Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1918-08-08

port 'pE Ee--d genuine One-WHlCl
would prove far more effective In help
Ing TO get me to the frontier than the
counterfeit one they had manufac
tured for me.
/ think l saw through their game
right at the start, but listened pa
tiently to what they had to say.
"Of course, you will have to return
to us the passport we gave you before
we can give you the real one" said
Huyliger's brother.
IL haven't the slightest objection"
( replied, IF the new passport is all you
claim for 1t. Will you let me see it?'
/ There was considerable hesitation on
the part Of Huyliger's brother and the
( other chap at this.
"Why, 1 don't think that's necessary
at all, Mr.. O'Brien," said the former.
"You give us the old passport and we
will be very glad to give you the new
one for 1t. Isn't that fair enoughT
1T may be fair enough, my friends"
1 retorted, seeing that it was useless to
conceal further the fact that 1 was
fully aware of their whole plan and
why l had been brought to this house.
1T may be fair enough, my friends" l
said, but you will get the passport
that l have here" patting my side and
indicating my inside breast pocket,
"only off my dead body"
l suppose the three of them could
have made short work of me then and
there if they had wanted to go the
limit, and no one would ever have
been the wiser, but had gone through
so much and was feeling so mean to-
wards the whole world just at that
moment that was determined to sell
my life as dearly as possible.
Il have that passport here" I re-
piled, ''and am going to keep it. II
you gentlemen think you can take it
from me you are welcome to try"
To tell the truth, was spelling for
a fight, and 1 half wished they would |
start something. The man who had |
lived in the house had evidently been |
a collector of ancient pottery, for the |
walls were lined with great pieces of |
earthenware which had every earmark |
Of possessing great value. They car
tainly possessed great weight. I fig |
ured that if the worst came to the
worst that pottery would come in
mighty handy A single blow with one
of those big vases would put a man
out as neatly as possible and as there
was lots of pottery and only three men.
l believed l had an excellent chance of
bnlffpcr in ha II I
had invited.
had already picked out in my mind
what 1 was going to use, and 1 got up,
stood with my back to the wall and
told them that If they ever figured on
getting the passport, then would be
their best chance.
Apparently they realized that I
meant business and they Immediately
began to expostulate at the attitude
was taking.
One of the men spoke excellent
English. In fact, he told me that he
,ould speak five languages, and if he
Gould lie in the others as well as
Knew he did in my own tongue. he was
lot only an accomplished linguist. but
| most versatile liar into the bargain.
my dear fellow" said the linguist,
it is not that we want to deprive you OF
he passport. Good heavensI If 1t will
id you in getting out Of the country,
wish you could have six just like it.
Sut for our own protection, you owe
to US to proceed on your journey
S best you can without 1t because as
ong as you have it in your possession
on jeopardize our lives, too. Don't
on think ii IS fairer that you should
isk your own safety rather than place
he lives Of three innocent men in
anger?'
THAT may be as 1t is, my friends"
retorted, "and I am glad you realize c
our danger. Keep it in mind. for In l
ase any of you should happen to feel .
lclined to notify the German authori- l
es that I am in this part of the coun-
Y, think it over before you do so. e
emember always that IL the Germans I
ct me, they get the passport, too, and q
they get the passport your lives q
ont be worth a damnl When l tell II
lie history of that clever little piece Il
pasteboard, will implicate all three
you, and whoever is working with d
III, and as I am an officer I rather fl
ink my word will be taken before s.
,urs. Good nighti' "
The bluff evidently worked. because g
was able to get out Of the city with II
It molestation from the Germans. al
L have never seen these men since. sc
hope l never shall, because I am W
raid might be tempted TO do some ST
ing for which I might otherwise be a:
try. u
l do not mean to imply that all Bel p;
ans are ike this. l had evidently ju
lien into the hands of a gang who &C
ere endeavoring to make capital out 70
the misfortunes of those who were til
ferred to them for help. In all coun- oil
es there are bad as well as good, to
d in country which has suffered so til
lch as poor Belgium it is no wonder I'll
some of the survivors have lost their ar