se-like grasp was
maintained upon his windpipe. He began to understand that his
struggles were useless, and spent his entire energy in an effort to
stiffen the cords of his neck, hoping to assist his breathing by so
doing. Presently, as he ceased his struggles, the soldier who had so
skillfully captured him set the lad upon his feet.

"So," began the soldier, "think you that we understand not the fact
that you are but a spy and that information you are giving to your
friends in the city? Yes. It is indeed so."

Jimmie's only reply was a wrinkling of his freckled nose in a grimace
of extreme disgust and contempt. Even had he been so minded, the
condition of his wrenched neck and strained muscles prevented sprightly
conversation. He winked rapidly to clear his tear-filled eyes, and
indulged in another wrinkling of the nose.

"So," continued the other, paying no heed to Jimmie's motions of
contempt. "And this is why we have not had better success in our
campaign. We must fight not only the enemy in their trenches, but we
must also contend with traitors in our own camps!"

"Who's a traitor?" demanded Jimmie in a belligerent tone.

"Your name I know not," answered the soldier, "but the red hair and the
active nose, with its habit of turning up toward the sky, would be
identification enough without a name. I need no name."

"Well, you haven't any name so far as I know," was the lad's
impertinent response. "And I don't want to get acquainted with you."

"The subject we will not change," was the cool rejoinder of the German.
"We just now are discussing your giving information to the other
Russian spies down there in the city. You will not need a name after
to-morrow, or possibly after this evening, if Herr Captain von
Liebknecht is as zealous in the service of the Kaiser as he has been.
If I were giving orders, you would be shot now."

"Well," began Jimmie, pursuing the subject, "I'm not shot yet and
you're not shot, but in the language of the little old United States
you certainly act like a fellow just about half-shot."

"Half-shot?" inquired the German in a puzzled manner. "How can a man
be half-shot? He would then be only kerwundete."

"You and I are getting on famously, Old Man," Jimmie observed, half
laughing. "From all appearances you'd like to stand me up against a
wall at sunrise and I'd like to see you in Halifax."

"Halifax?" queried the soldier. "You speak of strange places."

"Well, all