The Washington times., 1938-05-17

clined hts head and indicated .
chair.
Reinhold Won Tronmer sat
down, pulled up his trousers,
mindful Of the immaculate crease.
and laid his white chamois- gloves
on the table.
"And now, mon Colonel, let us
cut the preliminaries," he said,
conversationally. You can have
me shot, of course"
81 can have you shot, natuf-
ally" the Chief admitted. You
have deserved it, haven't you?"
"Richly, but" he added impul-
sively. 81 led you a merry dance,
Colonel, did I not?"
The Chief smiled grimly. ''We1l,
my friend, the dance is over. But
before we proceed to business,
please have a glass Of wine and
tell me why you did it."
But don't you see. sir? I am
an officers career officer-quite
at the beginning of the war, had
a terrible operation-one kidney
gone-unfit for field work. Could
I take a cushy job in some office
Il, an officer? I must serve my
country! am Of mixed parent
age as you know-my mother is
Dutch-I know languages, I have
traveled-winat else could I do?"
I'M PROUD OF YOU
II see," the Chief spoke dream
lily, "and you came to me-to mo
who-like you, have been disabled
and debarred from active service
in the first year Of the war-to
me, who. like you, refused q cushy
Job in an office -"
Birds of a feather, SIR" the
Rhine Gold raised his glass and
laughed, 81 am proud of it -"
And I am proud Of you, Ober-
lutnant," the Chief said huskily.
Then shake hands and have
me shot,"
you regret nothing?" They
gripped hands across the table.
II regret nothing. I am proud
Of my work: am proud Of having
had you for an adversary, sir"
I'VE might have been comrades"
I'VE are comrades-officers, you
and I-doing each his best for our
respective fatherlandS.
"And you are willing to die for
yours? Die the death Of a spy?"
"Gewiss, but it will be the death
Of an officer" The boy drew him.
self up proudly.
Suddenly the Chief laughed and
the other looked at him uneasily.
CHIEF EMBARRASSED
Zach, no, Oberleutnant," the
Chief spoke in German, mo such
romantic end for you! I want to
punish you, you know. not to make
a hero Of you-you have been a
thorn in my flesh for six months,
remember"
"You won't have me Shot?"
II won't have you shot," the
Chief said grfnly, something less
dramatic is in store for you, meine
Junge: the stage is set; back you
go to Switzerland-the authorities
there are warned and have been
supplied with proofs-you'll Sleepl
in jail tonight"
ZACH, Herr Oberst. it seems the
joke is on me! Why do you do
this, sir2 Why this generoSity?"
For the first time since I knew
him. I saw the Chief embarrassed
and moved. He hung his head and
spoke in a whisper.
This terrible war;" he said, $50
much beautiful young life wan
tonly squandered. But, remember
should you ever-ahem-escape
it will be the cushy job in an
office for you, heinz" he wound up
severely.
Reinhold Won Tronmer nodded.
1T will be the cuShy job in an
office, my friend the enemy" he
replied softly, but there was the
solemnity of an oath being taken
in his voice.
hardly listened to the conver.
sation that followed. Later. two
friends, momentarily separated by
the barriers Of man.made con-
nictS, took leave of one another
one Of them remaining to serve
his country, the other going to
his punishment for having served
his.
Birds Of a feather we were,
our Colonel and l." Reinhold Won
Tronmer reminisced several years
later, when I met him accidentally
in Berlin. "You naturally heard
of my dramatic escape at the
time, didn't you?"
I nodded thoughtfully. "Tell
me-" asked, did our Colonel
help you, them"
Reinhold laughed. "He con-
sidered that six months in Swiss |
jail was quite sufficient to com.
plete my education" he said.
"Himmel, how we laughed over
that episode when I visited him in
Stockholm two years ago"
Birds NJ a feather. indeed Il