The Washington times., 1918-12-11

paper money. IN the riBnt-nAuu
trouser pocket was a bunch OF keys.
That was all.
Iput the different articles on the
floor beside me. Then got up. put
the candle on the table, drew the
chair up to 1t and opened the port
folio.
In little pocket Of the inner nap
were visiting cards Some were
small letters:
DR.. semIin
others were more detailed:
DR.. semlin.
Brooklyn, N. Z.
The Halewright Mfg. Coy, Ltd
There were also half a dozen
private cards:
DR.. Semlin.
333 z. 73d St,
Rivington Park House.
In the packet of cards was q soll-
tary one, larger than the rest. an
expensive affair on the thick highly
glazed milIboard. bearing in gothic
characters the name:
OTTO Won sTEnNHARDT
On this card was written in pen
ell. above the name:
'.HoteI Sixt. vos int Tuintje," ana
in brackets, thus: "IMme Anna
Schratt.1s s-
In another pocket OF the port
folio was an American passport
surmounted by q flaming eagle and
sealed with a vast red seal. sending
greetings to all and sundry ON be-
half of Henry Semlin. = Omitted
States citizen. travelling to Europe.
Details in the body Of the document
set forth that Henry Semltn was
born at Brooklyn on 51st March.
1856, that his hair was black. nose
aquiline, chin frm, and that OF
special marks he had none. The
description was good enough to
show me that Il was undoubtedly
the body OF Henry Semlin that lay
at my feet
The passport had been issued at
Washington three months earlier
The only visa IL bore was that OF
the American embassy in London.
dated two days previously. With II
was a British permit. issued to
Henry Semlin. manufacturer, grant
ing him authority to leave, the
united Kingdom for the purpose OF
travelling to Rotterdam. further q
bill for luncheon served on board
the Dutch Royal Mail steamer Kon-
ingin Regentes on yesterdays date.
In the long and anguishing weeks
that followed on that anxious night
in the Hotel OF the Vos int Tuintje,
have often wondered to what ma
licious promptings, to what insane
impulse. I owed the idea that sud
denly germinated in my brain as I
sat lingering the dead mans letter
case in that squalid room The i'm
pulse sprang into my brain like .
flash and like a fash acted on 10.
though I can badly believe meant
to pursue it to its logical conclusion
until stood once more outside the
door OF my room.
The examination OF the dead
mans papers had shown me that he.
was an American business man, who
had Just come from London. having
but recently proceeded to England
from the United States.
What puzzled me was why an
American manufacturer, seemingly
Of some substance and decently
dressed. should go to a German hotel
on the recommendation OF a German,
from his name, and the style OF his
visiting card, man OF good family.
Semlin might. OF course, have
been. like myself. a traveller be-
nishted in Rotterdam, owing his
recommendation TO the hotel to .
German acquaintance in the city.
Still. Americans are cautious folks
and I found IL rather improbable
that this American business man
should adventure himself into this
evil-looking house with a large sum
of money on his person-he had sew
sral hundred pounds OF money In
Dutch currency notes in a thick wad
in his portfolio
knew that the British authorf-
ties discouraged. as far as they
could. neutrals travelling to and
fro between England and Germany
in wartime. Possibly Semlin want
cd to do business in Germany on his
European trip as we'll as in Eng
land knowing the attitude OF the
British authorities he may well
have made his arrangements in Hol-
land for getting into Germany lest
the British police should get wind
OF his purpose and stop him cross
ing to Rotterdam
But his German was so dawiesS,
with no trace OF Americanisrn in
voice or accent And I knew what
Good use the German Intelligence
had made OF neutral passports in
the past. Therefore I determined
to go next door and have look at
DIT. Semlin's luggage. In the back
OF my mind was ever that harebrain
resolve. half-formed as yet but
none the less firmly rooted in my
head.
Taking up my candle again, I
stole out OF the room As stood IN
the corridor and turned to lock tbs
bedroom door behind me, the mirror
at the end OF the passage caught the
reflection OF my candle
looked and saw myself in the
glass. a white, staring face
looked again. Then I fathomed
the riddle that had puzzled me In
the dead face OF the stranger in my
room
1t was not the face Of Francis
that his features suggested.
It was mine
The next moment I found myself
in No. So could Sc no sign Of tbs
key of the room Semlin must have
dropped 1t in his fall. so it behooved