Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-14

home.
She was still awake at 8 in the morn
ing when two men burst into her room
with drawn revolvers. One Of them
was the man who had offered news Of
Alice
You are under arrest!"
She heard men all over her house.
searching But as the visit was not
unexpected all they got out Of it was
Charlotte.
She was taken to the prison Of 81
GILES at Roubaix. The cell in which
she was locked uD was of stone and
spotlesSly clean. It was about 8 feet by
IL. For exercise she used to pace its
length. her hands behind her. until her
movements became as mechanical as
those OF a squirrel in cage.
Meanwhile Alice came back, and at
once heard from her people what had
happened. 1t meant that she was be-
ing tracked. too. although the fact that
she had not been arrested Immediately
on re-entering Belgium gave her time
10 breathe. She could still escape If
she wished.
She knew that her freedom meant
not a trap but as yet ignorance on the
part OF the Germans as to her where
abouts.
Her first step was to reorganize her
unit so that if she, too. should be ar
rested 1t would go on functioning.
Inen she drew up report that had
been urgently asked for by her chiefs.
M. Bernard wrote the complicated fig
ureS down on minute slip of japanese
rice paper. Alice memorized it, Then
she made ring of the bit of paper and
with hairpin tamped it into the space
between her finger and ring she per-
Slsteod in wearing, on which the De
BettignieS seal showed.
She had sent word to one Of her
girls, Marguerite, to meet her on the
road between Mouscron and Journal.
Her instructions were that the girl was
to secure for herself a permission to
travel"
Marguerite. too. knew that Charlotte
was arrested. The event had struck
such fear into her heart that she did
not have the courage to apply for the
necessary paper.
But so great was her confidence In
Alice that she met at the rendezvous
and told her of her neglect to provide
herself with the permission to travel"
But, Alice, the sentry at the barrier
is so stupid that I am sure you can
trick him and get us through" the girl
said.
For the first time. one of Alice's
workers was destined to discover a
side IN her chief they had never sus-
pected. Alice turned on her with a
cold fury before which the girl cringed.
A Prussian martinez would have
sounded mere blusterer compared to
the steel GOODNESS with which Alice's
words pierced her Subordinates heart.
The girl was made to realize what
a crime she had committed, the lives
she had placed in jeopardy, the least
important OF them being their own.
The punishment driven home. Alice,
since she had no choice. had to pro-
coed with the handicap of their extra
hazard.
She told the girl to wait for her In
house near the barrier. Then she
went forward herself. showed the SEN
which no photograph was as yet re-
quired. AS she held it out her thumb
hid the name.
The sentry glanced perfunctorily at
the card, saw the proper color, and let
Alice pass.
She stopped at house on the other
side of the barrier and coached a small
boy as to what to do. With Alice's
permission to travel in his shoe the
boy went on an Grand that took him,
duly passed by the sentry. to Mar
guerite. Now, provided with a card
herself, Marguerite was enabled to Join
Alice on the other side of the barrier.
The two were walking along, each
occupied with her own thoughts, when
two burly men in civilian garb stopped
them.
Your papers,"
Marguerite turned pale. But Alice
summoned anger
We just showed our papers at the
barrier! And who are you TO ask
again?"
One of the men took out of his
pocket a badge and showed it. Ger
man authority" he said.
Alice had let Marguerite keep the
paper lest just such a contretemps
occur. She now pretended to search
for her papers of identification, ex-
claiming she must have lost them.
Come along, both!' was the reply.
4 N automobile was requisitioned AMI
the two women were taken away
The curtains in the closed car were
pulled down by the men to prevent
possible accomplices from learning of
the arrest.
On the sidewalk ahead of them Alice
saw M. and Nine. de Geyter. She was
doing some rapid thinking But even
Jove mods. and for once Alice's think
ing was more panicky than inspired.
If you don't believe me-" she said
to one Of her captors. TASK NJ. and
Nine. de Geyter who 1 ami" The ter
rible moment had come in which Alice
alone had forgotten the rules she had
laid down.
The machine was stopped in frort
OF the couple and the Germans con-
fronted them with Alice. Before either
OF the detectives could open his mouth
Alice cried out:
Don't you know Airline. who sews
for you Nine. de Geyter?" she pleaded.
she did not dare say anything with
her eyes, for one of the detectives was
avidly watching her. the other the de
Geyters. Isn't it true. madame, that
am refugee from Neuve Eglise, and
that / have been sewing for you for
the last six months?"
1t was a terrible moment for the de
Geyters as well as for Alice. Which
did she want them to do? Say yes?
Or must they remember the Alice who
had so often said:
IF tomorrow 1 or any one of you
Is found out by the Germans and
brought before any of our comrades
for Identification, your memory must
stop working. The unfortunate one,
no matter who. is a stranger to you
and must be left to his fate or hers!"
Nine. de Geyter looked hard at Alice.
Then she shrugged her shoulders.
mo, MademoiSelle, I do not know
you'll"
Nevertheless. said one of the detec-
tiveS. you two will also. come along
with u.s."
The four prisoners were taken 10
Saint GILES, where Charlotte already
was.
A searching party was hurried to the
de Geyters' home. But Alice's organ
ization had many eyes. The arrest of
the de Geyters, sudden though 1t was,
had been seen, and by the time the