Evening star., 1925-04-24

ner of a subaltern intrusted with an
official commendation.
"Humph.'' snorted Fritz. taking
it beautifully. Not coming, isn't
he? First time I've known the
Professor late for anything. What's
keeping him at Geneva?"
Il don't know, sir" l replied, but
think it's something in connection
with the disposal of the English
man."
Fritz grunted again.
"He seems to be wasting too much
time over that affair."" he grumbled.
The Professors much too fond of
making his confounded speeches.
Why couldn't he cut the fellows
throat and have done with it?
Well" he continued. now gruffly
genial. you needn't stand there any
longer. You're not on parade. Take
a chair"
1 did as l was bid, pulling up an
old oak armchair to the table, and
keeping as far as l could in the
shadow cast by the fickering can
dies. Although my resemblance to
Karl was very remarkable, and al
though I was dressed in his clothes,
/ did not want to take any unneceS-
sary risks.
Uncle Fritz was obviously pleased
with my demeanor. He lolled back
on the settee, the mug of beer in
his hand, enjoying the opportunity
which l was trying to afford him of
being affably insolent to military
subordinate.
"Now. l suppose" he continued,
you want that document we've
heard so much about. The arrange
ment was that you should take it
at once to Hanover and deliver it
to Capt. T.
l bowed.
Those were the Professors in
structions," l answered. 81 was TO
hand it to him personally"
"Once you've obtained the sigma
ture of that mystery man, our part
of the job is finished. And who'll
get the credit for it, do you suppose?
Will it be the man who did the work,
who saved this organization? Not
a bit of it. You, my young friend,
will go off to Hanover and get all the
praise and all the pudding, while
sit here and wait for the Profess
sor to come and talk my head off"
Really, sir" 1 protested, Pm sure
that no one realizes more than the
Professor the excellence of the work
you have done. He was only say
ing as / left, Herr Major, that in his
Fritz raised his hand in a gesture
of arrest.
That's enough, young man." he
said, glancing at Schreckermann.
There are certain persons whom
we prefer to be nameless."
He rose heavily from the settee
and lounged across to the desk,
reaching for his keys He unlocked
h. o,-1 h ft,,, III
among the papers which the desk
contained. Presently he returned,
bearing a single sheet of paper, which
recognized to be the document in
question. This he placed in an en-
velope and handed it to me, saying:
well, orders are orders, and you'd
better take the document at once,
And you'll, perhaps, be more careful
with it than that little rat of Jew.
/ took the envelope, and, putting
it away in my pocket, rose to go,
when Schreckermann stopped me.
Don't go yet" he said: There's
n-no v-v-violent hurry. You can't
get a train before 9 o'clock. Have
you had anything to eat?"
mo. but can get something later,
l replied.
"Sit down, young fellow" said
Fritz in the best of humor. You
can't work properly without food"
He waved me. back to my chair, at
the same time crossing the room and
opening the door. / had apparently
played my part rather too well. I had
put Fritz in the humor to be hospitable,
and l saw that it would be inadvisable
to slight his friendly advances.
Anton he bawled to some unseen
person below. Bring up some food
and some more beer, and don't be long
about ii"
/ was in a fever to depart, but was
afraid to show by eagerness. Wait
ing for the food to appear, l studied
my hosts narrowly. Schreckermann
was obviously tired out by the events
of the day. He had yawned several
times since I had come into the room,
and he had the air of a man who had
rather be in bed. Fritz, on the other
hand, was of a wakeful disposition
obviously elated and prepared to talk
Without in the least degree being
drunk. he had evidently been relaxing
after his strenuous labors. I thought
it might be useful to encourage him