Smyrna times., 1918-05-29

approached the hotel where the Van
Bergens had their winter apartments.
Freda raised two TeutOnic eyes to her
mother appealingly. "But Fritz cam
not understand English" she said.
"Can you, FRITZ, dear?" At which a
very long short-legged dachshund,
whose Silly coat showed Freda's de-
voted care, wagged his tail and tapped
his ears.
well, of course you will do as you
chOose-yOu always do" said Mrs. Van
Bergen. "But l think you are taking |
risks. You are a perfect Gretchen
type"
But Van Bergen isn't German-it's
Holland Dutch" insisted Freda. "And
anyway, I'm sure 1 don't look like
spy"
You can never tell" reiterated the
mother. Sometimes Simple-lOOking
people are shrewd enough, and it
would be just like the Huns to make
an accOmplice of a simple little
Gretchen-and that's what you look
like"
The next morning, as she was TAX
ing her breakfast in the Van Bergen
apartment, with the cherished Fritz
sitting on a cushion in a chair at her
Side--fOr Freda breakfasted an hour
or so before her parents-she glanced
at the headline in newspaper, emit
ted a little Shrek of fright, and then
began to fOndle Fritz's soft long ears
because she needed some encourage
ment. The article whose headlines she
had read told of the taking of a girl as
a spy, and of the suspicion entertained
by the secret service men of three or
four women accOmpliceS. One of them,
the account said, was blonde young
German girl of the perfect Gretchen
type. Soon, however, Freda forgot her
fright and she was light-hearted and
joyous when she started forth from
the hotel with Fritz.
When Freda returned her mother
had gone out for shopping tour ana
again her only companion was Fritz.
He sat beside her as she practiced a
Beethoven sonata on the piano. The
telephone sounded and presently her
mothers maid came to her to say that
Mr.. Drew wished to speak to her.
But. az Freda had never heard of a
Mr.. Drew and did not wish to inter-
rupt her practicing she asked the maid
to take the message.
"He says he is very sorry, miss, to
| disturb you, but all he wants to know
is whether or not you're a German"
Freda thought Immediately of the
headlines she had seen in the paper.
81 cant imagine why he wants to
know" she said. "Will you please ask
him who he is and what his business
is"
The maid returned, saying that Mr.
Drew realized that he had been abrupt
but ne would call and explain himself
at the apartment.
All Freda's fears returned and, gath
ering Fritz in her arms, she hurried
to her room.
Presently the maid came to hel
room. bearing a card. Under the name
of Mr.. Drew there was the simple
words. National Detective Bureau,
and the address Of that concern.
"He says if he could please to SCI
YOU, he would explain why he was III
truding," the maid said.
Freda's round blue eyes were round
er and bluer than ever, and her hear
had never before beaten so fast. i
l had only taken mothers advice" sh
whispered to Fritz i'll German. "Ie
him Tm-Tm ill.," she said to the maiC
"And If he starts to search the apar
ment," she added with trembling Volc
"Whv. You'll know I've gone down tn
fire escape"
Mr.. Drew did not attempt to scare
, the apartment, but he told the mai
he was extremely sorry to have DOu
cred Miss Van Bergen, and that he wi
3 surprised that she was ill, since l
had seen her that morning.
Freda kept to her room the rest
the day. She did not want to go wit
ont dinner, for she was hungry. b
sides. if she said she was i'll, she wOu
he treated as an invalid, and this 81
detested. WAT she finally did was
slim away before dinner time, leaVil
Z word with her mothers maid that s.
Z bod gone to dine with a chum al
Z would be back right after dinner. i
Z chum with whom she wished to Oil
3 was not at home, and what refre'
E ments she did have that night she
e at q French pastry shop.
z When she came back, she found
mother and father, whom she had I
seen before that day, and there "
something in her mothers manner
she greeted her in the hall that .
2 her that a guest was present. ana u
z she should be on her best behavior
The guest was Henry Drew. Her
: ther had recently discovered him
Z he the son of one OF his best frien
: Everything in Freda's parents m
ner showed supreme approval Oh
- young man. -,
81 especially tried to get In to'
e with you this morning" MIR. Drew
~ Ycodo 30 SODn as they could haV'