Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-11-08

N1NS - SEEcoA LIN IN
leadership of this great world
movement, in all good faith. Sure
ly that would be glory enough!
Better, as Ward had said, to lead
than to follow; better to stand
proudly forth at the head of the
movement than to be whipped in
to place in the rear. What humilia-
ton!
And suppose Ward should man
age to escape, suppose he should
really get into touch with France!
Pachmann, closing his eyes, could
see a great fortress leaping into
the air; could hear the thunder of
the explosion which destroyed
a dreadnaught! 1t was a danger
GUS game he was playing, and yet,
to accede to Yards proposal
meant the loss Of Alsace-Lorraine,
meant the eventual abasement of
the Hohenzollerns, the rise of So
cialism. No, he could not consent;
he had not the power to consent;
he had his instructions, precise
and clear, from the emperor him
self. At any cost, that power must
be his, and his alone!
At any cost! Pachman drew a
deep breath. He knew now what
the cost must be. Well, when the
moment came, he should not hest
tate.
Sunday morning found Pach-
mann beside the assistant purser
in the library of the second cabin,
beginning the inquiry there. It
was even more drastic than it had
been in the first, and the victims
emerged from it heated, angry,
and with the fixed determination
never again to travel by a German
boat. Neither the captain nor the
purser could vouch for any of the
undistinguished people here, and
SO each one of them was most thor
oughly examined. Even those with
passports did not escape. Pachman
examined all such documents mi
nutely, compared the written de-
scription point by point with the
appearance of the passenger, and
asked many questions to satisfy
himself that the person present
ing it was really the one to whom
it belonged. Yet, in spite Of all
this, passenger after passenger
came through the ordeal success
fully.
As the list was called alphabetic-
ally, it was soon the turn of M.
Chevrial. He approached the table
with confidence, produced his
passport, and sat down to await
such questions as might be asked
him. Pachmann glanced at the
Frenchman and his eyes narrowed
with anger, for this impudent per-
son appeared to be amused at the
proceedings! Then he picked up
the passport and studied it care
fully. 1t had been issued by the
French government two months
previously, as a renewal of a for
mer passport, to Andre Chevrial,
wine merchant, of 18 Rue des
Chantiers, Paris; whose appear
ance and physical characteristics
were described in detail. Pach.
mann compared the items of the
description point by point with
the man who sat smiling SO shame
lessly before him, answering the
purser' questions in an ironical
voice. The very fact that the man
was so typically French and SO
plainly amused created in Pach-
mann's mind a flair Of suspicion
which dilated his nostrils and mar.
rowed his eyes. But the passport
was in perfect order, and Chev-
rails answers came without hest
tation.
"You are a wine merchant"
yes
"How long have you been in
that businessf"
More years than I care to re.
member"
That is not an answer"
4Let us say 20 years, then"
Always at Parisi"
THE time before that did moi
count.
Then you have not been al.
ways at Parisi'
Heavens, mol First at Dor.
|deanx; but for 10 years at Paris
"You are we'll known*theref''
Ask my neighbors ii the Rue
Ides Chantiers Or crvss the street
Ito the wine market and ask any
one there il. he knows Andre Chev.
lriall Well knowni But yesl,
Il this your first visit toAmer'
licai
Oh, nd; nor my second. But i
is my first trip on ! boat~of Ger