The Washington times., 1938-03-23

y
thin paper into shreds and burnt
the none by one in the fireplace.
I rang the bell for wine and
cakes, after having persuaded my
guest to resume his footgear.
Presently, Gotlieb Holzmeiner
honored me with his full conf
dence. This was, he said, his first
important mission and he was in
ordinately proud of it.
Provided this first assignment
we're carried out correctly, he had
another to fulfill-nothing less
than bringing back to Berne mo-
mentous dispatches which were to
arrive by the evening train.
This further favor depended en-
tirely on me; it was agreed with
the Herr Baron that, should I feel
that his mission had been carried
out with tact and caution, I was
to send telegram specially word
ed, which would apprise the Herr
Baron of the fact that Gotlieh
Holzmeiner could be entrusted
with the dispatches.
And now, this golden, this price
less opportunity: important dis.
patches from Berlin to be collected
by one of the biggest boobs it had
ever been my privilege to meet !
managed to rejoin Ganeval
and to confer hurriedly with him.
He was as excited as I was, but he
admitted that caution was indi'
cated-the very greatest caution
and "the cunning Of the very
devil"
was boiling with shame and
rage and I vowed to myself that
the large young man would pay
dearly for his tactlessness.
AS luck would have it, the GOV.
eted dispatches were not enclosed
in a sealed bag, as usual. The
courier handed my companion
three slim packages in stout en-
velopes, made him sign three
separate receipts, then took his
leave, as the train was returning
to the frontier almost Immediately
I was finishing packing, as my
train was leaving just after break
fast. when my door opened and
Gotiieb Holzmeiner came in. He
was no longer pink and flabby;
there was a queer gauntness to his
figure and his face was deadly
pale, a large, discolored lurnr
showed above his right temple.
HEADS FOR RIVER
"Gnadige Frau, was unworthy
Of the honor bestowed upon me,
he said without preamble, with a
strange dignity which brought q
flush of shame to my cheeks, I'VE
were followed by a spy last night
ami he saw me accepting delivery
Of the dispatches.
"I had locked and barricadec
my door but he gained access tx
, my room through the window.
was knocked out by a terrible blow
to the head and when I woke thi
morning I found my clothes ran
sacked, the lining of my coat ant
waistcoat ripped out and the LEI
ters gone.
"Gnadige Frau. you have beer
kind to me; be kinder still anC
give my last message to the Her
Baron. -" he stopped, straight
ener his shoulders, Saluted ant
said: For Kaiser and Father
land. 49,"
"Gotlieb -m GotteSwillen -
wait!" I cried, but he was out o
the room, racing down the stairs
running along the main street il
the direction of the Rhine, befor'
I could as much as pass out o
the hotel. I called for help as
followed, explaining to those VIII,
responded that the large younl
man was suffering from q fit o
madness and would doubtless de
stroy himself if not stopped il
time.
We were too late: Gotlieb Holz
meiner had plunged headlong int
the rapid current of the river.
Had he but known it, I wa
/ racked by remorse and it wa
from the depth Of my heart tina
I cried:
"That boy was hero-he neve
whimpered-he never accused any
body-all he was concerned wit
was what he mistakenly called hi
own unworthineSs. -"
And as I stood at attention t
: deliver the dead boys message,
was in all sincerity and reverenc
: that repeated what to him ha
been magic words: For KaiSe
2 and Fatherland -