Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-30
THE NAN WITH THE CLUB FOOT
By VALENTINE WILLIAMS

act, it would take him certainly an hour and
half, reckoned, from the discovery of my
tight from Haase's to warn the police at the
railway stations to detain me. III | could fav
n false trail ! might at the worst proong
this period of grace at the best might mis-
lead him altogether as to my ultimate desti-
nation, which was, of course, Dusseldorf Il
The unknown quantity in my reckonngs
the time 1t would take Clubfoot to send out
a warning all over Germany TO detain Julius
zimmerman, waiter and deserter, wherever
and whenever apDrehe nded
At the first turning came to after leaving
Haases ram-lines ran across the street
tram was waiting. bound in a southerly di-
rection, where the center of the city lay j
Jumped on to the front platform beside the
woman driver. 1t is fairly dark in front.
ana the conductor cannot your face as
you pay your fare through trap in the door
reading to the interior Of the tram. I left
the tram at Inter den Linden and walked
down some side streets until ] came across
quiCt-looking cafe There got railway
guide and set about reviewing my plans. :.
lt was ten minutes to 12 A man in my I
| position would in all probability make for the
| frontier. So ! Judged, CIubfoot must call
| Culate. though 7 fancied he must have won
| dered why had not long since attempted
| TO escape back to England. Dusseldorf was
| on the main road to Holland, and it would
| certainly be the more prudent course, say,
| 10 make for the Rhine and trave, on to my
| destination by a Rhine steamer But time
| was the paramount factor in my case BY
Dusseldorf might possibly reach there be-
| fore the local authorities had had time TO
| received the warning to be on the lookout
| for man answering to my description IfI
| could leave behind in Berlin a really good
| false clue it was just possible that Clubfoot
| might follow It up before taking general dis
! positions to secure my arrest If that clue
| failed. ! decided must gamble on this
| hypothesis.
The railway guide showed that train
| left for Dusseldorf from the Potsdamer
| Bahnhof-the great railway terminus in the
| very center Of Berlin-at 1915 a. m. That
| left me roughly three quarters of an hour
| to lay my false trail and catch my train.
| My false trail should lead Cubfoot in a
totally unexpected direction, I determined.
for it is the unexpected that first engages
| the notice Of the alert, detective type Of
mind would also have to select another
| terminus.
why not Munich? 4 large city on the
high road TO a foreign frontier--Switzerland
| win authorities whose easy-going ways
| are proverbial in Germany. You leave Ber-
| lin for Munich from the Anhater Bahnhof, a
terminus which was well suited for my pur~
pose as it is only a few minutes drive from
| the P"tsdamer station.
The railway guide showed there was
train leaving for Munich at 1890 a. M
an express That would do admirably.
Munich it should be then
Fortunately had plenty of money. had
taken the precaution of getting kore to
change my money into German notes before
we left In den Zelten at Il preposterous
rate of exchange, be it said How lost I
should have been without semlin's wad Of
notes.
paid for my coffee and set forth again.
1t was 12:15 as | walked into the hall of
ihc Anhalt station.
Remembering the ruse which the friendly
! guide at Rotterdam had taught me- be-
gan by purchasing a platform ticket. Then
locked about for an Official upon whom
could suitably impress my identity. Presents
ly I espied pompous-locking fellow in =
bright blue uniform and scarlet cap some
kind of Junior stationmaster. ! thought
approached him and raising my hat
politely asked HIM If he could tell me when
there was "A train leaving for Munich.
THE express goes at $780," he said,
but only first and sec,nd-class, and you II
have to pay the supplementary charge. The
slow train is not till $40"
/ assumed an expression of vexation En-
Il suppose | must go by the express"
said. Can you tell me where the booking
Office s?"
The official pointed to pigeon-hole and r
took care to speak loud enough for him to
! hear me ask for second-class ticket, single.
70 Munich
! walked upstairs and presented my Munich
ticket TO the collector at the barrier. Then
/ hurried past the mainline platforms over
the Suburban side where ! gave up my
platform ticket and descended again to the
street
In was just the half-hour as / came out
OF the station. Not cab 10 be seen! I
FASTENED fast my legs would carry me
until. breathlcss and painting. l reached the
Potsdam terminus. The clock over the sta
ton pointed to l. 80
A long queue, composed mostly of soldiers
returning to Belgium and the front. stood In
front of the booking office The military
getting their warrants changed for
tickets. | chafcd at the delay, but it was
actually this circumstance which afforded me
the chance of getting my ticket for Dussel-
dorf without leaving any clue behind.
A big, bearded Landsturm man with kind
! face was at the pigeon-hole.
Il am very late for my train. my friend .
| | said. would YOU get me third class single
for DUSSELDORF" handed him twenty-marlS
note.
Right YOU are. he answered readily.
There" he said, handing me my ticket and
a handful of change and lucky you are to
be going to the. Rhine. I'm from the Rhine
myself and now I'm going back to guarding
the bridges in Belgium"
thanked him and wished him luck Here
at least was witness who was not likely
to trouble me. And with thankful heart /
bolted ON TO the platform and caught the
| train.
Thrd-class travel in Germany is not
hobby 10 be cultivated if your means allow
the luxury of better accommodation. The
travelling German has habit of taking on
his boots when he journeys in the train by
highland n carrageful CT lower middle
class Huns. thus unshod. in the temperature
at which railway compartments are habltua
lE kept in Germany, Is an environment which
makes neither for comfort nor for sleep.
The atmosphere indeed was unbearabl,
that ! spent most of the night in the corridor
Here ] was able to destroy the papers o.
Julius Zimmerman waiter .. felt
was in greater danger whilst | had them OF
me and to assure myself that IN,
precious document in its usual place-h
my portfolio 1t was then ] made the dis
cOvery, annihlating at the first shock. tina
my silver badge had disappeared. could no
remember what I had done with il in tn
excitement of my escape from Haase's.
remember having it in my hand and show
ing it to the police at the top of the stairs
but after that my mind was a blank. I cou,
only imagine | must have carried it uncon
scously in my hand and then dropped 1t.