnings Of a strain between her
slef and this genial elderly gentle
man. her host.
"Do you know. Miss Gerson"-h
was speaking soberly now-"I be
lieve you and Captain Woodhous
have met before"
(To be continued.)