Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-06-01

"What the devil do you mean? What
are you driving at, man?"
"What do l mean? l mean this chap
who calls himself Woodhouse isn't
Woodhouse at all. He's a German spy
from the Wilhelmstrasse-with a
number from the Wilhelmstrasse. He's
on the Rock to do a spy's work"
"Pshaw. Why did Brussels let you
go?" General Crandall tipped back in
his seat and cast al amused glance at
the flushed face before him.
Capper shook his head doggedly.
I'm not drunk, General Crandall. I'm
so broke l couldn't get drunk If I
would. So help me, I'm telling Gods
truth. | got it straight Capper
checked his tumult of words and did
some rapid thinking. How much did
he dare reveal! I'm Alexandria, gen
eral-got it there-from the inside, sir.
Koch is the head of the Wilhelmstrasse
crowd there-the same Cook you knew
in Rangoon. He engineered the trick.
The widest dreams of the Wilhelm
strasse have come true. They've got a
man in your signal tower, general-in
your signal toweri"
Suppose the Germans have q spy In
my signal tower or anywhere here"
he began argumentatively. Suppose
they learn every nook and corner of
the Rock-have the caliber and range
of every guns in our defense. They
couldn't naptura- G~ibraltap-ia-a thou
sand years"
II don't know what they want" Cap
per returned, with the injured air of
a man whose worth fails of recognition.
81 only came here to warn you that
your Captain Woodhouse is taking or
ders from Berlin
"Come-come, man! Give me some
proof to back up this cock and bull
story" General Crandall snapped.
"Here it is, general-all I've got of
the story. The real Woodhouse comes
down from somewhere up in the Nile
I don't know ~where-and puts up for
the night in Alexandria to wait for the
Princess Mary. No friends in the town,
you know; nowhere to visit. Three
Wilhelmstrasse men in Alexandria,
headed by that clever devil Cook or
Koch, who calls himself a doctor now.
Somehow they get hold of the real
Woodhouse and do for him-what l
don't know-probably kill the poor
devil.
General, / say with my own eyes
an unconscious British officer being
carried away from Koch's house in
Ramleh in an automobile-two men
with him." Capper fixed the governor
with a lean index finger dramatically.
"And l saw the man you just this
morning received as Captain Wood
house leave DR.. Koch's house five min
utes after that poor devil-the real
Woodhouse-had been carried off.
That's the reason 1 took the same boat
with him to Gibraltar, General Gran
dall-because I'm loyal and it was my
duty to warn you"
"I%ncredible!"
Zone thing more, general" Capper
was sorely tempted, but for the minute
his wholesome fear of consequences
culrbed his tongue. 'Woodho1se isn't
working alone on the Rock; you can be
sure of that. He's got friends to help
him turn whatever trick he's after
maybe in this very house. They're
clever people, you car mark that down
on your slated"
"Ridiculous!' The keeper of the
Rock was fighting not to believe now
"Why, l tell you if they had a hun
bred Of their spies inside the lines
If they knew the Rock as well as l do
they could never take it."
Capper rose YEARLY, the air of a mis-
understood man on him.
Perhaps they aren't trying to cap
ture it. l know nothing about that.
Well, I've done my duty as n Eng
lishman to another. l hope I've told
you in time. I'll be going now"
General Crandan swung on him
sharply. ''Where are you going?" he
demanded.
Capper shrugged his shoulders hope
lessly. Now was the minute he'd
been counting on-the peenng OF
cracking notes from a fat bundle,
the handsome words of appreciation
Surely General Crandall was ripe.
We'll, general, frankly-I'm broke,
Haven't a shilling to bless myself
with. 1 thought perhaps Capper
shot a keen glance at the older mans
fnna which was nartlv turned from