He was at that moment presuming that, when Élisabeth was ready to start, she would return to the room and go away with the spy; but presently the countess struck a bell on the table and spoke a few words to the servant who appeared. The man went out. Paul heard two whistles, followed by the hum of an approaching motor. Karl looked through the open door and down the passage. Then he turned to the countess, as though to say: "Here she is. . . . She's coming down the stairs. . . ." Paul now understood that Élisabeth would go straight to the car and that Karl would join her there. If so, it was a case for immediate action. For a second he remained undecided. Should he take advantage of the fact that Karl was still there, burst into the room and shoot both him and the countess dead? It would mean saving Élisabeth, because it was only those two miscreants who had designs upon her life. But he dreaded the failure of so daring an attempt and, jumping from the balcony, he called Bernard. "Élisabeth is going off in a motor-car. Karl is with her and has been told to poison her. Get out your revolver and come with me." "What do you intend to do?" "We shall see." They went round the villa, slipping through the bushes that bordered the drive. The whole place, moreover, was deserted. "Listen," said Bernard, "there's a car going off." Paul, at first greatly alarmed, protested: "No, no, it's only the noise of the engine." In fact, when they came within sight of the front of the house, they saw at the foot of the steps a closed car surrounded by a group of some dozen soldiers. Its head-lamps, while lighting up one part of the garden, left the spot where Paul and Bernard stood in darkness. A woman came down the steps and disappeared inside the car. "Élisabeth," said Paul. "And here comes Karl. . . ." The spy stopped on the bottom step and gave his orders to the soldier who acted as chauffeur. Paul caught a syllable here and there. Their departure was imminent. Another moment and, if Paul raised no obstacle, the car would carry off the assassin and his victim. It was a horrible minute, for Paul Delroze felt all the danger attending an interference which would not even possess the merit of being effective, since Karl's death would not prevent the Comtesse Hermine from pursuing her ends. Bernard whispered: "Surely you don't mean to carry away Élisabeth? There's a whole picket of sentries there." "I mean to do only one thing, to do for Karl." "And then?" "Then they'll take us prisoners. We shall be questioned, cross-examined; there will be a scandal. Prince Conrad will take the matter up." "And we shall be shot. I confess that your plan . . ." "Can you propose a better one?" He broke off. Karl the spy had flown into a rage and was storming at his chauffeur; and Paul heard him shout: