The Cordova daily times. [volume] (Cordova, Alaska) 1914-1947, 1918-08-16

very lar from the one IN when l nHl
been staying and not unlike II in ap-
pearance. II. too, was a substantial
dwelling house which had been unten-
anted since the beginning save perhaps
for such occasional visits as Huyliger
and his associates made to 1t.
Huyliger let himself in and CON
Quoted me to n room on the second
floor, where he introduced me to two
men. One. could readily see by the
resemblance, was his own brother.
The other was stranger.
Very briefly they explained to me
that they had procured another pass
port fog me--a genuine one-which
would prove far more effective in help
ing To get me to the frontier than the
counterfeit one they had manufac-
tured for me.
l think | saw through their game
right ut the start. but | listened pa
tently t" what they had to say.
'Of course, you will have to return
to US the passport W" gave you before
"" can give you the real one" said
Huylger's brothcT
Il haven't the slightest objection" l
replied, IF the new passport is all you
claim for II. Will you let me see it,
There was considerable hesitation on
the part Of Huyliger's brother and the
other chap ut this.
"Why. | don't think that's necessary
ut all, Mr.. OBrien," said the former.
lou give us the old passport and we
will be very glad To give you the new
one for it. lsVt that fair enoughT
"lt may he fair enough. my friends"
rctorted, seeing that it was useless to
conceal further the fact that / was
fully aware of their whole plan and
why had been brought to this house.
ut may he fair enough, my friends" l
said, but you will get the passport
that | have here patting my side and
indicating my inside breast pocket,
"Only off my dead body"
| 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
wards the whole world just at that
moment that WAS determined to sell
my life as dearly as possible.
81 have that passport here | re
piled. and am going to keep it. Ii
you gentlemen think You can take il
from me YOU ur" welcome to try!
10 tell the truth. | WAS spelling for
a.. l. ,l ii
start something The man Who had
lived in the house had evidently been
Il collector of ancient pottery. for the
walls Wcr" lined with great pieces of
rHrthrnWarr which had every "Hrmark
of possessing great value. They car
tainly possessed great weight. | liz
urcd 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 mnn
, out as neatly as possible and as there
was lots of pottery and only three men,
l believed had an excellent chance of
holding my own in the combat which
had invited.
| had already picked out in my mind
what | WIS going 10 use. and 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
meant business and they Immediately
began to expostuate at the attitude
was taking.
ON" of the men spoke excellent
English. In fact. he tolL me that he
/ could speak five languages, and If he
+ could lie in the others MS we'll as
/ knew he did in my own tongue. he was
not only an accomplished lingulst, but
II most versatile liar into tn" bargain.
My dear fellow" said the linguiSt
at is not that we want to deprive you OF
the passport. Good heavens, If II will
+ aid YOU in getting out of the country,
| wish you could have six just like 1t.
But for our own protection, You owe
/ it to us to proceed on your journey
as best You can without ii because ns
! long as you have ii in your possession
/ You jeopnrdizc our lives, too. Don't
/ you think ii Is fnirer that you should
! risk your own safety rather than place
the lives of three innocent men In
I dangcrr"
THAT may be rs ii is, my friends"
! retorted, land | am glad You realize
/ your danger. Keep it in mind. for in
case any OF you should happen to feel
inclined To notify the German authori-
! ties that | am in this part of the coun-
| try, think II over before You do So.
! Remember always that If the Germans
/ get me, they get the passport, too. and
! If they get the passport your lives
won't be worth damn. When | tell
the history of that clever little piece
| of paSteboard, will implicate all three
| of you, and whoever is working with
you. and as | am an officer | rather
| think my we'd will be taken before
yours. Good night"
The blum evidently worked, because
l was able to get out of the city with
out mOlestation from the Germans.
| hnyp never soon theSa mon since