The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-05-20

serated; but anyway the busybodes over wonder took it up, and they got me before the court"
 Did 1t cost you much?" MT. Cray Inquired.
 "They fined me s5o,ooo." the other replied, and I had to sell out. Just at, the time, too," he went on gloom fly, when l was making so much money you couldn't count it. It was just at this moment Mir. Cray was on the point of raising his voice and of speaking words which without doubt would have led to his neighbours precipitate election from the room.
 And then something struck him. There was something more than the natural humiliation of a punished | man in MT. Schreed's drawn face and furtive expression. There was something beyond the look of the man who has done wrong and borne an unaccepted punishment. There was was still fear, there was still terror of some unnamed possibility, Mr., Cray saw this, and he held his peace. He took his thoughts back a few months to the little conversa- .tion he had had with the doctor in that impromptu hospital. He re- called the latter's impassioned words, and he choke ed down certain rebel lious feelings. He decided to offer the right hand of fellowship to the ! unfortunate MT. Schreed,S MT Otto Schreed was alone and friendless in strange city, with the | shadows of disgrace resting upon his unattractive name. He was more | than disposed, therefore, to accept l the advances of his genial and com panionable new acquaintance. He was not by disposition a gregarious l person; but he was too uncultured | to find any pleasure in books or | pictures. the newspapers of London were an unknown world to him, and a certain measure of companionship It appeared that he was staying at the Milan hotel, and it was quite | natural that he should see a great | deal of his new friend during the disposed to be communicative. He said very little about his plans, and he asked a great many personal questions. some of which MT, Cray evaded and others of which he ans swered with artless candor. MT. Cray's work in France was not once alluded to.
 "I thought some" Schreed went on after a moments pause. glancing sidewise at MT. Cray as though to watch the effect of his words, ''of taking little tour out to the battle fields of France"
 That's quite an idea" MT. Cray admitted with kindling interest. His companion looked around to make sure they were alone. T don't mind confiding to you, Cray" he said, that I have another reason for wanting to get out there. When the war department discovered that som mething was wrong with those few thousand cans of beef of mine, they burned the lot. They sent q certificate to Washington as to it's condition, upon which I was fined although I was well able to prove that the week the defective canning must have been done, I was taking few days vacation. However, that's neither here nor there. l made inquiries as to whether anw of 1t was still in existence, and I was told that before any had been of ficially opened. a matter of fifty cans or so had been doled out in some French village where the peasants hadn't any food. Nothing was ever heard about those cans"
 T see," MT. Cray murmured. and there was nothing in his face to in- dicate that he had found the infor | nation interesting
 T kind of thought" MT. Schreed continued, that I'd like to look those cans are still in existence, I'd buy them up and destroy them. You see, they all have my name and trademark on the outside. The de- partment insisted upon that"
 Rather like looking for needle
 Not so much" the other replied.
 T know the name of the place where our men were billeted when they opened the stuff, and the name of the village to which they sent 50 cans. I thought I'd just look around there. and if there are no traces of any-well. I've done the best I could. Then I thought some of coming home by way of Holland"
 Business in Holland. eh?" MT. Cray inquired.
 Not exactly business-or rather, if it is. it wouldn't take moro than an hour or two," MT. Schreed an- nounced.
 When did you think of going?"
 Next week. They tell me they're battlefields. The one that goes to Chateau Thierry would serve my purpose The worst of 1t is, I can't speak a word of the lingo"
 It's dead easy" Mir. Cray observed. I've been going to Paris too many years not to have picked up bit"
 You wouldn't care about trip out with me. I suppose" MT. Schreed suggested. just in a friendly fash ion. you understand, each paying his own share"
 q don't know" Mir Cray replied cautiously. Next week did you say you were going?"
 I'm fixing it up to leave on We'd nesday."
 Its some trip" MT. Cray said thoughtfully.
 "A day or two in Paris wouldn't do us any harm," MT. Schreed re- marked. -.,. .... ....=ss "a.
 wen take bite together at 2 o'clock tonight" MT. Cray decided, know as can see anything p to nra-