Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-30
CHAPTER NV Continued

TNHE woman burst into tears, while ott"
l. hnked his watcry eyes In terror. sat
and looked al my plate my heart too full
for words It was bitter to have dared so
much to get this far and then find the path
blocked, as it seemed, by an insuperaole
barrier They we're after me all right; the
mention of Clubfoots name, the swift, stern
rctrbution that had befallcn kore, made
that Ccrtain-and | could do nothing. lhat
cellar was Cul-de-SaC. a regular trap, anu
| knew that If l stirred a foot from the
house | should fail into the hands OF thVSe
men keeping their silent vigil in the street
Therefore. | must wait. as calmly as
might. and sec what the evening would
bring forth. Gradually the cellar hllcu UP
people driftcd in. but many iAihIlla'
faces, noticed, were missing. '.Nidently lhc
i'll tidings had spread. once man looked
in for u glass Of beer and driftcd out again.
leaving the door open AS ! was closing II
| heard muf'ied exclamation and the sound
of scufie at the head of the stars. IL
vas so QL 'etly done that nobody below. save
myself knew what had happened. The
incident showed me the watch was well hepl.
The evening wore on--intcrminahly. as II
seemed to me. | dartcd to and fro from 'hc
bar. laden with mugs Of beer and glasses OF
schnaps necessarily, up and down. But
never failed whenever there came n pause
in the orders. to that my journey tlniSh-
ed somewhere in the reghborhood "f the
door. faint hope was giimmcring in my
brain
Until the end of my life, that intcrmnabe
evening in the beer cellar Will remain
stamped in my menrry. | can still see the
scene in its every detail. and know ! shall
carry the picture with me to the grave; the
long. low room with its blackened ceiling
the garish yellow gasght. the smoke haze.
the crowded tables. Otto. shuftling hither and
thither with his mean and sulky air; Frau
Iledwig. preocCupcd at her desk. redoyed'
a craven image of woe, and Haasc. prcsid-
ing over the beer engine. silent, defiant, calm,
but watchful every time the door opened.
When at last the blow fen. it came sud-
denly. A trampliug Of feet on the stairs,
Il great blowing of whistles then the
door was burst open just as everybody in
the cellar sprang to their feet amid eNca-
nations and oaths from the men and shrill
screams from the women. Outlined in the
doorway stood Clubfoot. majestic. author-
tative wearing some kind of little skull cap,
such as dueling students wear. over black
silk handkerchief bound about his head.
At the sight of the man the hubbub ceased
the instant.
All were still save IIaase. whose bull
like voice roaring for silence broke on the
quiet of the room with the force Of an eX-
ploson.
was in my corner by the door. dressed
back against the coats and hats hanging on
the wall In front of me frieZe of fright
cned faces screened me from observation
Quickly. | slipped off my apron.
Clubfoot. after casting cursory glance
round the room, strode its length toward the
bar where 1iaase stood, crowd of plain
clothes men and policemen at his heels.
Then quite suddenly the light went out.
plunging the place into darkness. Instantly
the room was in confusion women scream
ed voice. which I recognized as club
foot's bawled stentorianly for lights
the moment had come to act.
grabbed a hat and coat from the hall,
got into them somehow. and darted for the
door In the dim light shining down the
stairs from street lamp outside, | saw
a man at the door. Apparently he was
guarding it.
Back" he cried as | stepped up to him.
flashed in his eyes the silver star held
in my hand.
"'rhe Chief wants lanterns I said low in
his ear.
He grabbed my hand holding the badge
| and lowered it TO the light.
''All right. comrade," he replied. 'Drechs.
| ler has a lantern. I think. You'll find him
| utside" "
| rushed up the stairs right into grouI
| of three policemen.
'rhe chief wants Drechsler at once with
| the lantern" 7 shouted. and showed my
| star, The three dispersed in different sec
lions calling for prechsler.
| | walked quickly away.