The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-04-26
My Companion
For a Day
BY ETHEL HOLMES


Switzerland, and when ! emerged from
there it was over the heights lying on
the west. Standing on an eminence
was looking down upon France spread
out before me when, glancing aside,
saw a young woman sitting before an
easel sketching. She turned her race
and. seeing woman standing near
her, she smiled. l went to her ana
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.
attempted to interest her in the United
States, but she did not appear to adj
mire our institutions.
You are nation Of individuals
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
tional traditions. If war should
break out between any too nations
here the people of each in America
would come back to fight for the IA
therland. even those who had been
born on American soil"
You are mistaken" | replied. Our
foreigners are glad to escape the dis
advantages of mOnarchical form of
government They become naturaliZed,
and that makes them American citi-
zens.'
Let war come iii Europe contin-
ued the artist, and you will see"
You prefer an emperor"
Yes, we Germans are one people I'M
der one head We have the most eff
Client form of government"
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, and since | was wander
ing at will | concluded to go part Of
the way with her. She received the an
nouncement coldly, but when added
that would take the first good road
came to down into France she seemed
better pleased.
So we proceeded northward together.
she stopping now and again to sketch.
Her pictures were very singular. In
deed, they were rather, it seemed to
me, the groundwork for pictures. and
when | told her that l did not under
stand them she told me that they were
memoranda from which pictures would
be painted on her return to 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 so.
My companion expressed herself as
agreeable to the plan. and | also con-
sented
II must look out for my passport"
said to her when we were going to bed.
"A stranger in Europe without n pass
port is like fish without gills.' And |
put my passport under my pillow.
When l awoke the next morning and
looked toward the other bed it was va
cant Nor were my companions clothes
in sight Her sketching materials. too
were gone. | got out of bed and went
to the door. 1t was locked from the In.
side. Turning to window, l noticed
that few feet beneath it was shed
1t occurred TO me that my artist friend
had gone out by the window and de.
scended from the roof Of the shed.
Was she thief? | opened my bag
where | kept my money. The funds
were there. l counted them, and none
were missing. Relieved, l dressed my
self and put my hand under my pillow
for my passport. 1t was gone.
was glad that my cash had beer
spared instead of my passport. l could
get on without the one, though might
need it sorely, but not without the
other. But what did the girl want will
1t? For my life l could divine no rea
son for her stealing 1t. She was goine
back to Berlin to work up her sketches
and surely in her own country sh,
needed no passport. especially one be
longing to another.
Going to a mirror to do a bit o.
prinking before descending to break
fast, my image reminded me slightly o.
the thief. Then l remembered that W,
were both about the same height ant
build, both blends and both blue eyed
though she was Of lighter hair and eye.
than 1. Nevertheless. could not di
vine why she should want my passport
The first gun fired by the Germans
few weeks later forced the reason int
my stupid brain. The border between
/ France and Germany was q hotbed 70
spies on both sides. This girl wa
doubtless a spy for the German govern
ment. She was laying down memoranda
In the shape Of basis for pictures O
the topography Of the ground on tn
French border.
But before the war opened I saw he
again. 1 had put up at hotel near tn
German border and took a seat in th
dining room for supper. At tabl
near by sat the girl who had stolen m
passport. If she saw and recognize
me. which she probably did, she mali
tanned her equanimity perfectly.
1t was within my power to send be
IN A fortress prohahly fo daath A