Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-02-16

remove It, substituting well, WRIT
could he substitute9 There were
cigarette papers ia his pocket Trust
Milky for that. But how to make the
exchange?
The engine was boiling hard. q dull
roaring under the hood that threat
ened trouble. He drew up beside the
road ind took OF the water cap. Then
he whistled. Why, Of counsel Had !.
not been done from time immenorsal,
this steaming of letterss He examined
I It. 1t bore no discriminating seal.
/: He held the envelope over the water
cap, and was boyishly pleased TO feel
the flap loosen. After all, things We're
easy enough if one used ones brains,
he rather regretted using almost all
/ Of his cigarette papers, Of course. Hc
had, perhaps, never heard Of the drop
OF nicotine on the tongue of dog.
1 AS for the letter itself, he put it,
without even glancing at it, into his
cap, under the lining. Then he sealed
the envelope again and dried it against
one OF the lamps. 1t looked, he re-
hected as good as new.
He was extremely pleased with him
self.
| Before he returned to the machine
he consulted his watch. 1t was three
o'clock. True, the long early spring
night gave him four more hours of
darkness. But the messenger was due
at three, at the hunting lodge In the
m tas,,e xcy,fct .voo l,fc ,dacfsnoffftrft
He would be, at the best, late by an
hour
On what the messenger had told him
Milky hung his hope of success. This
was, briefly. that he should 60 to the
royal shooting box at Wedeling, and
should go, not to the house itself, but
to the gate keepers lodge. Here he
was to leave his machine, and tap at
the door. On its being opened, he was
TO say nothing, but to give the letter
| to him who opened the door,. After
| that he was to take the machine away
to the capital. some sixty miles farther
on.
The message, then, was to the king
himself. For Milky, as all the world,
knew that Karl, with some kindred
spirits, was at Wedding, shooting.
That is, If the messenger told the
truth. Milky intended to find out. He
| was nothing If not thorough.
When at last the lights Of the lodge
at the gate of Wedding cleaned out
through the trees, 1t was half-past
three, and wet spring snow was fall
| ing softly. In an open place Milky
looked up The stars were gone.
The lodge now, and the gate keep
er's house. Nikky's heart hammered
as he left the car-hammered With
nervousness, not terror. But he wens
boldly to the door, aud Knocked.
So far an was well. There were
footsteps within, and man stepped
out into the darkness, closing the door
behind him.
''You have the letter?' he asked.
at is here"
II will take it, ~
Milky held 1t out. The man fun
bled for it, took 1t.
Orders have come" said the voice,
that you remain here for the night.
In the morning you are to carry dis
patches to the city,"
Poor Nikkyt With his car facing
toward the lodge, and under necessity.
in order to escape, to back it out into
the highway He thought quickly.
There was no chance Of overpowering
his man quickly and silently. And the
house was not empty. From beyond
the door came the sounds Of mems
voices, and the thud Of drinking mugs
on bare table. s.s
"You will take me up to the house,
and then put the car away until morn.
| ing" s
Milky breathed again. It was GO
| ing to be easy, after all. If only the
road went straight to the shooting box
itself, the rest was simple. But he
prayed that he make no false turning,
to betray his ignorance.
every WELL" he said.
| His companion opened the door be-
hind him. Ready, now" he called.
"The cur is here.
| Two men rose from table where
they had been sitting, and put on great
coats of fur. The lamp light within
quivered in the wind from the open
door. Milky was quite calm now.
His heart beat its regular seventy-tw0.
and he even reflected, with a sort Of
grim humor, that the chancellor would
find the recital of this escapada
much to his taste. In modest way
Milky felt that he was making history
The man who had received the lett
ter got into the machine beside htm1
The other two climbed into the tom
neau. And, as If to make the denoues
| ment doubly ridiculous. the road led
straight. Milky. growing extremely
- IT,