CATCHING A SPY.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2778, 24 May 1916, Page 5

CATCHING A SPY.

"We walked to the station for a paper and stood waiting there till tho boy would arrive on his bicycle," writes Phyllis Campbell, the author of "Back of-the iront.' "While we waited wo saw a very familiar figura standing by.the pavement—a man with a tray of .mils suspended round" his neck. Ho was a tall, soldierly figure of a man—distinguished in appearance, but shabby and soiled to a deo,ce - Gossip said he was an English officer who had been ruined by a famous I'aiis actress. For seven years ho-had stood between the chateau and the church selling nnts—never looking one in the face, never speaking. As we watched him, suddenly from among the s<ildiers came a typical Pans gamin—ragged, hatless, impudent, and barefooted—evidently drunk. He reeled on the c-dgo of the pavement and cannoned against-, the poller of nuts, whose wares were flung broadcast by tho contact. Instead of apologising, he thrust a hand through his hair and said something m argot-and there was a roar from tho soldiers, Tho seller of nuts looked wizened with rage—and his retort, when it came, was bitingly satirical. The gamin wheeled round and spot in his faco -and, like a flash, the seller of nuts liccame a soldier—an officer—a gentleman— a spy! The soldiers closed round him— Qhat volley of horrible cursings was in yuro high German. The gamin was a jamous French detective, and tho seller nuts a Prussian. nobleman, an officer hixrli T3D.L"