The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1917-09-29
My Companion
For a Day
b. ETHEL HOLMES


Switzerland. and when emerged from
there 1t was over the heights lying on
the west. Standing on an cminence
was looking down upon France spread
out before me when, glancing aside.
saw q young woman sitting before an
easel sketching. She turned her face.
and. seeing . woman standing near
her, she smiled. l went to hsf and
looked at her picture.
l sat down ON the ground near her.
and while she remained ON her sketch
Ing stool and worked we chatted I
attempted to interest her In the United
States. but she did not appear to ad-
nire our institutions.
"You are q nation sof Individual
she said, land there Is nothing to weld
you. Many races are represented
among you. and the people Of each race
stand together and keep up their ma
tOnal traditions. II = war should
break out between any too. nations
here the people Of each In America
would come back to fight for the IA
theriand. even those who had been
born on American SOIL"
"You are mistaken" I replied Our
foreigners are glad to escape the dis
advantages Of a monarchical form Of
government They become naturalixed.
and that makes them American citi.
zens."
LET q war come In Europe contin-
ued the artist, land you will ses."
You prefer an EMPEROR
Yes. we Germans are one people I'M
der one head. We have the most en-
cient form OF government" j.
! asked her where she was going, and
she said that she intended sketching
along the French border northward.
She described the scenery northward
as attractive. aud since was wander
ing at will concluded to go part OF
the way with her. She received the an
nouncement coIdly. but when added
that I would take the first good road
came to down into France she seemed
better pleased
SO we proceeded porthward together.
she stopping now and again to sketch.
Tier pictures we're very singular. In
deed. they were rather. 1t seemed to
me. the groundwork for pictures. and
when 1 told her that did not under
stand them she told me that they were
memoranda from which pictures would
be painted on her return t. her home In
Berlin.
We kept together till evening. when
we came tO hotel where We asked for
rooms. We were told that there was
but one room vacant. and II We cared
to accept 1t together we might do 90
Ny companion expressed herself %
agreeable to the plan. and also con-
scented.
II must look out for my passport"
said to her when we were going to bed.
"A stranger in Europe without q pass.
port is like fish without gills." AntT-
put my passport under my pillow,
When l awoke the next morning.
looked toward the other bed itltn
cant Nor were my companion
in sight Her sketching mate D.Ano
were gone. got out Of bed
to the door. 1t was locked 'front.'
side. Turning to window. notlea
that few feet beneath 1t was shed.N
1t occurred 10 me that my artist friend
had gone out BY the window and de-
scended from the roof Of the she'd
Was she theft opened my bag.
where kept my money. The funds
were there. counted them. and none
were missing. Relieved. 1 dressed my
self and put my hand under my pillow
for my passport. 1t was gone.
was glad that my cash had been
spared instead Of my passport. could
get on without the one. though might
need 1t sorely. but not without the
other. But what did the girl want with
1t? For my life could divine no rea-
son for her stealing 1t. She was going
back to Berlin to work up her sketches,
and surely in her own country she
needed no passport especially one be-
longing to another.
Going to 4 mirror to do q bit Of
Drinking before descending to break
fast, my image reminded me slightly Of
the thief. Then remembered that We
were both about the same height and
build. both blends and both blue eyed,
though she was Of lighter hair and eyes
than I. Nevertheless. could not d.
vine why she should want my passport.
The first gun fired by the Germans q
few weeks later forced the reason into
my stupid brain. The border between
France and Germany was hotbed for
spies on both sides. This girl was
doubtless spy for the German govern
ment. She was laying down memoranda
In the shape Of basis for pictures Of
the topography Of the ground on the
French border. s}f a.asA
But before the war opsnll NJ
again. had put up at 81
German border and todl
dining room for suppS
near by rat the girl p
passport. II Oh, Sf
me. which ~ p hi
tanned - r0m T,
1t was Wiehir ~So send her
to fortress, PROV, ~ q death. All