Evening star., 1925-04-18
THE SEVEN SLEEPERS
Thrilling NoreI OF By FRANCIS BEEDNG
International Intrigue ,cos,,, ,oa =, r.,. nv,.oo,
By FRANCIS BEEDNG

The professor passed his tongue
once across his lips.
Are the dossiers numbered"
Yes"
What was the number Of the dos
sier?" he continued.
Fritz bent forward, drawing IN his
breath sharply; the professor made
gesture for silence.
"4/90347/S1756," replied beatrice, In
the same toneless voice.
Repeat that number, please" said
the professor, and as she dld so ne
wrote 1t down on a piece of paper.
did NJ Lavelle show you his solu-
ton of the cipher?"
Yes
"Can you remember it,
"Yes"
'WilI you repeat it, please
Here Beatrice, who had hitherto
| been speaking in English, to my as
| tonishment broke into German. though
I knew she was almost entirely unac-
quainted with the language.
"Wir, die Siebenschlafcr, uber-
zeught-'
stop" said the professor THAT
| will do. You will remember nothing OF
| what / have asked you when you
| wake, do you understand"
| Yes"
You have already forgotten what
was in the document"
| Yes"
TRY to repeat its contents
| II cannot, ] have forgotten them
"It is now II minutes to II. At noon
precisely you will wake up. do YOU
understand"
| Yes"
The professor ceased his interroga-
! tory, and the others in the room re-
| laxed their attitudes of strained atten-
| ton.
| I do not like to write any further
my impressions of that hateful scene.
| But / would ask any who may read
| these lines to realize that I loved
| Beatrice, and to imagine what ii was
for me to see her will suhducd to the
purposes of d. man who carried with
| him so positive and penetrating @
| suggestion of evil that since meeting
| him l have ceased to believe that
wickednesS is not merely the absence
of good as the modern sentimentalists
have persuaded themselves, but a firm
reality as objective, concrete and
tangible as the devil who gnaws his
| bone upon the caves OF Notre Dame.
| The professor seemed himself to know
what was passing in my mind, and to
presume that the torture he inflicted
upon me. which wrung invisible and
unsuspected nerves about my heart
was greater than anything he could
have achieved by merely physical
| means. He was, indeed, on the point
Of turning to me- when the expert
ment was concluded. in order to relish
its effect, and l was steeling myself
TO endure the smooth periods in which
he invariably expressed himself. when
| there was, to my joy, a merCiful inter
ruption.
1t came from Josef the manservant.
who suddenly entered and informed
him that Adolf Banner had arrived,
and was asking to be admitted.
Bring him here Immediately" said
the professor.
He arranged the quilt decorously
about the sleeping Beatrice and pre-
pared to give his attention TO the new
arrival.
I found it in my heart to be almost
sorry for little Adolf. His perform
ances had been the reverse of brilliant.
and personally ! pitied any one who
was obliged to report unfavorably of
his activities to such d master.
Adolf, entering the room, looked
white and exhausted. and had evi-
IDENTIFY been taking violent exercise.
At the sight of the professor his face
assumed an expression of mingled
Difference and terror.
AT last. Herr Professor" he ex-
claimed. II am thankful, indeed, to
find you again"
His expression, however, belied his
words.
80" said the professor. "And
may l ask YOU what you have been
doing with yourself? Sit down, my lit
tie friend. and take your time. We
have been rather anxious on your be
half, and ] propose to give you my
undivided attention.
He indicated d chair. Adolf sat. or
rather collapsed. upon it, and taking
out large and dirty red handkerchief,
wiped his brow. He was a depIorable
spectacle, two-day growth of stubble
on his chin. his face streaked with
sweat and CRIME.
CONTINUED in Tomorrow's Sfar)