Evening star., 1925-05-08
1925. by Little. Brown L Coz

ana we soon arrived III tne Illuule o.
It. We kept to the most crowded
streets, speaking little, and then only
in German. This necessitated almos
complete silence on the part o.
Beatrice.
We walked down the Osterstrasse
past the old Rattenfangerhaus, sacred
to the memory of the Pied Piper, and
SO into the peiSterstrasse and the
Bahnhofstrasse to the railway station
Beatrice, CASTOR and myself en-
tered the waiting room, while
Rehmy went off to purchase tickets
In Germany travellers are com
PEELED to stay in the wait
ing room and are only allowed on
the platform on presentation of their
tickets at the barrier.
We sat down in silence in n corner
and took stock of our surroundings
There were, l suppose, about 20 per-
sons waiting like ourselves, poorly
dressed folk of the artisan class for
the most part, with here and there q
workman in soiled canvas overallS
Close to the platform an undersized
man, wearing a dark coat and felt
hat, was standing. AS l glanced at
him he turned in my direction, and
saw that 1t was Adolf. looked away
to inform my companions, and Sug
gest a quick retreat by the door from
which we had entered. AS / was
about to do so. however. I glanced at
the door in question, and beheld
Rehmy entering with the tickets and
behind him Won Sal
snig. l nudged Beatrice, and she
moved along the seat to make room
for Rehmy, who was coming through
the crowd toward us.
AS he sat down whispered to him
Look, Rehmy. when you can. Adolf
and Won Salsnig. They're watching
both the doors"
He looked up guardedly.
You're right" he whispered back.
He sat still for a moment while
we both noted that the two men were
on guard.
AT last Rehmy said to me:
There's no hope for II. We must
try and slip through the barrier. The
train goes in five minutes. We must
pass Banner and hope that he won't
recognize U.S."
A queue of travellers was forming
as he spoke. l whispered to Beatrice
to stand Immediately in front of me
and keep her veil over her face. We
Joined the throng and moved slowly
AoI NdIu. lSdIl " DIS DodllTE 16St.
Rehmy was in front, with CASTOR
next to him, then came Beatrice,
while l brought up the rear. Rehmy
showed his ticket to the official at
the barrier. He passed through to
the platform without giving any
sign that he had been noticed
moment later Castor and
Beatrice were also through. AS
| was about to present my ticket,
however, a fat German frau, with a
arge basket on her arm, pushed her
way past, with the obvious intention
of getting through before me. The
ofncial began to demonstrate, but 1
held my peace.
Quick there" he shouted. "pass
along"
The woman IN front endeavored to
1bey his Instructions, but in doing so
she let fall the basket, over which
stumbled just as / was going
the barrier. I put out a
1and to save myself from falling and
clutched an arm.
"Verzeihung." I murmured.
Looking up, l saw that l was hold
ing on to Adolf. He stared at me
lard, and recognition was mutual.
Herr Inspektor-" he began.
gave him no time for more, but
pushed past him and bolted for the
ram. Gaston's head was leaning
'ut of first-class compartment, and
jumped in just as the train was
beginning to move.
L looked out of the window. Won
HuSer and Schreckermann
we're at the barrier in excited con-
;ersation with the railway oftciaI
AdoH was running along the plat
orm, but the speed of the train was
low too great for him to board il
Lhd' as we swept out of the station,
saw them all standing in a knot
IN the platform. gesticulatinG freely.
WlthdreW from the window into
ne carriage and communicated what
lad happened to me at the barrier
Ind what 1 had seen to the others.
we held a hurried counsel of war
he train, which was an express ston-
'lng nowhere on the way, was due to
lrrlVe at Paderborn in a little under
ne hour. From there we should
lorfnaiIy nave gone direct through
-lppstadt and Soest to Dortmund, but
was obvious that such a course was
now impossible. The police would be
Waiting in full force at the next ston
o arrest us all. Besides, although
iaston and Rehmy were furnished
With papers, had nothing except the
passport of Won Emmerich, of which
ne number and description had
ioubtless long since been telegrapbed
o every Zollhaus and frontier post.
3eatrlce had no papers of any descrip-
Ion, the professor having apparently
,ot her into Germany in some mys
erious way of his own. We were. of
more or less disguised, but.
iespite Rehmy's clever handiwork.
We were none of US inclined to put
'ur trust in this method of deception.
'arllcularly as there were very few
,ther passengers and a group of
hree men and a girl would have been
'asily distinguishable. We were up
against the whole official and unof-
lclal FORCES of Germany and the most
desperate efforts would be made to
letain us.
At last, on Gaston's suggestion. we
lecided that the best thing to do
would be to pull the communication
ord and bolt into the darkness as the
rain slowed down. Rehmy had a
arge scale map Of the country and
We accordingly determined to trust to
uck to make our way through the
hight to some little village off the
'eaten track, if possible somewhere
between Begheim and Lippspringe,
'nere we could either lie up for q
couple OF days or else obtain some
ort of transport to take us on our
way through Wiedenbruck and
3echum toward the frontier.
There was now no time to lose and
IS soon as we had reached this de-
ision CASTOR got up and put his
land on the ring which controlled the
.larm signal. AS he was about to pull
t. however. the train began sensibly
o slacken speed.
Rehmy stayed him with gesture.
Surely we don't stop before Pader-
'orn?' / said. as the train slowed
Iown still further.
CASTOR went to the window and
ooked out.
Il don't see any signs of station"