The Washington times., 1919-01-13

papers. .Hs ~ - - =
Here you are. my iad,-- he said
In quite . friendly tone. ',put 'sm
10 your pocket-yOu may want sa
i glanced at the papers before (
foilowed HIS advice,
He noted my action and laughed
They have told you about
Johann be said. Never fear,
Ju1lps, you and I are good fraends.H
The papers were those Of julius
zimmerfnann: ali right.
We were having supper at one
OF the tables IN the front ROOM
there were only a couple OF GUS
tobers,- as Il was 50 esrly--e-hen
. man, q regular visitor Of ours.
came down the stairs hurriedly.
He went straight over TO Haase
and spoke into his ear.
Mind yourself, Haase," I heard
him say. do you know who had
Kore arrested and shot7 u was
Clubfoot. There is more in this
than we know. Mind yourself and
get out: In an hour OF 80 Il may
be, too late"
Then he ,scurrted away, leaving
me dazed.
-By Ged!- said the Landlord,
bringing q great fst down on the
table so that the glasses rang.
"they won't touch me. Not the
devil himself will make me leave
this house before they come. II
! comInS thea ara.-
The woman burst into tears, while
Otto blinked his watery eyes In
terror. sat and looked st my
plate, my heart too full for words.
1t was bitter to have dared 50 much
TO get this far and then find the
path blocked, as IL seemed, by sn
insuperable barrier. They were
after me all right: the mention of
Clubfoot's name, the swift, stern
retribution that had befsIlen Kore,
made that certain-and could do
nothing, That cellar was a cn1-de-
sac, a regular trap, and knew that
II stirred a foot from the house
! should fall into the hands Of
those men keeping their silent vigil
in the street - 80. g. ..--,--.
Therefore, must wait. as calmly
as I might. and see what the even
ing would bring forth. Gradually
the cellar filled up an people drifted
In, but many familiar faces. I noe
ticed, were missing Evidently the
i'll tidings had spread. Once q man
looked in for q glass OF beer and
drifted out again, leaving the door
open. As / was closing it, I heard
a muffled exclamation and the
sound OF scuffle at the head Of
the stairs, IL was. SO quietly done
that nobody below, save myself.
knew what had happened The In
cident showed me that the watch
was well kept -. e. --.
The evening wore on-intermin-
ably as IL seemed 70 me- 1 dsrted
to and fro from the bar, laden with
mugs OF beer and glasses OF schnaps.
necessarily, up and down But i
never failed. whenever there came
a pause In. the orders. to see that
my Journey finished somewhere In
the neighborhood Of the door. A
faint hope was glimmering in my
brain. ~ 81. 49,
Until the end OF my life. that i'm
terminsble evening in the beer.
cellar VIII remain stamped in my
memory. can still see the scene In
its every detail, and know. i shall
carry the picture with me 20 the
grave; the long, low room. with its
olackened ceiling, the garish yellow
gaslight, the smoke haze, the crowd
~ ONNOs
thtthsr with his mean and suIky air.
Frau Hedwig, preoccupied at her
desk, -red-eyed, q craven image OF
woe, and Hsase, presiding over the
beer-engine, silent, defiant, calm.
but watchful every time the door
opened.
e. When, at last the blow fell, it
came suddenly. A trampling OF
feet on the stairs, a great blowing
OF whistles -" then the door was
burst open just as everybody in the
cellar sprang to their feet amid ez-
Carnations and oaths from the men
and shrill screams from the women.
Outlined in the doorway stood
Clubfoot, majestic, authoritative,
wearing some kind OF little skull
cap. such as duelling students
wear, over a black silk hand
kerchief bound about his head.
At the sight OF the man the hub
bco seased on the instant. All were
still save Haase, whose buIl-lilxe
voice roaring for silence broke on
the quiet OF the room with the
force OF an explosion.
was in my corner by the door.
pressed back against the coats ana
hats hanging on the wall. In front
VI iuS q AEleDc OF lFlBnlenC0 races
screened ne from observation.
Quickly. ] slipped OF my apron.
Clubfoot, after casting a cursory
glance round the room, strobe its
length toward the bar where Haase
stood, crowd of plain-cIothes mon
and policemen at his heels. Then
quite suddenly the light went out,
plunging the place into darIIpess.
Instantly the room was in confu-
sion; women screamed: 4 voice,
which / recognized as Clubtoots,
bswled stentorianly for lights
the moment had come TO
act.
grabbed a hat and coat from
the hall, got into them somehow,
and darted to the door. In the dim
light shining down the stairs from
a street lamp outside, I saw a man
at the door. Apparently be Was
guarding 81.
Back" he cried, as I stepped up
to him.
flashed in his eyes the silver
star I held in my hand. E--,
The chief wants lanterns!~ said
low in his ear. -rz- q -
He grabbed my hand holding, the
badge and lowered IL to the light.
"All right. comrade," he replied.
"Drechsler has a lantern, I think!
You'll find him outside"