The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-04-12

said. HE has lost mis- position, an
would have spent the night airing hi
grievance. But I sent him of ]"
Now, as between the two, Blacl
Humbert furnished evil and strength
but it was the pallid clerk who fur
nished the cunning. And now he mad
a suggestion.
at is possible" he said. shat he
upstairs-could help"
"Adelbert? Are you mad?"
1.-THE other. He knows codes. /
was by means of one we caught him
I have heard that all these things have
one basis, and a simple one"
The concierge considered. Then hi
rose. at is worth trying" he OBJ
served.
He thrust the letter into his pocket
and the two conspirators went out into
the gloomy hall. There, on a ledge
lay white tapers, and one he lighted
shielding it from the draft in the hol.
low of his great hand. Then he led
the way to the top of the house.
Here were three rooms. One, the
best. was Herman Spier's, poor
thing at that. Next to it was old Adel-
bert's. At the extreme end of the mar
row corridor, in a passage almost
blocked by old furniture, was another
room, sort of attic, with a slanting
roof.
Making sure that old Adelbert did
not hear them, they went back TO this
door, which the concierge unlocked.
Inside the room was dark. The taper
showed little. As their eyes became
accustomed to the darkness, the out
lines of the attic stood revealed, junk
room, piled high with old trunks, and
in one corner a bed.
Black Humbert, taper In hand, an-
preached the bed. Herman remained
near the door. Now, with the candle
near, the bed revealed a man lying
on 1t, and tied with knotted ropes;
young man, with sunken cheeks and
weary, desperate eyes. Beside him,
on chair, were the fragments of a
meal, bit of broken bread, some cold
soup, on which grease had formed a
firm coating.
Lying there, sleeping and waking
and sleeping again, young HACKER,
one time of his majesty's secret serv-
ice and student in the university, had
lost track of the days. He knew not
how long he had been prisoner, ex-
cept that 1t had been eternities. Twice
a day, morning and evening, came his
jailer and loosened his bonds, brought
food, of a sort, and allowed him, not
out of mercy, but because it was the
committees pleasure that for time
he should live, to move about the room
and bring blood again to his numbed
limbs.
The concierge united him, and stood
back. "Now," he said.
But the boy-he was no more-lay
still. He made one effort to rise, and
fell back.
up with you'll" said the concierge,
and jerked him to his feet. He caught
the rail of the bed, or he would have
fallen. "Now-stand like a man."
He stood then, facing his captors
without defiance. He had worn all
that out in the first days of his i'm
"WellT he said at last. II thought
you've been here once tonight"
Fright, my cuckoo. But tonight l
10 you double honor"
But seeing that Haeckel was sway
ng, he turned to Herman Spier. go
town." he said, land bring up some
brandy. He can do nothing for us In
his state"
He drank the brandy eagerly when |
t came, and the concierge poured him |
| second quantity. What with weak
less and slow starvation, it did what |
10 threat Of personal danger would |
lave done. It broke down his resist
lnce. Not Immediately. He fought
lard, when the matter was first
'roached to him. But in the end he
ook the letter and, holding 1t close to
he candle, he examined it closely.
lis hands shook, his eyes burned.
The two terrorists watched him
Brandy or no brandy, however, he
ad not lost his wits. He glanced up
uddenly. "Tell me something about
his" he said. "And what II you do
or me II decode itr'
The concierge would promise any
hing, and did. Haeckei listened, and
new he offer Of liberty was . Ha |