Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-15
Copyri0ht, 1918. bV the Public Ledger COmpdnI
Copyright by Robert VI. Mcbride Co.
CHAPTER VIII (Continued)

CHAPTER VIII (COntlnued)
WE DROVE through a white gate into
w little drive which brought US up in front
of a long, low villa. Neither father nor son
had opened their lips to me during the drive
from the station, and / had not ventured
to put question to either of them; but l
knew we were in Potsdam. The little sta
ton in the woods was Wild-Park, sus-
pected the private station used by the En-
perior on his frequent journeys and situated
in the grounds of the new palace. All the
officials of the Prussian court have villas
at Potsdam, though why had been brought
there in connection with an affair that must
surely rather interest the Wihelm-Strasse or
the police presidency was more than could
fathom.
There was a frightful scene in the hall.
Without any warning, the general turned on
the orderly who had opened the door and
screamed abuse at him.
Camel OK! Sheepshead ~ he roared. his
face and shining pate deepening their YER
million hue. DO 1 give orders that they
shall be forgotten? What do you mean?
You ass 80" He put his whitegloved
hands on the mans shoulders and shook him
until the fellows teeth must have ratified in
his head The orderly, white to the lips.
hung limp in the old mans grasp, mutttT-
ing apologies: "Ach! EXcellenZ! EXCEL
LEM will excuse me. -"
1t was a revolving spectacle, but it did
not make the least impression on the son,
who putting down his zap and greatCoat
and unlocking his sword led me into kind
of study THESE orderlies are such thick
heads !" he said.
"Rudi. Rudi!" a hoars, strident voice
screamed from the hall. The lieutenant ran
out.
you've got to take the fellow to Berlin
tonight The message here all the time
that nunrskull Heinrich forgot it. And
we've got to keep the fellow here till then!
An outrage, having the house used as a bar
rack for rascally detective!" This much
I heard as the door had been left open.
Then it closed and I heard no more.
AS l had heard this much, there was
certain irony in their invitation to dinner sub
sequently conveyed to me by the young
Uhlan. There was nothing for it but to
accept. I knew l was caught deep in the
meshes of Prussian discipline, every one had
his orders and blndly carried them out,
from the garrulous major on the frontier
to this preposterouS EXcellenZ, this imperial
aide-de-camp of Potsdam. l was already
tiny cog in a great machine. should nave
to revolve or be crushed.
His Excellency left me in no doubt on this
point When l was ushered into his study
after a much-needed wash and shave, he
received me standing and said pontblank:
your orders are to stay here until 10
o'clock tonight, when you will be taken to
Berlin by Lieutenant Count Won Boden. |
don't know you; don't know your business;
but | have received certain orders concerning
you which l intend to carry out. For that
reason you will dine with us here. After
you have seen the person to whom you are
to be taken tonight, Lieutenant Count Won
Boden will accompany you to the railway
N1nY NN-hn oil In
will be in readiness in which he will con-
duct you back to the frontier. I wish you
clearly to understand that the lieutenant is
responsible for seeing these orders carried out
and will all means to that end. Have l
made myself clear?"
The old mans manner was indescribably
threatening. This is the machine we are
out to smash" I had said to myself when
I saw him savaging his servant in the hall
and I repeated the phrase to myself now
But to the General / said: Perfectly
Your Exceency
'"Then let us go to dinner" said the Cen
eral.
It was a nightmare meal faded and
shrunken female to whom 1 not intro
duced-some kind of relative who kept house
for the General, l supposed--was the only
other person present. She never opened
her lips save, with eyes glazed with terror,
to give some whispered instruction to the
orderly anent the Generals food or wine.
We dined in depressing room with dark
brown wallpaper decorated with dusty stags'
antlers, an enormous greenfield stove domi-
mating everything. The General and his son
ate stolidly through the courses while the
lady pecked furtively at her plate. AS for
myself / could not eat for sheer fright.
Every nerve in my body was vibrating at
the thought of the evening before me, If
l could not avoid the interview, was reso-
lutely determined to give Master Won Boden
the slip rather than return to the frontier
empty-handed. had not braved all these
perils to be packed off home without, at least,
making an attempt to find Francis. Besides,
/ meant, IL / could, to get the other half
Of that document.
There was some quite excellent Rhine wine.
and / drank plenty or II. So did the Gem