The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-05-31

vobces calling from room to room.
shouts OF anger, the terrible OUT
cry OF q man in agony.
~Wot q rats nest, then. there
was in this here blessed 'ouse, sfrls
said the British agent. coolly. IF
We ger Breslau and the others on
the roof we've bagged 'sm an"
The Russian girl was trembling
so violently that Neeland took
her BY the arm. But Use Du-
mont, giving her a glance OF
contempt, moved calmly past the
British agent to the head OF the
stairway.
Come" she said to Neeland.
Inc agent, leaning over the ban
lsters. shouted to q man on the
next floor:
Miss DumOnt II CausAt.
Look sharp below there! I'm
sendin' Miss Dumont down with Mr.
Neeland, the, American! Tain her
in charge. Biz"
Send her along~ bawIsd the
man, framing his face with both
hands. Keep BresIau on the roof
= bit and wen ave the begEar IN
a few minutesP'
Somebody else shouted ND from
the tumult below:
''It's war. Array! Ave you 'eardP
It's war this morning! Them Uns
as declared war! And the perIfce
a-kili!n' OF the Apaches All oyer
Parish
Ilse DumOnt looked curiously At
the agent, calmly at Neeland. then.
dropping one hand on the baniskers.
she went lightly down tho stairs
toward the uproar below. followed
by Neeland and the Russian KfrI
clinging to his arm with both
desperate little hands.
The British agent hung far over
the banisters until he saw his col
league join them on the floor BE-
low: then. treasured, and on guard
again, he leaned back AGAINST the
corridor wall. his pistol resting On
his thigh, and fixed his cold gray
eyes on the attic stairs once more.
The secret agent who now Joined
Neeland and Ilse Dumont on the
fourth floor had evidently besn
constructing q barrIcade across the
hallway as q preeautfon In case OF
a rush from the Germans on tha
roof.
Chairs and mattresses. pIlsd
shoulder high. INSTRUCTED the pas-
saSeway, blocking the stairs: and
the secret agent-a very young
man with red hair and in the Rarb
OF a waiter-clambered over II.
II. revolver IN one hand, . pair Of
handouts In the other. He lost
his balance on. top OF the shaky
heap; strOVe desperately to recover
It scrambled Ike a cat in a tub,
stumbled. rolled over on a mattress.
Perform Hasty Job.
And there Eeeland pinned him.
closing his mouth with one hand
and his throat with the other, Wills
Use Dumont tore weapon and hand
cuffs from his grasp, snapped the
latter over his wrists, snatched the
case from a bedroom pillow lying
among the mattresses, and, With
Neeland's aid. swathed the strug-
Cling mans head in IT,
Into that clothes-pressi" whis-
Pered Ilse, pointing along the hall
Help me lift him. nlotloned
EeeIsnd.
Together they got him clear Of
the shaky barricade and, IaSgfng
him between them, deposited him on
the floor OF the clothes-press and
locked the door.
So silent had they been that.
listening. they heard no movement
from the watcher on the floor
above, who stood guard at the attic
stairs. And it was evident he had
heard nothing to make him u.s-
picious.
The Russian girl. dreadfully pale.
leaned against the wall as though
her limbs scarcely supported her.
Neeland passed his arm under hers,
nodded to Use Dumont, and started
cautiously down the carpeted stairs,
his automatic pistol in one hand.
and the revolver taken from the
imprisoned secret agent cIutehed
tightly in the other.
Down the stairs they erepk.
straight toward the frightful tll-
multi still raging belov-dovra mast
the wrecked clubrooms; past a dead
man sprawling on the landing
across the biood-soaked carpet
down into the depths of the dusky
building toward the lighted
cafe floor whence came the
uproar OF excited men, while,
from the street outside, rose the
frantic yelling OF the mob min
gled with the crash Of glass and
the Changing dissonance Of iron
grilles and shutters which were be-
ing battered into fragments.
Its my chance now" whispered
Use Dumont, Slipping past him Ike
a shadow.
For q moment he saw her siThou-
cited against the yellow eIectris
glare on the stairs below, then,
half carrying the almost helpless
Russian girl, he stumbled down the
last flight OF stairs and pushed his
way through n hurrying group OF
men who seemed to be searching
for something. for they were tear
ing open cupboards and buhfetS,
dragging out table drawers and
tumbling linen, crockery, and gEzss-
ware all over the black and Whits
marble floor.
4 Scene OF WreekaEP.
The whole place was ankle deSD
in shattered glass and broken bot
ties. and the place rocked with
smoke and the odor OF wine and
spirits.
Neeland forced his way forward
into the cafe, looked around for
SerEoun, and saw him almost In
mediately.