The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1918-03-22

lost track Of the days. He knew not
how long he had been 4 prisoner, ex-
cept. that it haG been etcrnities. Twice
n day, morning and evening, came his
jaiier and lOOscned his bonds, brought
| food. Of a sort. and allowed him. not
out OF mercy, but because 1t was the
committees pleasure that for a time
he should live, to move about the room
and bring blood again to his numbed
limbs.
The concierge united him, and stood
back. "Now," he said.
But the bOy-he was no more-lay
still. He made one effort to rise, and
fell back.
up with your said the concierge.
and jerked him to his feet. He caught
the rail Of the bed, or he would have
fallen. "Now-stand like Il man."
He stood then, facing his captOrs
without defiance. He had worn all
that out In the first days of his i'm
prlsOnment.
"Weu?" he said at last. II thought
you've been here nee tonight"
1tiSnt, lily CuCncp. Dut Sohi6"s
do you double honor"
But seeing hat Haeckel Uas way
ing, he turned to Herman Spier. "GO
down." he said, land bring up some
brandy. He can do nothing for Us In
this state"
He drank the brandy eagerly when
1t came, and the concierge poured him
a second quantity. What with weak
ness and slow starvation. 1t did what
10 threat of personal danger would
have done. 1t broke down his resist
ancs. Not Immediately. He fought
hard, when the matter was first
preached to him. But in the end he
took the letter and, holding it close to
the candle, he examined 1T closely.
His hands shook, his eyes burned.
The two terrOrists watched him.
Brandy or no brandy. however, he
had not lost his wits. He glanced up
Ruddealy. "Teli me something about
this" he said. And what WI you do
for me II / decode itT
The concierge would promise any
thing. and did. Haeckel listened, and
knew the offer of liberty was a lie.
But there was something about the
story Of the letter itself that bore the
hall marks Of truth.
"You see" finished Black Humbert
cunningiy. "she-this lady of the court
is plotting with some me-. or so We
suspect. If 1t is only a liaisOn-"
He spread his hands. "If. as Is pos
sibie, she betrays US to Karnia. that
added. 'among our plans that Karnia
should know too muc Of u.s."
The brandy was still working, but
the spy's mind was clear. He asked
for q pencil, and set to work. After
all. II there was Il spy OF KarPs In the
palace, it were well to know 1t. He
tried complicated methods first. to find
that the body of the letter. after all.
was simple enough. BY reading every
tenth word, he got a consistent mes
sage, save that certain supplies, over
which the concierge had rallied. were
special code words for certain regi-
ments. These he could not decipher.
"WhOever was to receive this" he
said at last, "wOuld have been In
possession of complete data OF the
army, equipment and all, and the lOca-
ton Of various regiments. Probably
you and your band of murderers have
that already"
The concierge nodded, no whit ruff
fed. "And for whom was it intended?'
81 cannot say. The address is fc-
titiOus, of course"
Black Humbert scOwled. $50" he
said. "You tell us only a part"
"There is nothing else to tell. Save.
as I have written here, the writer
ends: 4 must see yeu at once. Let me
know where"
( The brandy was getting In its work
well by that time. He was feeling
strong, his own man. again, and reck-
! less. But he was cunning, too. He
yawned. "And in return for all this.
what?" he demanded. 81 have done
you q service, friend cut-thrcat."
The concierge stuffed letter and
translation into his pocket. "What
would you have, short of liberty.
"Air, for one thing" He stood up
and stretched again. God, how strong
he felt! "Tf you would open that &C
cursed window for an hour-the place
reeks."
Humbert was in high good humor In
spite of his protests. In his pocket he
held the key to favor. aye, to q plan
which he meant to lay before the COM
ndttee of ten. a plan br~eath-taking In
it's audacity and yet potential OF sue
cess. He went to the window and put
his great shoulder against 1t.
i Instantly Haeckel overturned the
candle and, picking up the chair,
hurled it at Herman Spier. He heard
the clerk 60 down as he leaped for
the door. Herman had not locked II