The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1918-09-06
"OutWiittttiing the Hum
u.>s. .ae
BY LIEUTENANT PAT OBRIEN
ht1ns.b byPr Aao oren


with thick hair mattress, dOwny
| quilts and big soft pillows. Indeed,
| debated for q while which particular
| bedroom 1 should honor with my pres
ence that night. Judge of my disap-
| pontment, therefore, when after Wis
iting bedroom after bedroom, l discOV-
cred that there wasn't a bed in any
one of them that was in a condition to
| sleep in. All the mattresses had been
removed and the rooms were abso-
| lutely bare of everything in the way
of wool, silk or cotton fabrics. The
Germans had apparently swept the
! house clean.
There was nothing to do, therefore,
but to make myself as comfortable as
I could on the floor, but as 1 had grown
accustomed by this time to sleeping
under far less comfortable conditions,
1 swallowed my disappointment as
| cheerfully as l could and lay down
for the night.
In the morning Huyliger appeared
and brought me some breakfast, and
after l had eaten it he asked me what
connections l had in France or Eng
land from whom 1 could obtain
money.
1 told him that 1 banked at Cox &
Co., London, and that if he needed
any money I would do anything 1 could
to get it for him, although l did not
know just how such things could be ar
ranged.
Don't worry about that, O'Brien,"
he replied "We1l find q way of get
ting it all right. What I want to know
is how far you are prepared to go to
compensate me for the risks l am
rendering your
The change in the mans attitude
stunned me. 1 could hardly believe my
ears.
'Of course I shall pay you as we'll as
can for what you have done, Huyli-
GER / replied, trying to conceal as far
as possible the disappointment his de-
mand had occasioned me, "but don't
| you think that this is hardly the proper
| time or occasion to talk of compensa-
| ton? All l have on me, as you know,
is few hundred francs, and that, of
! course, you are welcome to, and when
1 get back, If I ever do, I shall not
easily forget that kindness you have
no concern about my showing my
| gratitude in q substantial way"
That's all right, O'Brien," he in
sisted, looking at me in a knowing sort
of way; you may take care of me
afterwards, and then again you may
not. I'm not satisfied to wait. 1 want
| to be taken care of now"
"Well, what do you want me to do?
How much do you expect in the way
of compensation? How can arrange
to get it to you? 1 am willing to do
anything that is reasonable"
81 want - pounds he replied,
and he named a figure that staggered
me. If l had been Lord Kitchener in
stead of just an ordinary lieutenant
in the r. F. c., he would hardly have
asked a larger sum. Perhaps he
thought l was.
"Wel1, my dear man." 1 said smiling
ly, thinking that perhaps he was jok-
ing, you don't really mean that, do
| you?"
Il certainly do, O'Brien, and what is
more" he threatened, Il intend to get
every cent l have asked, and you are
going to help me get it,
| He pulled out an order calling for
the payment to him of the amount he
had mentioned and demanded that /
sign it.
l waved it aside.
"Huyliger," 1 said, you have helped
me out SO far and perhaps you have
the power to help me further. l appre-
ciate what you have done for me, al
| though now, l think see what your
motive was, but l certainly don't in
! tend 70 be blackmailed and l tell you
right now that l won't stand for it."
VERY WELL" he said, sit is just as
you say, but before you make up your
mind so obstinately l would advise
| you to think it over. I'll be back this
evening"
My first impulse, after the man had
| left, was to get out of that house just
rs soon as | could. l had the passport
he had prepared for me, and l figured
that even without further help | could
now get to the border without very
much difficulty, and when got there
l would have to use my own ingenuity
to get through.
1t was evident, however, that Huy-
Tiger still had an idea that l might
change my mind with regard to the
payment he had demanded, and | de-
cided that it would be foolish to do
anything until he paid me a second
visit.
At the beginning of my dealings with
HuyliNr | had turned over to him
some pictures, papers, and other things
that l had on me when l entered his
house, including my identification disk,
and l was rather afraid that he might
refuse to return them to me.
All day long l remained in the house
without a particle Of food other than
the breakfast Huyliger had brought to
me. From the windows l could see
plenty to interest me and help pass the
time away, but of my experiences
| while in that house l shall tell in de-
tail later on, contining my attention
now TO narrative OF my dealing with
HuyIiger.
That night he appeared as he had
promised.
'Wen, O'Brien," he asked, as he en-
tered the room where | was awaiting
him, 'What do you say? Will you sign
the order or not?"
+ 1t had occurred to me during the
fabulous that l might have signed the
order without any danger of its ever
being paid, but the idea of this man,
who had claimed to be befrieuding me,
cndeayoriug To make capital out of my
plight CALLED me 50 that l was deter
mined not to give 1t to him whether
could do SO in safety or not.
NO, Huylig"r," l replied, Il have
decided to get along as best l can with
out any further assistance from you.