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the Jews, and yet, when I hear you talk about the ideals of National Socialism, it sounds exactly

like the talk of my friend Freddi Robin whom I've told you about."

"I don't deny that there are good Jews; many of them, no doubt; and certainly they have

plenty of brains."

"Freddi is one of the finest characters I have ever known. He is sensitive, delicate, considerate,

and I'm sure he never had a vice. He was giving all his time and thought to the cause of social

justice, exactly as you believe in it and have explained it today."

"Is he still in Dachau?"

"I want to talk to you about him, Hugo. It's so important to me; I can't have any peace of

mind while the situation stands as it is, and neither can anybody who knows Freddi. I'd like to

take you into my confidence, and have your word that you won't mention it to anybody else,

except by agreement with me."

"I don't think it'll be possible to get me to take an interest in the affairs of any Jew, Lanny. I

don't even care to know about him, unless I can have your word that you won't tell anybody

that you have told me."

"You certainly can have that, Hugo. I have never mentioned your name to anyone except my

wife, and this time I didn't even tell her that I was planning to meet you. I've told everybody I

was coming for the purpose of buying some pictures from Baron von Zinszollern."

On that basis the young Aryan athlete consented to risk having his mind sullied, and Lanny

told him he had positive information that Freddi was being tortured in Dachau. Lanny

intimated that this news had come to him from high Nazi sources; Hugo accepted this,

knowing well that the rich American had such contacts. Lanny drew a horrifying picture, using

the details which Göring had furnished him; Hugo, a fundamentally decent fellow, said it was

a shame, and what did they expect to accomplish by such proceedings? Lanny answered that

some of the big Nazis had learned that Lanny's wife had a great deal of money, and were

hoping to get a chunk of it—money they could hide in New York, and have in case they ever

had to take a plane and get out of Germany. Irma had been on the verge of paying; but Lanny's

English friend, Rick, had said No, those men were betraying the Socialist movement of the

world, and nobody should furnish them with funds. It had occurred to Lanny that he would

rather pay money to some of the honest men in the movement, those who took seriously the

second half of the party's name, and would really try to promote the interests of the common

man.

In short, if Hugo Behr would spend his vacation helping to get Freddi out of Dachau, Lanny

would pay him five thousand marks at the outset, and if he succeeded would pay him another

five thousand, in any form and any manner he might desire. Hugo might use the money for

the movement he was building, and thus his conscience would be clear. Lanny would be glad

to put up whatever additional sums Hugo might find it necessary to expend in order to interest

some of the proletarian S.A. men in Dachau in bringing about the escape of a comrade who had

the misfortune to have been born a Jew. They, too, might use the money to save National

Socialism.

"Oh, Lanny!" exclaimed the young sports director. "That's an awfully serious thing to be

trying!"

"I know that well. I've been hesitating and figuring it for a year. But this news about the

torturing decided me—I just can't stand it, and I'm willing to run whatever risk I have to. It's

something that ought to be stopped, Hugo, and every decent Nazi ought to help me, for the

good name of the party. Is that guard you told me about still there?"

"I'd have to make sure."

"I don't ask you to tell me anything you're doing, or thinking of doing. I have complete

confidence in your judgment. It'll be up to you to make some friends in the camp and decide

who are the right ones to trust. Don't mention me to them, and I won't mention you to anybody,

now or later. We'll carry this secret to our graves."

"There'll be the question of getting your man over the border."

"You don't have to bother about that part of it. All I ask is for you to deliver Freddi to me on

some dark night at a place agreed upon, and without anybody to stop me or follow me. I don't

want to rush you into it—take your time, think it over, and ask me all the questions you want

to. Let's have a complete understanding, so that you'll know exactly what you're getting in

for, and each of us will know exactly what we're promising."

VII

Hugo did his thinking right there in the car. He said it was a deal; but when Lanny asked him

how he wanted his first payment, he was afraid to take the money. He said he wouldn't dare

to carry such a sum on his person, and he had no place to hide it; he was a poor man, and

had no right to have money, but Lanny, a rich man, did, so keep it for him until the job was

done and the danger was over. Lanny said: "I am touched by your confidence."

They worked out their arrangements in detail. Neither would ever visit the other's hotel.