Evening star., 1925-04-30
THE SEVEN SLEEPERS
By FRANCIS BEEDING
Copyright, 1925. by Little. Brown q Coz

His little eyes, set like currants in
his fat face. blazed with enthusiasm.
and it was brought home to me that
the old German spirit, which had
driven the gray-clad MASSES through
Belgium to Nerdun. still survived in
some of the men who had fostered 1t.
Outside, a taxi was waiting. and a
moment later l was seated beside Won
Salsnig, bound for an unknown desti-
nation. We drove for about 20 min
utes past the railway station TO the
Eilenriede, a kind of park. We pulled
up in front of what appeared to be
a moderate-Sized villa of two stories,
compact, plain and -plastered,
with small fight of steps leading up
to the front door.
Good luck" said Won Salsnig, as
got out of the car and approached the
steps. You will report to us imme-
diately the result of your interview" "
l rang the front door bell. 1t was
answered by a maidserVant, who re
lieved me of my overcoat and cap.
She showed me into small room
opening from the hall. saying that
she would inform a certain Herr Ken
rich that 1 had arrived.
/ looked eagerly about me. The
room was evidently an office, for it
contained the usual uncomfortable of
flee furniture, including a safe in one
corner and two desks, one a massive
roll-top affair, and the other. at some
distance from it, of less elaborate con-
struction. Obviously / was now in
the working quarters of Captain T..
and his secretary. over the larger
desk hung a big, signed portrait
of the eX-kaiser, in f1eld-gray uni
form, his head surmounted by the
silver eagle. l gazed with interest
at the portrait of the unheroic mad
man who had brought his proud en-
pire lower than the dust, and had
then deserted it, shamefully surviving
the sole occasion where he might
have perished with honor.
Ny reflections were interrupted by
the entry of a neat blond-haired man
in plain clothes. whom l supposed to
be Herr kenrich. l judged him to be
in the neighborhood of 40. His hair
was craving a little at the sides, but
his mustache, which was in the i'm
perial style, was as yet untouched by
time.
He greeted me with quiet cordial
lty, addressing me by my Christian
name. and congratulating me on my
opportune arrival.
We were unable to persuade the
chief to wait for you in Switzerland, .
he said. Your organization has taken
longer than it promised"
There were unexpected Difficult
ties" 1 began.
He held up his hand.
Quite so. l understand. and [ may
tell you that personally I have every
confidence in Prof. kreutzemark. "
I hastened to agree.
Make no reference to any difficult
ties" he continued" He dislikes ex-
cuses, and is quick to ascribe them
to inefficiency."
! bowed in silence.
You will dine with him alone"
said Kenrich. He desires the inter
view TO be quite private"
At that moment an electric bell
rang sharply in the room. Herr Ken
rich rose.
Come" he said. He is ready for
you.
Remember" he added, as we left
The room, ''he retires punctually at
TO- At his age one has naturally to
be careful, though he has an iron con-
Stitution.
We walked down the passage. and
kenrich threw open a door at the
further end, He motioned me to ad-
vance. and as | passed through he an
nounced my name in formal tones. I
took two or three steps into the room
and halted abruptly.
Standing on the hearthrug, regard
ing me closely, was one whose face
was known from one end of Europe
to the other.
1t was Field Marshal Won Luden-
burgi
I had the sense to come stiff1y to
attention. and click my heels. But
my brain was in a whirl. The devel-
opment was so totally unexpected. I
had realized, of course, that 1 was to
meet a person of some Importance.
but it had never occurred to me that
he would be no other than the man
who had succeeded Won Falkenhayn
in the direction of the German armies,
and to whose tenacity and strength
the stubborn defense put up by Ger
| many in the latter half of the war
was mainly due, the man who had
been the subject of an almost pagan
idoiatry, when the people of Berlin
| had driven great iron nails into his
wooden statue.
1 had recognized him Immediately
| He stood with his legs apart on the
hearth-ruG, a colossal figure GG