Evening star., 1925-04-30
4 Thrilling NoueI OF
International Intrigue

continued from Yesterdays Starl
He quilted the room leaving me
with Won Sa,snig. who suggested that.
aS there was nothing for me to do
until / was to fulfill nv dinner en-
GaGement with Captain H.. he should
fist show me my room. and after
ward. as it was not yet 3 o'clock,
take me to see something of the city
Of Hanover.
| acquiesced for ! did not wish to
arouse any suspicious. though l should
have much preferred 10 remain quietly
by myself and collect my wits for
the forthcoming dinner party.
I was taken To a rather oVerfur
nished bedroom on the next floor. |
decided. as | unpacked. that the most
significant element in the situation
was the fact that my unknown host
was apparently ignorant. to degree
which I could not determine. of the
plans of the conspiratOrs. and that
they evidently considered that my in
f1uence with him largely depended on
the circumstance that he knew my
family. | was expected to create a
good impression and to complete their
schemes by obtaining his signature
Of the document, result which was
of vital Importance ro them, but
which would not be easy to secure,
Lying on the bed was a uniform
of some kind, which on further eX-
animation proved to be the mess kit
Of an officer in the third regiment of
foot guards. In the buttonhole was
the ribbon of the Iron Cross, second
class. AS | was looking at it Won
Salsnig entered and inquired whether
7 was ready to accompany him.
CHANGING at the uniform. he said:
You see, we have had some of
your kit sent from Leipzig. We
thought it best that you should wear
uniform tonight. 1t will make good
impression"
Il am quiteNwilling to do So" re
piled doubtfully, 'if you think it will
do any good"
1T can do no harm" he rejoined
We walked downstairs together and
out into the street. On my compan-
ions suggestion, we visited the Schloss
Herrenhausen, the building from
which George, Elector of Hanover.
had set out to become King of Eng
land 1t is a miniature Versailles, the
gardens complete with statues, oran-
gerry and an open-air theater.
Now that our official business was
concluded, Won Salsnig proved him
panionable person. He talked first
Of the Great War. in which he had
served as an artillery officer, and l
found myself engaged in a discus
sion of army gunnery which threat
ened 10 become technical. Fortunately,
] remembered in time that | was
supposed to have served in the foot
guards and would therefore not be
expected to know much about the sis
ter arm.
As we wandered through the gar
nd oyaY1oinnd Tho trOniP0 |
= plants in the glass houses, | found it
more and more difficult to play my
part with ease. | was taken for
granted, which, while it lessened the
risk of discovery, made it far more
difficult for me to obtain an adequate
grasp of the approaching situation.
J was naturally assumed to be famil-
lar with the whole scheme, and !
could not therefore make the slight
est attempt to gain further informa-
ton in the course of casual conver-
sItion. Indeed, l soon found that my
companion maintained q marked re-
serve on the subject. and / did not
dare to press him. ! consequently re-
turned from our walk about s with
10 very clear idea of what was in
store for me.
At my suggestion, we stopped at
little Weinstube in the Georgstrasse,
the main thoroughfare of the town,
for glass of lager beer. but we did
not stay long, and about $50 | was
back in my room changing into the
uniform of my late lamented twin.
At 10 minutes to Z Won Salsnig
knocked heavily on my door and an
nounced that we should be going.
] picked up Won Emmerich's cap
and heavy gray overcoat, lined with
scarlet silk. which was, L noticed.
similar to those worn by our own
foot guards.
AS | passed through the hail. the
portly Huber, who had by now dis
carded his purple dressing gown for
q check suit of Teutonic pattern and
shade, came forward
My best wishes go with you. Herr
Lieutenant he said. IF all goes
well, the future of the fatherland is
assured"
l suddenly realized that the man
was deeply in earnest and that these
sssN ere not merely conventional words
to speed the parting guest.