Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1918-02-25

bat by the coat lapels, leans as Tar
20 the center Of the table as possible
md whispers piercingly:
I'VE fellows had better Get right out
OF Paris"
There is one instantaneous thought
IN the minds OF all. and lanky Smith. at
he inner end Of the table. voices II
hoarsely:
~XNhat have YOU heard3"
~Everythings gone to the dogs"
Brown gulps, and tlghtens his
grip on the coat lspelS. "1he
French army has only one cart
ridge left! All they're waiting for
now is 10 decide who gets to shoot
H.; then they're going TO evacuate
Paris, and LET the Germans in; and
goodnight"
Brrrrri A chill like an aglle descends
on the assembage, but little Dingbat
who IS hopeful not because he Is an
optimist but because he hates TO die
moistens his lips. and asks:
How do you know
I'm not at liberty TO state" answers
Brown. looking around him furtively
and lowering his voice still more But
may tell you this much: the informs-
ton came originally from a high au-
ihority"
That settles It. Who is there to dis
pute a high authority? Something like
a groan is in the deep signs OF the
eight firm friends, and the silence Is
broken by the harsh. hosrse voice OF
Doonab, saying Lego o my coat" Fol-
Doonab. a Jolly disposed fellow, from
his round face. was full OF many a
merry Quip and Jest, IS now pasty, and
can't breathe.
ITS those Judas Russians r. comes a
hollow voice from near the end OF the
table White. with all the gold teeth
and he has lines each side OF his nose
which were not there when he dronned
on the train IN Paris, and looked
around for the war.
RUSSIA Terrible. menacing Russia
Tense faces and strained eyes turn
snxiously toward White. and Brown
releasing his hold on the wrinkled Ia
pels. pushes In on the plush bench be-
eide little Dingbat What more can
White have heard about the Bolshevikl
since noon?
IAN Russia IS unitedr explains
White They've been drilling for
months under German officers They've
asssssinated all the allied representa-
lives in Moscow and Petrognad. They
started Yesterday on a march TO Yer
dun. a million strongi They're muir
dering everyone who refuses to take w
arms and Join them. BY the time they
reach the German fronties thereu b
foul million OF them; and
The waiter brings the soup 20
table that is cold and clammy. and
tensely silent. The eight SIT like stat
ues. They do not utter a syllable In
the presence Of this little man with
down-drooping black mustaches. IL
may be a German spy and their in
formation IS secret, confidential. val
liable.
g. and goodnight finishes White
as the walter moves away.
"And you have this from a good au-
thoriiy?" pipes up little Dingbat. His
MINER lin seems to be shrinking away
from the six hairs Of his littls mustache
leaving them 10 stick straight out
alone and unsupported.
"Higk." afilrms White in awe; IA
man Nconnected with the armyr'
"Rv George rL Jones slams his fist on
fhe fable so hard MAT The soup in the
nlates Jumps into little peaks and
nlncbat spills his wine ordinary as
All turn feverishly 70 the redhead
sNo,v believe IL Boys. a man told me
something this morning. in strict con-
fidence which couldn't swallow, In
smile Of the fact that the thing came
almost directly from a high authority
INF now that l know this Russian sit
nation I see that he WAS right The
italians have secretly ceded 20 the>Sier-
mans an their territory down TO, and
Including Romel And the canal IS 70
lac completed cutting across below
Rome. which Will leave the whole
southern part Of Italy an island. under
fbe proiectorate Of the German Empire
with the capital at NaplesV
"Nfv God" voices little Dingbai
TREMENDOUSLY. 81 have my steamer tick
els for the twelfth. and hope, I only
hone. that Paris viii be safe until
then"
"Weu. I'm here and I'm going to
stick :" declares Jones, his freckles &c
coming more intense, as his good Jaw
squares.
There is a general reflection OF the
spirit on every face. except that OF III
fle Dingbat, who clings tenaoiously q
the fact that he hates 10 die.
"Naybe the British can keep then
out" suggests Brown. They did. YOU
know"
"The British?~ Gray looks around
az the boys meaningly. and they turn
plying eyes on Brown.
Haven't you heard about the Brit
ish9" inquiries Smith, shocked tina
there should be such Ignorance II
Paris. "Tell him. Grayw
"Oh nothing" says Gray. Affecting az
extreme nonchslance OF manner. Hef
a rough sort OF citizen. is Gray, thu
kind who wears a soft collar and fuzzl
hat and speaks hard and laughs loud
and conveys a general impression witt
his shoulders OF being ready TO ilgh
at any and all times. and is always
dragging sick cats home. "Scarcel,
anything, Brownl Only this: all tha
remained Of the British army was wiped
out at Cambria. There's nothing lcf
OF II but the officers you see In Lon.
don and Paris. They're going 10 form
themselves into a regiment and go NJ
there for the honor OF the British ma
tion. and all be killed or I'm one last
forlorn-hope dash. next Tuesday al
2.i5 p. m"
Brave fellows. the British" observe:
Jones. with the solemnity az church
and his sentiment is reflected on every
feet except Dingbat's. who Is too much
shocked 20 make any expression.
Its rough that we don't get the
truth az home Doo1ab pours the
wine from the fitting masnum with