The Washington times., 1918-12-13
The Club-FOOted Man
A NEW SPY SERIAL BY VALENTINE WILLIAMS
Desmond's Second Search of Semlen's
Pocket Brings to Light Badge of
German Secret Service.

the patehouIi with which her fads1
body was drenehed.
Then. making q sheaf Of passport
and permit, 1 held them in the flame
Of the candle.
But we always keep them!- az
DostulAted the hoteIkeeper.
This passport must die with the
man." I replied firmly. He muss
not be traced i want no awkward
Inquiries made. you understand
Therefore -" ." and 1 flung tbs
burning mass Of papers into the
crate.
Good. good.- said the German
and put her lamp down on the
table. ~There was a teIephons
message for YOU" she added. 10
say that Der Stelze will come at
8 in the morning to receive what
you have Brought
The deuce. This was getting
awkward. Who the devil was
SteIze?
Coming at s. Is hep I said.
simply for the sake OF saying some-
thing.
-JawohI,- replied Frau schratL
He was here already this morning.
He was nervous, OIL very. and ex-
pected you to be here. Already tive
days he is waiting here to 50 on"
So" said, '.he IL going to take
IL on with him. Is heT" n
knew where he was going on to,
well enough: he was going to see
that document safe into Germany
There was a malicious ring IN
the woman's voice when she spoke
=
by this So drew her out.
$50 SteIze called today and gave
you his orders, did her said.
and and took charge Of
things generally chr"
Her little eyes snapped vieiously.
"AchT" she said. ''der Stelze Is der
thority: he can make and unmake
men. But L in my time
have broken . dozen better men
than he and yet he dares to tell
Anna Schratt that that e.
She raised her voice hysterically.
but broke off before she could
finish the sentence saw she
thought she had said too much
He won't. play that game with
me-" said Strength IL the quail
ity that every German, man, wom-
IN, and child. respects, and strength
alone Ny safety depended on my
showing this ignoble creature that
received orders from no one You
know what he is One runs the
risk, one takes trouble, one - sue
cessfuL Then he steps In and
going Is Nsat for him. p
The hotel-keeper sprang to her
feet. -her-faded face all rEvaged hy
the shadow Of q great fear.
'sYoa wouldn't darei" she said.
ct would retorted- Eve done
nay work and III report 70 head
quarters and to no one elseP
Ny eyes fell upon the body.
Nov, what are we going to dc
with this" i said. SYou must help
me, Frau Sehratt. This Is serious
This must not be found here"
She looked At me In surprise.
Thar" she said, and she kicked
the body with her foot ~Oh, that
will be an right with die Schratti
Tt must not be found here (shs
mimicked my grave tone). 1T VIII
NOT be found here. young mani
And she ehuckied with all the
fulI-bodied good humor Of q fat
person.
You meang"
aT mean what I mean, young man,
and what you mean" she replica
when they are in difficulty,
when they are in complications,
like this they
remember die Schratt. die fesehs
Anna as they called me once. and
II is 'gnadige Frau here and 'gna-
dige Frau there, and q diamond
bracelet or q pearl ring, II only
will do the little conjuring trick
that will sooth everything over.
But when all goes well. then ara
old Schratt.' old bag old wono-
an and must take my orders anA
beg nicely and bahF
Her words ended In . gulp. whteh
In any other woman would have
been q sob.
Then she added In her hard hArl
lots voice:
you needn't worry your had
about him. therei Leave him -
me! It's my trader
At those words, which covered
God only knows what horrors %
midnight disappearances, OF ghoui-
Ish rites with packing cases ana
sack. in the dark cellars OF that
svil house. felt that. could but
draw back from the enterprise to
which / had so raShly committed
myself. would do 50 gladly. Only
then did I begin to realize some
thing OF the utter ruthlessness, the
cold. calculating ferociIy. Of the
most bitter ard most powerful
Enemy which the British empire has
sVer had
But II was too late to withdraw
now. The die Was east. Destiny,
knocking At my door. had found me
ready to follow, and was COM
nitted to whatever might befall me
n my new personality.
The German woman turned to 20.
der Stelze win be here at 8,
hen" she said. 81 suppose the gen
.leman will take HIS early morning
coffee before"
II shan't be here" said. Yea
AN tell your friend I've zone"
She turned on me like a fash"
She was hard as flint again
''Ncin" she cried "YoU stay
lere"
NO" answered with equal force,
lot o"
&c Orders are orders and
ou and I must obeyID
But who Is Stelze that he should
give orders to me?- cried
"Who 10 80" She spoke
lghAst.
And you yourself
"were saying ."
when an order has been given.