the courtyard.

66

"Yes, here," was the order. Alice," although she spoke German, had made no attempt to defend herself, for she knew that it was useless. They found on her five or six different identity cards, and swore at her as they discovered them. Then, without any mercy, every inch of her clothing was most rigorously examined in case anything more was hidden. After that, according to the story subsequently told by an onlooker, the whole party were placed in motor-cars, guarded by gendarmes, and were taken to the offices of the secret police close to the station of Tournai. "Alice" had succeeded in swallowing the rice-paper report before the personal examination, and now at Tournai they brought her a glass of milk containing a strong emetic. But she refused to open her mouth, and when they tried to force her to drink, she managed to throw the contents of the glass on to the carpet. After that they left her alone for a short time, for already they had obtained sufficient evidence to keep her in prison; but they let Lamote go, keeping him under supervision in the future.

The next day she was taken by the Chief of Police to Mouscron to the house of M. de Geyter, who was one of her principal agents, for the police hoped that by confronting the two suddenly they would obtain further information that would

arrests." Alice was given a large cloak made of Scottish wool to put on as she drove in the open car. When they arrived at the house, M. and Madame de Geyter were at home. Their maid ran to the door when the bell rang, and came back quickly, crying out—

"Oh, madame, monsieur ! The Boches are there, and mademoiselle is with them."

M. de Geyter immediately went out to meet the Chief of the Police, who was followed by his assistants and detectives. As they met, Rotselaer shouted at him

"Of course you know me, monsieur. Don't you know that I came from Neuve-Eglise, and that I have been working in your house for the last six months as a dressmaker? Surely you know that's true."

She had made up this story in order to try and protect herself, but both M. and Madame de Geyter indignantly denied it, saying

"No, it is certainly not true. We do not know you, and have never seen you before."

What a tragic moment! During all her adventurous life of the past few months "Alice" had never made a mistake.

Madame, you do not know me, but you are very kind, and this drink has done me good."

Then the police search began. Fortunately on the previous night, as soon as they heard of "Alice's " arrest, M. and Mme. de Geyter had spent several hours destroying every possible document or paper that might arouse suspicion. Accordingly, in spite of the minute search made of their house, nothing was found. The police then went away, taking with them Louise de Bettignies, who a few days later was consigned to the prison of St Gilles in Brussels. Above the door of this prison was written these words

"However great may be the misfortune that your sins have brought upon you, do not abandon yourself to despair. Open your hearts to repentance, and your courage will come back, your suffering will be less, you will become worthy of respect, and will deserve the pardon of men and the mercy of God."

By this time "Alice" had become much more calm, and during her stay in this prison, she carried out gymnastic exercises in her cell so as to keep herself as fit as possible, and

frequently subjected to crossexamination, and then for several days was left alone. At length about the 4th or 5th of May 1916, more than six months after her arrest, the police obtained evidence which showed clearly that Madame de Bettignies and Léonie Vanhoutte had been working together in obtaining military information and sending it to England. They therefore brought Léonie to Brussels, and took her suddenly into "Alice's " cell.

You know this girl, don't you?" said Goldsmith of the Brussels secret police to "Alice."

"No, I don't."

After various attempts to obtain a confession from them, he exclaimed angrily—

"At any rate, you both came out of the same camp."

He tried another method of learning the truth the next day by placing the two women together in a room, where they were left alone. In the meantime he was able to watch through a spy-hole in the wall, but they were careful not to betray each other in any way.

Two days later another bed was placed in "Alice's " cell, and a woman was thrust in who was said to have been condemned three months preyiously to ten years penal servitude for complicity in the schemes of Miss Edith Cavell at Brussels. For the first few days the two women hardly spoke to each other, and the

new-comer spent most of the time with her head in her hands in complete silence. She was frequently taken out for crossexamination, but always returned in despair, throwing herself on her bed or breaking out into furious curses on the German secret police, whom she declared had beaten her cruelly. One day she said to "Alice": "Do you know that there is another woman under suspicion for being a spy in the cell next door? She was put there this morning. I have seen the writing above the door-Gefahrlich Person.'

ventilators connected with the supply of central heating. The woman, whose name was Ladrière, then knelt down on the ground, placed her ears close to one of the ventilators, and listened to the cell on the left. This proved to be empty. She then tried to communicate with that on the right, where Léonie had been placed. She could just hear a chair being moved. She then gave three raps on the wall, and far away both heard raps in reply. "Alice in her excitement incautiously said

"Oh, let me speak." And

name through the ventilator, "Minou! Minou! It's I!"

There was no reply, for Léonie, more prudent than her "chief," kept silent. Then "Alice" rose up, crying bitterly, and the woman said to her

"Who was it that you called Minou just then?"

There were in the ward two

left the cell.

was outside

As soon as she she rushed to

Goldsmith of the secret police and repeated word for word what she had just learnt; for she was one of those police spies who earn a livelihood by acting as a decoy or "mouton." A certain number of French and Belgians had agreed to do this vile work. Ladrière was one of the more notorious, and after the Armistice she found herself received with so much disgust and hatred that she poisoned herself. On this occasion Goldsmith told her that she must return to the cell, and obtain something in writing that would serve to convict "Alice." Accordingly she went back again to her traitorous work, and the two became such close friends that "Alice foolishly gave her a short letter to carry to Léonie next door. In this there was nothing to involve any one else, but it was unimpeachable evidence that they knew each other, and it contained a warning to be very careful and cautious. The message was, of course, taken direct to Goldsmith, and "Alice" never saw Ladrière again, as she was sent on similar work elsewhere. Goldsmith thereupon sent for "Alice," and said to her

"Will you still tell me that you do not know this Vanhoutte girl? Haven't you written to her?"

"I have not written to her. That is not true," she replied indignantly.

"Ah, then, what is this? he said, holding up to the light the incriminating sheet of

"Very well," he replied. "Guard! bring in the other prisoner."

Then Louise, pale as death, was brought back again, and cried out to Léonie

"I couldn't help it. I confessed that we knew each other. Do forgive me."

They both embraced each other, sobbing as if their hearts would break, until the German separated them roughly.

After that the two prisoners waited for their trial. Between seven and eight o'clock one morning Alice" was taken out of her cell and taken to the Place of Justice. There, with six other accused persons and soldiers on each side, she stood face to face with the Governor, Von Bissing. The prosecuting barrister was Stoëber, a man whose name is still infamous in Brussels, and one of those concerned in the murder of Miss Cavell.

"Alice" was formally accused of being a spy, and the