River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-04-18

WOuIQ nave spent Ln0 n1SnC airing MS
grievance. But I sent him off -
\ Now, as between the two, Black
Humbert furnished evil and strength,
but it was the pallid clerk who fur
nished the cunning. And now he made
a suggestion. v
'It is possible" he said, "that he
upstairs-could help"
"Adelbert? Are you mad?
1.-THE other. He knows codes. It
was by means of one we caught him.
I have heard that all these things have
one basis, and simple one"
The concierge considered. Then he
rose. ''It 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 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, a sort of attic, with q 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 q bed.
Black Humbert, taper in hand, ap-
preached the bed. Herman remained
near the door. Now, with the candle
near, the bed revealed a man lying
on it, and tied with knotted ropes;
young man, with sunken cheeks and
weary, desperate eyes. Beside him,
on chair, were the fragments Of
meal, bit of broken bread, some cold
soup, on which grease had formed
firm coating.
Lying there, sleeping and waking
and sleeping again, young Haeckel,
one time of his majestyS secret serv-
ice and student in the university, had
lost track of the days. He knew not
how long he had been a prisoner, ex-
cept that it had been eternities. Twice
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 a 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 boyle 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 man."
He stood then, facing his captors
without defiance He had worn all
that out in the first days of his i'm
prisonment.
you've been here once tonight"
Fright, my cuckoo. But tonight /
do you double honor"
But seeing that Haeckel was sway
ing he turned to Herman Spier. go
down." he said, "and bring up some
brandy. He can do nothing for US in
this state
He drank the brandy eagerly when
it came, and the concierge poured him
a second quantity. What with weak
ness and slow starvation, it Gid what
no threat OF personal danger would
have done. 1t broke down his resist
ance. Not Immediately. He fought
hard. when the matter was first
preached to him. But in the end he
took the letter and holding it close TO
the candle, he examined it closely.
His hands shook, his eyes burned.
The two terrorists watched him.
Brandy or no brandy, however. he
had not lost his wits. He glanced up
suddenly. "Tell me something about
this" he said. "And what y Il you do
for me if decode it?''
The concierge would promise any
thing, and did. Haeckel listened, and
knew the offer Of liberty was lie.