"Correct, my friend. There they are!" said the man who had snarled at
Dalroy earlier.
"You must descend," commanded the new-comer. "You are both under
arrest."
"On what charge?" inquired Dalroy, bitterly conscious of a gasp of
terror which came involuntarily from the girl's lips.
"You are spies. A sentry heard you talking English, and saw you
examining troop-trains from the carriage window."
So that Bavarian lout had listened to the Prussian officer's taunt, and
made a story of his discovery to prove his diligence.
"We are not spies, nor have we done anything to warrant suspicion," said
Dalroy quietly. "I have letters----"
"No talk. Out you come!" and he was dragged forth by a bloated fellow
whom he could have broken with his hands. It was folly to resist, so he
merely contrived to keep on his feet, whereas the fat bully meant to
trip him ignominiously on to the platform.
"Now you!" was the order to Irene, and she followed. Half-a-dozen
soldiers closed around. There could be no doubting that preparations had
been made for their reception.
"May I have my portmanteau?" said Dalroy. "You are acting in error, as
I shall prove when given an opportunity."
"Shut your mouth, you damned Englishman"--that was a favourite phrase on
German lips apparently--"would you dare to argue with me?--Here, one of
you, take his bag. Has the woman any baggage? No. Then march them to
the----"
A tall young lieutenant, in the uniform of the Prussian Imperial Guard,
dashed up breathlessly.
"Ah, I was told the train had arrived!" he cried. "Yes, I am in search
of those two----"
"Thank goodness you are here, Von Halwig!" began Dalroy.
The Guardsman turned on him a face aflame with fury. "Silence!" he
bellowed. "I'll soon settle _your_ affair.--Take his papers and money,
and put him in a waiting-room till I return," he added, speaking to the
officer of reserves who had affected the arrest. "Place the lady in
another waiting-room, and lock her in. I'll see that she is not
molested. As for this English _schwein-hund_, shoot him at the least
sign of resistance."
"But, Herr Lieutenant," began the other, whose heavy paunch was a
measure of his self-importance, "I have orders----"
"_Ach, was!_ I know! This Englishman is not an ordinary spy. He is a
cavalry captain, and speaks our language fluently. Do as I tell you. I
shall come back in half-an-hour.--Fräulein, you are in safer hands.
You, I fancy, will be well treated."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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