Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-14
WOman'S Skill
as Spy in War
Admired by
Foe
Continued from Second PageD

He ran ont and in a few moments
came back with The Frog. The latter
searched Alice's person with more than
her wonted care. But her manner was
unusual friendly.
rive met this girl any number Of
times" she said to the detective, ana
know she is all right"
"Well0 gr,lmbled the detective, ap-
parently we've made a mistake. But
she can't go until Maj. RotSelaer has
questioned her"
The Frog turned to Alice.
Poor child" she said, you must be
frightened to death! I'll bring you
something to drink that will quiet your
nerves"
She returned with what seemed to
be glass of warm milk.
THANK you," Alice said I don't
want it,"
She knew, as she had seen it done,
that an emetic had been put into the
milk to retrieve the report she had
swallowed. At her refusal to drink
the detective flew into rage.
INK it," the detective roared, "or
say why you won't!''
Alice took the glass.
We'll. if you're angry about 1t, OF
course I'll drink it."
She brought the glass to her lips.
But it slipped out of her fingers and
only the Office floor got the benefit OF
its contents. The Frog knew that by
the time she got a second draft ready
it would be too late.
Alice was put into cell, on the
door of which was chalked in German.
Dangerous Person" An hour later
Charlotte was brought in.
do you know this woman?" Alice
was asked.
There was not the flicker of an eye
lash in the expression of either woman.
do you know her?" Charlotte was
asked.
"No!"
"You lieg"
''No!"
And mo, no, mol" was their refrain
until the day of their court-martial.
DUT their denial was useless. Maj.
- Rotselaer, The Frog, and others had
not been idle while Alice and Charlotte
were in prison. The court-martial which
tried the two women on the charge OF
spying brought in the verdict of guilty.
Sentence followed.
For Louise de Bettignies, death.
"For Leonie Vanhoutte, death"
The two white faced women heard
their doom without moving or sound.
Then Alice addressed the court in Ger
man so that Charlotte would not under
stand:
1T beg of you not to shoot my friend.
She is young. I implore you to have
pity on her. For my part, am quite
ready to die"
It was Charlotte's turn to address the
court.
Il accept my sentence" she said.
l,,,.. 1-Iv ga
pardon for Louise de Betts~ IS"
The two girls were ser o their
cells. Their German W. 70 had
grown attached to the! 5 agi-
tated by the verdict (. were
kinSmen.
aPoor souls!" they erie. so they
have condemned you to death? Ask
for anything you wish. Who would
have the heart to deny you?"
1t was not until the night before the
Gate set for their execution that the
two prisoners availed themselves Of this
promise of kindness.
They sent a request to the governor
of the prison that they should be al
lowed to spend their last night in the
same CELL
The kindest of their keepers took the
request to the governor. He returned
with a radiant face.
sHe has refused It'll" he whispered to
Alice. Thank Godl It means that
they will not shoot you in the morning.
Otherwise he would not have denied
you"
The dawn was late, with clouds and
rain. The two women were not the
only ones sentenced to die that day.
And they heard footsteps on the tier
below them.
A beautiful girl, Gabrielle Petit, came
out with firm step on the landing. Sud-
denly her voice rang out through the
prison:
"Salut o mon dernier matin!"
The cry shook the hearts of the two
women awaiting their turn. Would
they have the spirit to cry out salute
to this the last morning of their lives?
But the keeper knew what he was
talking about. From Gen. Won Kissing
came word:
Germans know how to render hon.
age to heroism. The sentence of Leonie
Vanhoutte has been changed to Is
years hard labor For Louise de Bet
tignies life Imprisonment"
They were sent to prison in Germany.
Meanwhile, prior to her arrest, SO
well had Louise planned and worked,
that although the heads of her organi-
cation were gone, the rest was saved.
But in the German prison typhus
finally overlook the woman who had
had her high adventure. Louise caught
the disease. The prison doctors tried
to save her.
But when the British entered Cologne
they found in cemetery there a SIM
pie wooden white cross with the words:
LOUISE DE BETTIGNIES,
GEST,
27-9-18."
That was all. But when her funeral
was held in France it was with full
military honors.
On a cushion four medals were
pinned-two by the British, two by the
French The citation that went with
the CroiX de Guerre was:
For having voluntarily devoted her
self for many months to the service of
her country; for having affronted with
an inflexible courage the perils and
difficulties Of the great work; for hav-
ing Surmounted, thanks to her excep-
tional abilities, the greatest obstacles,
risking her life continually and assum-
ing during the whole of her services
tremendous responsibilities; heroism
which has rarely been surpassed"
AS for Charlotte, she and her fellow
prisoners in Germany one day heard a
great crowd approaching the prison,
and on the wind borne before it some
exultant chant as yet undistinguiShable
in words.
Then their keepers threw open their
cell doors.
You are freeI' they cried. THE
republic has been declared!'
Imperial Germany had been over
whelmed. The German people them
selves had overthrown their Emperor.
And Leonie Vanhoutee, also decorated
by her country, returned from her high
adventure to keep shop again in Rou-
baiX.
The End.
Copyright 1929