He had sought revenge on his
own cowardly countrymen who had yielded supinely and permitted the
Americans to occupy the fairest districts of Germany. He had
offered his deadly discovery to the German commanders before the
armistice was signed, but either through doubts of its value or
fear that their own troops would share in the contagion they had
refused to make use of it. Then his rage had turned against
countrymen and foes alike. Like Caligula, he had wished that the
whole human race had but a single head so that he might cut it off
with one blow. He would have done it, too, if this accursed young
American--
Here he made a savage lunge at Frank, and there was a terrific
struggle before he was overpowered by the guards. He fought with
the strength of a maniac, which indeed he was, for the wild rage
under which he labored had reached its climax in the overturning
of his reason. He was dragged away, struggling, fighting, and
foaming at the mouth.
There was unmeasured joy and relief at American headquarters that
night, for the shadow of the plague that had hung over the army
for months was lifted and the remedy was known.
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