The Washington times., 1918-12-12
The Club-F Man
A NEW SPY SERIAL BY VALENTINE W ,LLIAMs
Desmond's Silver Badge Stands Him
in Good Stead When Frau Schratt
Sees Semlin's Body.

hun6s Wouto OfaLen u out. j
would be Semlin and 80 through
with IL To the bitter end. aye. ana
II Il took me tc the very gates OF
hell.
The knocking was repeated.
May come in?" said a Woman's
voice IA German
I stepped across the corpse and
opened the door a foot or so.
There stood q woman with
lamp. She was a middle-aged WON
an with an egg-shaped face, fat
and white and PUFFY. and pale.
crafty eyes. She was in her out.
door clothes, with Al enormous.
vulgar-loolCing hat and an ola
fashioned sealskin cape with 4 hfxh
collar. The cape. which was glIs-
tening with rain. was half open,
and displayed q vast bosom tightly
compressed into a white silk blouse.
In one hand she carried an of lanp.
Frau Schrstt.- she said. BY way
Of Introduction. and raised the lamp
to look more closely At me.
Then I saw her face change. She
was looking past me into the room.
and I knew that the lamplight was
falling full upon the CHASTITY thing
that lay upon the fioor.
/ realized the woman was about
to scresm. so l seized her By the
wrist. She had disgusting hands,
lat and nOdgy and covered with
rings.
%ouietf" I whispered nereeiy in
her ear. never relaxing my grip on
her wrist you will be quiet end
come in here. do you understAndF'
She sought to shrink from me.
but I held her fast and drew her
into the room
She stood motionless with her
lamp, at the head Of the CORPSE
She seemed to have rsgained hsr
self possession. The woman was No
longer frightened felt instine-
lively that her fears had been al
for herself. not for that lfvid horror
spraWling on the floor. when she
spoke her manner was almost
almost businesslfke-
T was told nothing of this." sAs
said ''who is itf What do you
want me TO dot"
OF all the sensations Of that
night. none has left q more unpleas-
ant ordor in my memory than u
manner OF that woman IN the cham ]
Der Of death. Her voice was in
credibly hard Her dun, basflisk
eyes, seeking in mine the answers
to her questions, gave me an eerio
sensation that makes my blood run
cold whenever think OF her.
Then suddenly her manner. arro-
CANT, insolent, cruel, changed. She
became polite. She was obsequioua
OF the two, the first manner became
her vastly better. She lolxed at me
with q curious air, almost with
reverence. as II seemed to me she
said, in q purrfng voice:
SAeh. so! / did not understand
The gentleman must excuse me-
And she purred again: $50"
Il was then I noticed that her
eyes were fastened upon my chest
! followed their direction.
They rested on the silver badge1
had stuck 10 my braces.
I understood and held my peace.
Silence was my only trump until
knew how the land lay. II I left
this woman alone, she would tell
me all / wanted to know.
In fact, she began to speak again
Il expected you she said. but
not this Who is II this
time? AyFrenchman, chr
shook my head
aAn Englishman," said eurtly.
Her eyes opened in wonder.
"Ach, neinP' she cried-and you
would have said her voice vibrated
with pleasure--An EnglishuAn!
Ell. ei!''
II ever q human being licked It's
chops that woman did
she wagged her head and re-
peated to herself; ~Ei. Ell" sddinS.
As II to explain her surprise. ne
10 the nrst We have had.
You brought HIM here. eA! Bus
why up heroI Or ala Der stetSo
send hin?
she nred this string Of GueStteas
at me without pauslng for . reply.
Il was out, but Karl told Ne
There was another came. too; Fr1nS
sent him"
This is he'll said 7 caught
him prying nj my room and -
died.
-Ach- she calculated
and IN her voice was All the worh
OF admiration that Q German WON
an feels for brute man
"The Herr Englander came fntO
your room and he died SO. 50! But
one must speak to Franz. The man
drinks too much He is always
drunk. He makes mistakes II vfn
not do. ! will. ."
"I wish you to do nothing against
Frantz." said. This EnglishmaH
spoke German we'll; Karl win tell
you"
"As the gentleman wishes" vas
the voman's reply in . voice 30
silky and 50 serVile that felt my
gorge rise.
"She looks like . slug!" said
to myself. as she stood there. fat
and sleek and horrible.
Here are his passport and other
papers" said, bending down and
taking them from the dead mans
pocket. "He was an English Of
fcer, you see?- And unfolded the
little black book stamped with the
Royal Arms.
To Be Continued Tomorrow