Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-05-01
THE SEVEN SLEEPERS
A Thrilling Novel of By FRANCIS Bleeding
International Intrigue Copyright 1925 by Little. Brown Coz
By FRANCIS Bleeding


half. You have been false not only
to your Emperor and TO the sacred
traditions Of the Fatherland. you have
been equally false to your republican
masters, lacking the faith and Cour-
age to stand by them in their diff
| culties There is no health in YOU
Mistakes" ] pleaded. ARE easily
made in the bitterness Of defeat.
There was no relenting at this, but.
! if anything, an added severity.
"You should have been prepared 10
| face the bitterness Of defeat. II is
! the supreme test What do you think
| it cost mo, who from early manhood
| to old age had seen our splendid al
mics formed and trained. TO stand hc
side them when tho Armisticc WAS
| signed and to assist in their complete
destruction under the control and dI-
rection of our enemies? ! wonder II
| any man has ever been called upon
| TO know the bitterness Of defeat in
, such full measure? But can tell
YOU this, Won Emmericht that, If your
| father had lived to see that day, ho
would have stood by my side when
signed the orders to demobiiize. as, 30
| years ago. he rode by my side into
| the conquered city of Paris.
! He paused again, and / saw my
/ opportunity.
| There is still a way. sir. J said.
| speaking swiftly. And there are
| thousands Of US who are ready TO take
| it. But we can do nothing without
| A leader. A leader" ] cried Give
us a leader. and the things Of Which
you speak shall cease. We arc or
ganized and waiting
"Organized." he broke in. "Nur-
der clubs, Political caucuses. Chat
tering doctrinaires, IL is an anarchy
that you have organized. And there
| is not ono among you who can TO
member his manhood
Sir, | said, deeply moved. SO that
II lost all sense Of the part ! was
playing, and realized only the agony
of great man faced with the ruin
of his country. Sir. I think Won do
us an injustice. Find us a loadcl.
and YOU will see that the old virtues
can he restored. Nc arc ready q"
fight and To spend ourselves in the
cause Of the Fatherland, but we can
not move hand or foot without q
leader
I looked him full i'm tho eyes, and
he stared back at me His face wa
hard set, but ] saw that l had moved
him ] leaned forward across the
table
Sir" | said There is no nccd
for further words. You arc our leader.
and you know it
His face did not move. only his eyes.
thought lit for moment with some
hidden fire. Then they dulled again.
and he bent down towards his plate.
Fine words" he said fine words.
Won Emmerich. They do you credit,
my lad. but how will YOU find again
the power which YOU have destroyed
If consented to he your leader and
it, as you SAY. there are thousands "
YOU who are ready to respond u
what should be leading YOU? Can
YOU fight without arms. without
money without food? And where are
you TO get these things lad this
country faced defeat with the same
high courage with which it faced war.
il might have been possible Is il
is, we have nothing to build upon.
nothing but good will. and YOU can
not drive the French from the Ruhr
or the English from Cologne by sing
ing Deutschland uhor allies. "'
Il have come 10 you tonight. sir,
| reioined. Ito show you that We have
at last secured the means to victory.
/ have here a document which | am
charged TO deliver to You and which
when YOU have read it, will. ] feel
sure, remove your doubts"
He stretched out his hand across
the table
/ uubuttoned my jacket. pulled GU
the document from my pocket and
| handed it 10 him.
lie looked at it closely for mo.
ment.
1t is in cipher" he said at last.
Yes" l replied. but doubtless your
secretary will decode it. Have YOU
observed the signatures,
He looked again. and there was a
long silence. Then he raised his head
You give me your word az u gentle
man of Prussia he said. that this
paper has been signed by the actual
men whose names appear at the foot
Of it?"
Most assuredly I do | answered
He rose from the table and pressed
Il bell
II was answered by Kcnrich. who
was evidently his confidential score
tary.
Continued in Tomorrow Start