Evening star., 1925-05-05

dead, l was. in fact, the only man
who could have approached the field
marshal on that particular errand at
once, and without embarrassing eX-
plantations.
The Professor had Immediately in
formed Won Salsnig of the facts and
instructed him to act accordingly.
He had meanwhile arranged with the
local police for my arrest. but had
deferred it until Rehmy had also ap-
peared on the scene. feeling sure that
/ should meet one or both of the
F'renchmen after the conclusion of
my interview with Ludenburg. This
explained why Won Salsnig had not
been waiting for me in his car when
I had come out of Ludenburg's villa
The cunning of the Professor took
my breath away. He had relied on
the certainty that we should not
abandon our efforts until we had i'm.
plicated Won Ludenburg and he had
allowed US to do his work for him.
And now he proposed to reap the
fruits of our labors.
I cannot adequately reproduce the
smooth malice with which he revealed
to us the extent of our folly and the
faultlessness of his own deduction
Though we knew that worse might
follow, we felt appreciably relieved
when he drew q, his story to an end
and glanced at his watch.
Maj Adler" he said, thanks to
our energetic ahd engaging envoy
Mr.. Preston, we now have the docu
ment complete. 1t would be well to
lose no further time in taking it to
Leipzig, where the seven are doubtless
awaiting its arrival. They are to meet
shortly and the document should &c
ThpnO wit dol
therefore that you should start for
Leipzig this evening"
Adler nodded.
Very good, Herr Professor" he re-
piled. Meanwhile the English lady
will. 1 trust, be safe with you"
The professor smiled.
"She will be waiting for you on
your return, my dear jor."
1t needed but this to bring home
the full bitterness of defeat, and
Fritz was not the man to miss the
occasion He turned to me in triumph
You hear that?' he said in brutal
satisfaction. And this time we shall
see that you don't play a vanishing
trick
I could make no reply. I was try.
ing hopelessly to think of some way
in which 1 could save Beatrice, when
the door opened and a woman en-
tered.
1t was Elsa, in wild excitement
and she advanced straight to the Pro
fessor.
You've captured them she cried
Turning round, she caught sight
of me. Her face became suffused
with passion of rage, and she
rushed at me, screaming:
You killed him, you DEVIL You
killed Karl. Lieber Gott, may you
die in torment
She struck me twice across the face
as she spoke. 1 did not finch from
the blows and her violence was sud
denly exhausted. She drew back and
covered her face with her hands.
1--WE had no hand in it at ALL" she
cried desperately. 1--WE were blind
and helpless. I swear it was you that
killed him.
She shuddered, and her slim figure
was shaken with horror.
II can see him STILL" she whis
pered. "In the water. His eyes were
open. He could not even shut his
eyes"
The Professor, who was watching
this exhibition with contemptuous in
tereSt, turned to me calmly.
Il must apologize, Mr.. Preston" he
said. "F'raulein Elsa is not quite
herself"
His callousness in the face of the
distraught passion OF this poor crea
ture filled me with an increased abb
horrence for the man.
Pray try to calm yourself, frau.
lein," he continued, looking toward
Elsa Though 1 am not usually in
clined to encourage the qualification
of the cruder instincts, I will in this
instance indulge your very natura,
desire that Capt. Preston should suf
fer an adequate retribution. 1 am al
present experimenting with a gas OF
| a different, and, 1 believe, of an ever
more deadly. nature than those which
| was able to place at the disposal OF
the German armies during the war
Hitherto I have been compelled to OBJ
serve its effects on rabbits, dogs, ano
certain of the smaller mammals
Now, however, fate has been kind
enough to put into my hands the
| means whereby l can observe its i'm
mediate effects on human subject
and l propose that, when have com
pleted certain business upon which ]
am now engaged, Mr.. Preston should
enter the gas chamber. 1t may per.
haps relieve the very natural distress
of Fraulein Elsa if she is permitted
to assist me in this experiment"
Elsa raised her face at these words
and a glow Of satisfaction and ap
peasement gradually overspread her
childish features.
"At least she said in a low voice
looking me full in the eyes. II shall
know that Karl has been thoroughly
avenged"
continued in Tomorrow $ Starr