The Yale expositor., 1918-09-05
r,ght at ts.e start. but I l,r,eaed pa


replied, 'if the new passport is all you !
claim for 1t. VIII you let me see it,"
There was considerable hesitation on
the part of Huyliger's brother and the
other chap at this.
"Why, don't think that's necessary
at all, Mr.. O'Brien," said the former.
you give us the old passport aud we
will be very glad to give you the new
one for it. Isn't that fair enoughT
ut may be fair enough. my friends"
l retOrted, seeing that ii was useless to
conceal further the fact that l was
fully aware of their whole plan and
why had been brought TO this house.
at may be fair enough, my friends" I
said, "but you will get the passport
that have here" batting my side and
indicating my inside breast pocket.
"only off my dead body!"
l suppose the three Of them could
have made short work of me then and
there if they had wanted to go the
limit, and no one would ever have
been the wiser, but had gone through
so much and was feeling so mean to-
wards the whole world just at that
moment that l was determined to sell
my life as dearly as possible.
II have that passport here" ] re-
piled, "and am going to keep 1t. If
you gentlemen think you can take 1t
from me you are welcome to tryP
To tell the truth, was spelling for
a fight, and / half wished they would
start something. The man who had
lived In the house had evidently been
collector of ancient pottery, for the
walls were lined with great pieces of
earthenware which had every earmark
of possessing greet value. They car.
tainly possessed great weight. I fig
ured that If the worst came 20 the
worst that pottery would come in
mighty handy. A single blow with eve
of those big vases would put o maR
out as neatly as possible and as there
was lots of pottery and oEly three men,
I believed 1 had an excellent chance n
holding my own in the combat which
had invited.
had already picked out In my mind
what was going to use, and got up,
stood with my back to the wall and
told them that If they ever fSured on
getting the passport, then @ould be
their best chance.
Apparently they realized that
meant business and they Immediately
began to expostulate at the attitude
was taking.
One of the men spoke excellent
English. In fact, he told me that he
could speak five languages, and If he
| could lie In the others as well az
knew he did In my own tongue, he was
| not only an accomplished linguist. but
a most versatile liar into the bargain
my dear fellow" said the linguist.
''it IL not that we want to deprive you Of
the passport. Good heavens! II 1t will
aid you In getting out Of the country.
/ wish you could have six just like IL.
But for our own protection. you owe
1t to US to proceed on your journey
as best you can without 1t because a.
long as you have IL In yOar possession
you jeopardize our lives, too. Don't
you think 1t is fairer that you should
risk your own safety rather than place
the lives of three innocent men IL
danger"
"That may be az II Is, my friends,
I retorted. "and am glad you realize
your danger. Keep 1t in mind, for N
case any of you should happen to feel
inclined to notify the German authori.
ties that am in this part of the coun.
try, think 1t over before you do so,
Remember always that II the Germans
get me, they get the passport, too, and
If they get the passport your lives
won't be worth a damnl When tell
the history of that clever little piece
of pasteboard, will tmplicate all three
of you, and whoever is working with
you, and az / am an officer I rathef
think my word will be taken before
yours. Good nightw
The bluff evidently worked, because
1 was able to get out of the city with
out molestation from the Germans.
have never seen these men since
I hope 1 never shall, because / an
afraid might be tempted to do some
thing for which / might otherwise b.
sorry.
do not mean to imply that all Bel
gians are like this. 1 had evidently
fallen into the hands Of a gang who
were endeavoring to make capital OUT
of the misfortunes OF those who were
referred to them for help. In all cOun-
tries there are bad as well as good,
and In a country which has suffered SO
much as poor Belgium 1t is no wonder
IL some of the survivors have lost their
sense of moral perspective.
/ know that the average poor peas
ant in Belgium would divide his scanty
rations with a needy fugitive sooner
than a wealthy Belgian would dole
out a morsel from his comparatively
well-stocked larder. Perhaps the poos
have less to lose than the rich If thei,
generosity or charity is discovered By
the Huns.
There have been many Belgians SHE'D
for helping escaped prisoners and other
| a. L.. -, n