Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-09
Copyright, 1918, Jy tbe PHbhc Ledger co.
Copyright Jy Robert N. Mcbride q CO.
CHAPTER VI
/ Board The Berlin Train and Leave a Lame
Gentleman on the Platform

Gentleman on the Platform
T WAS caught like q rat In trap. | could
Il not return by the way I had come and
the only egress closed TO me. The area
door and window were the only means OF
escape from the little court. The one was
locked, the other barred | was fairly trap
ped All I had to do now was to wait until
my absence was discovered and the broken
rope found to show them where l was
Then they would come down to the area,
I should be confronted with the man. Steze,
and my goose would be fairly cooked.
AS quietly AS ! could | made complete
thorough, rapid examination or me area
IL was dank dark place, only lit where
the yellow light streamcd forth from the SOUL
lery It had "a couple of low bays followed
out OF the masonry under the niue court
yard the one filled with wood blocks, the
other with broken packing cases, old pot'eS
and like rubbish.
| explored these until my hands came ]"
contact with the damp bricks at the BACK,
but in vain. Door and window remained
the only means Of escape.
Four tall tin refuse bins stood in line in
frcnt of these two bays, a ffth was slowed
away under the iron stair They were all
nearly fun of refuse. SO were useless as
hiding places. Ia any case II accorded
neither with the part was playing nor with
any sense Of the ludicrous to be discovered
by the hotel domestics hiding in "A refuse bin
was at my wits end to know what 20
do. ! had dared so much, all had gone so
surprisingly we'll that II was heartbreakng
to he foiled with liberty almost within my
grasp. A great wave OF disappointment
swept over me until / felt my very heart
sicken. Then | heard footsteps and hope re-
yived within me.
I shrunl> back into the darkness of the area
behind the refuse bins standing in front Of
the bay nearest the door.
within the house footsteps were approach
ing the scullery. ! heard "A door open. then
J. Ia
a fine mellow baritone that popular German
ballad:
"Das haben die Madchen so gerne
lie i'm Stubchen uud die i'm Salong"
The voice hung lovingly and wavered and
trlled on that word "SalouE': the effect was
50 much TO the singers liking that he sang
the stave over again humping and a
rattle as of loose objects in an empty box
formed the accompaniment 10 his song.
"a CHEEKY fellow 80 I said to myself. II
only could see who Il was, But dare not
move into that patch of yellow light from
which the only view into the scullery was
afforded,
The singing stopped Again | heard
door open. Was he going away? Then
saw a thin shaft of light under the area
door.
The next moment It was flung bacl, and the
waiter, Karl. appeared still ia his blue apron,
a bucket in either hand
He was coming. to the refuse bins.
Pudd'nhead wilson's advice came into
my mind: when angry count up to four:
when very angry. swear. was not angry
but scared, terribly scared scared that
| could hear my heart pulsating in great
thuds in my ears Nevertheless. | followed
the advice Of the sage of Dawsons Landing
and counted to myself; one, two, three.
four. one. two three. four; while my heart
hammered out: Keep-cool, keep-cool, keep
cool! And all the time ! remained crouching
behind the first two refuse bins nearest the
door
The waiter hummed to himself the melody
of his little ditty in a deep bourbon as he
paused moment at the door. Then lie ad-
Vanced slowly across the area.
Would he stop at the refuse bins behind
which | covered"
30, lie passed them.
| The third? The fourth?
| He walked straight across the area and
went to the bin beneath the stairs
muttered blessing inwardly on the care
ful habits Of the German who organizes even
| his refuse into separate tubs.
The man had his back to the door
Now or never was my chance.
crawled round my friendly garbage bins
reached the area door on tiptoe and stepped
| softly into the house. As I did so ! heard
| the clank of tin as Karl replaced the lid Of
| the tub
dark passage stretched out in front Of
! me. lmmcd ately to my right was the scul-
| lery door wide open. | must avoid the scul-
lery at all costs. The man might remain
there and I could not risk him driving me
| before him back to the entrance han of the
hotel
| crept down the dark passage with hands
| outstretched Presently they fell upon the
| latch of a door I pressed It the door opened
inwards into the darkness ana passed
| through. As | softly closed the door behind
me / heard Karl's heavy step and the grind
ing uf the key as he locked The area door
| I stood i'm kind of cupboard in pitch
| darkness, hardly daring to breathe.
| Once more I heard the man singing his
| idiotic song. | did not dare look out from
| NV hiding place. for his voice sounded so
| near that | feared he might be still in the
| passage
| So ! stood and waited.
|
must have stayed there for an hour in
| the dark. | heari the waiter coming and
| going in. the scullery, listened to his heavy
| tramp, to his everlasting snatch of song to
| the rattle Of utensils as he went about his
| work Every minute Of the time | was tor
! ,ured by the apprehension that he would
come to the cupboard in the passage
II was cold in that damp subterranean