Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-09
Copyright, 1918, bv the Public Ledger Co.
Copyright by Robc-t n. Mcbride G Co.
CHAPTER XIX-(Continued

come The two addresses :"
would keep faith 20 the last.
Herr Doktor!" fatered
He dashed the pencil down on the table
and sprang to his feet. He caught me by
the lapels of my coat and sock me in an
iron grip.
THE addresses, you dog" he said.
The clock whrred family There was a
knock at the door
Come I'M" roared Clubfoot and resumed
his seat.
The clock was Ginning twelve.
An officer stepped in brislkly and saluted.
1t was Francis! Francis, freshly
shaved. his mustache neatly trimmed, a
monocle in his eye, in a beautifully wasted
gray military overcoat one white-gloved
hand raised in salute to his helmet
"Hauptmann Won Salzmann!" he In
troduced himself clicking his heels and
Do"ing TO Clubfoot, who glared at him,
frowning at the Interruption He spoke
with the clipped, mincng utterance CT the
typical Prussian officer II am looking for
Herr Lieutenant Schmalz" he said.
He is not in," answered Clubfoot In a
surlE voice. He is out and I am busy
] do not wish to be disturbed"
AS SchmalZ is out" the officer returned
suavely. advancing to the desk. II must
trouble you for an instant, I fear. I have
been sent over from Goch to inspect the
hudlu mere ouL l ma no ROard
there 10 not a man in the place"
Clubfoot angrily heaved his unwieldy bulk
from his chair.
"Gott i'm Himmel.' he cried savagely.
1T is incredible that I can never be left in
peace. What the devil has the guard got to
do with me? Will you understand that I
have nothing to do with the guard! There
is a sergeant somewhere = curse him for
lazy scoundrel - I'll ring = ."
He never finished the sentence As he
nod hnn1
the bell in the wall, Francis sprang on him
from behind selling his bull neck in an
| iron grip and driving his knee at the same
moment into that vast expanse of back.
The huge German. taken by surprise,
crashed over backward, my brother on top
| of him.
1t was so quickly done that for the instant,
| was dumbfoundcd
Quick, Des, the door" my brother gasped.
| Lock the door"
The big German roaring like a bull
and plunging wildly under my brothers
| fingers. his clubfoot beating a thunderous
| tattoo on the parquet floor. In his fall Club
| foot's left arm had been bent under him and
was now pinoned to the ground by his
great weight. With his free right arm he
| strove flercely to force off my brothers fin
gers as Francis fought to get grip on the
| mans throat and choke him to silence
I darted to the door The key was on the
| inside and | turned it in a trce As |
| turned to go to my brothers help my eye
caught sight of the butt of my pistol lying
| where Schnralz had thrown it the evening
| before under my overcoat on the leather
| lounge.
snatched up the weapon and dropped by
| my brothers side, crushing Clubfoot's right
arm to the ground. l thrust the pistol in
| his face.
stop that noise" I commanded.
The German obeyed
Better search him, Francis" I said to
my brother. He probably has Browning
on him somewhere"
| Francis went through the mans pockets,
| reaching up and putting each article as it
| came to light on the desk above him. From
an inner breast pocket he extracted the
| Browning. He glanced at it: the magazine
was full with cartridge in the breech.
Hadn't better truss him up?" Francis
| sald to me.
NO." I said. was still kneeling on the
| Germans arm. He seemed exhausted. His
| head had fallen back upon the ground.
Let me up. curse you" he choiled.
MOI" 1 said again and Francis turned
| ard looked at me-
| Each of us knew what was in the others
| mind, my brother and 1. We were think
| ing of a handclasp had c. hanged on
| the banks of the Rhine.
| | was about to speak. but Francis checked
me. lie was trembling all over. could
feel his elbow CULVER where it touched mine.
mo Des, please " he pleaded, ''let
| me ." this is my show
Then in voice that vbrated with sup
pressed passion, he spoke swiftly to Club
foot.
"Take a good look at me- Grundt" he said
sernly you don't know me, do you? |
anr Francis Oiewood, brother of the man who
has brought you to your fall.
you don't know me, but you knew some of
my friends, think. Jack Tracy? Do you
remember him? And Herbert Arbuthnot?
All, YOU knew him, too. And Philip Brewster?
You remember him well, do you? No need
to ask you what happened to poor Philip
The man on the floor answered nothing, but
saw the color very slowly fade from his
cheeks.
My brother spoke again.
"There were four of us after that letter,
as YOU knew. Grundt, and three of us are
dead But you never got me. I was the
fourth man, the unknown quantity in all your
elaborate calculations and 1t seems to
me I spoiled your reckoning and this
brother of mine an amateur at tina
game, Grundt!
Still Clubfoot was silent but l noticed a
head of perspiration tremble on his forehead,
then trickle down his ashen cheeks and drop
splashng to the floor.
Francis continued in the same deep, relent-
less voice.
az never thought should have to soil my
hands by riddng the world of man like
vou Grundt, but It has come TO it and you
have to die. I'd have killed you in hot blood
when l first came in but for Jack and Her
bert and the others for their sake
vou had to know who is your executioner."
NV brother raised the pistol. AS he did
go the man on the floor by tremendous
effort of strength, rose erect to his knees
Ainging me headong. Then there was hot
burst of flame close to my cheek as lay on
the floor a deafenng report, thud and
slckening gurgle.
Something twitchcd little on the ground
and then lay still.