Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-10
Copyright, 1913. bp the. Public ..edoer Co,
Copyright by Robe u. Mcbride 6 Co.
CHAPTER XX-(Continued)


"E STRUCK off the track into the forest.
w There was not much underground. and
the trees were not planted very close. SO our
way@was not impeded. We logged on over a
carpet of wet leaves. stumbling over. the roots
or the trees, tearing our clothes on the
brambles. bringing down showers of rain
drops from the branches of pine or fir as we
brushed on our headlong course. Now a
squirrel bolted up tree. now a rabbit
frisked back into hole, now soft-eyed
deer crashed away into the bushes on our
approach. The place was so still that 1t
gave me confidence. There was not a trace
or man now that We were away from the
marks of his carts on the tracks. and began
to feel. In the presence of the stately, silent
trees that at last I was safe from the menace
that had hung over me for so long.
1t was heavy going. for at every step our
feet sank deep in the leaves. The forest was
unduating with deep hollows and steep
banks, which tried us a good deal. 1t soon
became evident that could not keep up
the pace Monica was tiring visibly, and
had had about enoughi Francis. too, seemed
done up. We slackened to a walk. We were
toilng painfully up one of these steep banks
when Francis. who was leading. held up his
hand.
'Charlemagnes Ride !" he whispered as we
came up We looked down from the top of
the bank and saw below a. broad forest glade,
canopied by the thick branches of the ancient
trees that met overhead and leading up
slope. narrowing as 1t went, to a path that
lOSt ltSelI among Ine SHADOWS tnat were Iall-
ing fast upon the forest.
Francis clambered down the bank and we
followed.
He led US up the slope and along the
narrow path. A path struck of 1t. and he
took 1t. 1t led us into thicker part of the
forest than we had yet struck, where there
we're great boulders protruding from. the
dripping bushes, and brambles grew so thick
that in places they obscured the track.
The forest sloped up again, and In front
of n w a staaD hank. Ito sides dotted with
great rocks and a tange of brambles and
underground Francis stopped between two
bouders at the foot Of the slope, then turn
ing and beckoning us to follow. disappeared
Monica went in after him. and came last
We were In kind Of narrow entrance
scoopeh or. Of the earth between the rocks
and 1t led down to broad chamber, which
had apparently been dug beneath some Of
the bouders. Tor, stretching out my hand, I
found the roof vas roca and damp to the
touch.
Francis and Monica were standing in this
chamber as I came down. Directly Ientered
knew why they stood so still. A glihmer
of light came from the farther end of the
cave. and a strange sound, sort of strangled
sobbing, reached our ears.
crept forward in the dark in the direction
of the light. My outstretched hands came
upon low opening. ! stopped and crawling
round rock, saw another chamber illumnat-
ed by a sputtering candle stuck by its wax to
the earthen WALL On the floor a man was
lying, sobbing though his heart would
break. He was wearing some kind of mill
tary great-coat with a yellow stripe running
down the back.
"Pst |" I called to him, drawing my pistol
from my pocket. AS I did SO. Francis be-
hind me touched my arm to let me know he
was there.
'Pst - called again louder.
The man swung round on to his knees
with a sudden, frightened spring. When he
saw my pistol, he jerked his hands above his
naIa s.,tNl -
all wet on his face. he looked a woe-begone
and tragic figure
"Kamerad! Kamerad!" he muttered
stupidity at me. "Napoo! Kaput! Eng.
lander!
/ gazed at the stranger, hardly able to
believe my ears That trench jargon In this
place!
"Are you English2" asked him.
At the sound of my voice he stared about
him wildly.
"Ay, be English, zur." he replied with a
strong West Country burr God help me I"
And needless of me and my pistol he covered
his face with his hands and burst into wild
fit of sobbing again. rocking himself to and
fro in his grief. ..'a
go back to Monica I" whispered to Fran
cis "I'll see to this fellowi" s..
managed to pacify him presently. Habit
is tenacious ruler and grotesque figures
to me brought out the officer In me- talk
ed to him l would have done to one OF
my own men, and he quieted down at last
and looked up at me. l
He was only lad-I could tell that by
the clearness of his skin and the brightness
of his eyes-but his face was wan and
wasted. and at the first glance he looked
like man of forty. Under his great-coat,
which was German. he was clad in filthy rags
which once hadlbeen khaki uniform. as the
cut--and nothing else--revealed.
He told me his simple story In his soft
somersetshire accent. just the plain tale OF
the fate shat has oyertaken shousands of our
feliow-Qounsrymen since the war began. His
name was Masgs. Sapper Ebenezer Masgs,