The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-12-19

happy escapes D1 AA4AVN k'A@H'S-NS@A from the Huns. but few know any thing of the agency by which many 1 of these escapes were aided. It was ! the work of one of the most amazing secret societies in the world, 8 SO ciety without 8 name, presided over by a Scot, Frederick Maxwell by name, and among it's members were hundreds of men an1 women, and even children, in the occupied regions of France and Belgium In this series MT Maxwell tells for the first time the story of his great woFk-)
 TBy Frederick NaxweII.l Copyright 1919, by Frederick Max
 well.
 tContfnued From YesterdayD Trusted friends brought Band the two other men to us, and they remained in hiding until the follow ing day when Balls arrival gave me the chance for which l was waiting of getting B-- away. When told Ball what 1 had for him he was greatly pleased, and readily agreed to take the Brigadier and one of the Staff officers referred to. The trip was made successfully in spite of the fact that the machine was fred on for a. considerable part of the Journey back to the British lines.
 ''I like the thing immensely" was what Ball told me next time he came over. "G. H. Q. were glad to get the brass hats back, for they think a lot of both of them. They are not going to say anything about their capture but the Germans have re- ported the capture of 8 British Gen eraI and Staff officers of a division"
 On this occasion Ball had brought with him a British officer named Bar +y-IT +1 let {y, h efforts to get information regarding the disposition of the German troops between Brussels and the coast.
 This intelligence officer remained behind the German lines in the dis guise of a Flemish commercial trav- eIler for more than six months. He was particularly active during the operations at Passchendaele in Octo- Der, 1917, and the information which he obtained was collected periodical Iy by means of the aerial post which had then been established between the British and different points be- hind the German lines.
 Some Of the most daring of the Al lied airrnen were employed on this work, and the risks they ran were amazing. I think the Germans were aware that 6 service Of this kind was in operation. for they were contin- uaIly offering rewards for the dis closure of the location of landing places for these machines, and in September of 1917 placards were posted in Brussels offering a. reward for the capture, dead or alive, of Ma jort Barker
 A Cool Customer.
 While this hue and cry was on Tarker was moving freely about. and in Brussels itself 1 saw him one day standing at a street corner reading one of these placards. He was smoking away as coolly as though he had not the least connection with the man 50 nnInuteIy described in the placard- A few BeIgtans and some Germans joined us.
 The soldiers could not make any thing of the notice, which was in French and Flemish The BeIgtans were appealed to by the German sol diers, but they were unable to ophge with a translation. Harker removed the cigarette from his mouth, and be- gan reading out his own description and the particulars of the reward of fered.
 When he had finished the Germans muttered surly thanks and went away evidently not having connected the obIigtng interprstter with the wanted man Harker smiled gr1mIy at me, and parted without another word.
 I heard a great deal of the ad- ventures of this amazing man after wards, but did not gee him until a few days before Christmas, 1917, when he walked into the house Of M Lotselle. about i've miles from Brussels, in whose grounds the Allied airnaen were landing on their visits to the neighborhood. He greeted me with a smile.
 |" bought l was not coming back eh?' he remarked. T thought so mys at one time, but evidently my time not come yet"
 I'll. zht, Vedrines, who was at that acting as air courier for the Brt Fovernment in place of Bill, who : been killed, I think. arrived alln luolz the daring Harker back to the British lines
 I saw him during my recent stay in London. He was worried at the prospect of being among the unem- DIoyed, and wondering if there was any chance of employment offering excitement and adventure.
 Captain MCudden paid a number of visits to the neighborhood on sim liar work, and on one occasion he carried with him a Major D., who fore the war. D------ got the V. C. WOrk Tor the BT1LlSH government De- for ethe war D. got the V. c and promotion for his exploits, and after service In different parts of the world he was sent back to France a intervals for special intelligence work chiefly behind the enemy lines
 Thrilling Rescue.
 On this occasion he was nearly terminating his career. After land ing his passenger MCudden haG gone away, and Major D. was go- ing by road to an adjoining village where there was an inn, the proprie. tor of which was friendly to the Al lies. Before reaching the place D. met German patrol. He was dress ed in "civvies,' and I think intended to pass for a Belgian. He had nt idea that he was likely to be ques tioned, and so made effort to ge away When he was stopped by the patrol h eproduced his permit, bu the officer in charge at once declared patrol he produced his permit, but it to be a forgery, and placed D. under arrest.
 There were no German troops oc cupying the village at the time, ant pending the arrival of reinforceme ent