New-York tribune., 1919-03-02

viii do with you?" asked the officer. "You,r.
not going TO be very popular after that
assure you. You'll come to a sad. bitt.~
end. CaA't you see that there's nothing f.,
you to do but come into our service, if Won
have any love for life at all ?"
ne last phrase came as a light upon
Mlchaels perplexity. He loved his life on,r
because he loved and was loved in return
But to live the life of traitor. He wou,s
never consent to such infamy! Nor wou,a
he permit himself for moment to be su.-
pected by his comrades as a spy He woula
tell the truth and pay for it with his liz.
no matter how dear it had now becoms -
! him.
You may think what you WILL" inter.
rupted the captain. "But to-day willy n;ur
you'll have to join our service And if Won
refuse then this very night your whole
organization is arrested. From the first n
the last just they're listed on your scran
of paper"
And he took the paper and began to read
off the names, first names, family name.
addresses and all
Michael was seized with a great Terror
He wrung his hands in agony, and tear.
came to his eyes He could have went aIord
But he bit his lips and controlled himself
10 save his beloved organization he ss
sented to the officers proposal that he be.
come spy. and he left the room as f
drunk. He was no longer capable of thjnl.
ing clearly; he did not even know whsr.
ne was. He ran ahead aimlessly, wherevsr
his feet carried him. And his feet carried
him to her
he told her everything. He uttered his
words full Of despair and indescribab.
grief And when finally he sobbed out tho
news that he was now a spy for the nolcs
ne 1eit certain that she would jump I'D tar.
rlhed, and run from him as from a nest
his words were piercing, almost screechinr
! pregnant with terror
But instead she fondled him. caressed
his hair and his checks, wiped his tears
and kissed him soothingly.
And then she began to speak to him most
quecrly.
he need not be so downcast. she urged
Rather let him look at the whole matter
as blessing in disguise. If they forced
MIN 10 become one of their spies, whv. IN
thr oevll with them. Let him serve them
IN name only, and IN reality keep his organ
lzation all the better posted In the GER
vice of the police he would make all sort,
of discoveries; among others he cou1d 1oarn
who the person was that had recommended
! him.
She spoke quietly, laughingly, cvnicallv
suddenly the thought dawned upon him:
1t was she!
he felt it with all the strength of his
: soul, with certainty that made his hair
stand on end and his body burn as if in
names He turned pale as death and looked
at her with wild eyes distendcd in fright.
She noticed the sudden change that had
come over him, and straightway intcrrupted
her talk. She laughed in embarrassment
She interpreted his actions as sign Of
deep anger at her suggestion. and began "a
explain herself. greatly modifying her pre-
vlous words. The police should be paid in
their own coin, beaten with their own
weapons. And she depicted how the or
ganlzation would be greatly benefited bv
his double game.
Inc longer she spoke the more certain
grew his conviction that she was the spv
she had wished him to become what she
herself was, and all that had happened TO
him was of her doing. 1t was she who had
recommended him to headquarters. she who
had given the authorities his address. she
VINO had tricked him into writing down the
names of his comrades she who had in
vlted the police to a makebelieve raid nm
her house and bad given them the nansr
with the names and later all the addresses.
and had finally had him arrested half hour
before ne was TO meet his comrades TO talk
matters over. Now he saw if al clearly
han a..
neard II IN the tones of her voice, caught it
from her embarrassed laughter. And.
strangest of all. he did not hate her for il.
nor did his feelings toward her change in
the slightest He could not even feel angry.
he could only feel that he loved her. that
she fascinated him, that he could never or.
dure separation from her
HIS great terror became n great xadnesa.
deathly oppression. Tears wellod IN from
deep within him and rolled from his eyes
She was keeny affected by his tears,
and she began to fondle him. to nestle
against him, and seductively let him feel.
through her thin clothes the touch of her
pody' She tried to kinde his passion and
thus make him forget his grief and de-
Guar.
Suddenly no cnme to IA conclusion q. 20
what he must do. He embrnccd her and
pressed long. passionate kiss upon her
ups And while, in ali the fascination Of
nor atsionhte response, she writhed under
lls fiss' he placed his powerful hand upon
htr slendcr white neck
And 40. embracing her in his pasronate
ki"S' he stranglcd her She had not even
rad time to become frightened. to make the
S''gh'est struggle. II was peaceful, un-
resisting kiss-dcath
and when he was sure that she was dead
when he felt that her lips had grown cold
ana hfeless, he placed her in bed, and fell
on his knees before her, weeping bitterly
lhen he gathered his remaining strength
and SAT day.n at tka LII