AN IMPUDENT RUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15884, 3 April 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

AN IMPUDENT RUSE.

CAUGHT BY "SHARELOCK HOLLMES." Quite a good spy story this time, and with quite a refreshing touch of originality, is told by tho Matin on excellent authority. It was up in the north, not far from Bethune, and towards dusk. A small procession appeared and made its way slowly and solemnly towards the French lines. It consisted of a captive Uhlan, straitly surrounded by two gendarmes, and at its head a brigadier in fi.no new uniform— impressive figure. The captive Uhlan was the best passport there could be, and the littlo procession passed through tho French lines without let or hindrance. So the three gendarmes and their prisoner, who had a convincing, hang-dog air, continued their walk till they reached and overpassed the first line of trendies. All the time, it might have been noticed, but at first was not, they wero taking a keen and very intelligent interest in their surroundings. They had almost got to trenches number two, when a sergeant, who was sitting under a tree, smoking a peaceful pipe with half a dozen of his men, caught sight of them"Hallo," he said to his companions, " there's something rather fishy here. Three gendarmes to one prisoner! I have never seen that before. Get your rifles reidy, my boys!" Then, coolly, the sergeant, pipe still iii mouth, went up to the procession " Your papers, please,' he said to the splendid brigadier. The brigadier blustered. "By what right?" ho asked, in a thick accent. "Up with your hands," cried the sergeant sharply, and his companions behind him raised their rifles significantly. Up went the hands of brigadier, gendarmes, and pretended prisoner—now a genuine prisoner enough. Tho French sergeant now answers to the sobriquet of " Sharelook Hollmes."