Part 28 (1/2)

”Then you are quite alone here?” he continued.

”My sister and Cousin Phil are here.”

”Oh!” He glanced back at Phil casually.

”I hope that we may be disturbed as little as possible,” she ventured.

”We are not such barbarians as you think,” he said, with a laugh. ”As a matter of fact, I do not see why you should be disturbed at all.

There is another chateau on the list which belongs to the Count de la Grange, and as I have the say for my uncle, the General, I do not see why that will not serve as well.”

”Yes, the Count is away!” put in Henriette quickly. ”Thank you very much!” This with a gracious smile as a livelier expression of her acknowledgment of his courtesy.

”Done!” he answered promptly, smiling back at her. ”I shall see that you are quite undisturbed, I promise you, unless some one has to billet here. We may be crowded and may be here some time if your scepticism about our taking of Paris is well-grounded.” He made the bow of a Berlin salon, his heels clicking together, as he withdrew.

Phil went into the grounds with him.

”It's very good of you,” he managed to say.

”Don't mention it!” replied von Eichborn. ”A very charming cousin.

She speaks French like a Frenchwoman and looks like one. And you are an American?”

”A distant cousin;” and Phil tried to explain a situation whose awkwardness von Eichborn only emphasised the more by one or two subtle remarks. Phil bit his lip and reminded himself that he was in the presence of Prussian force.

”A peculiar position for an American,” von Eichborn observed. ”I hope your papers are all right.”

”Quite!”

”That is fortunate. You may be interrogated. The secret service is very watchful, you know. Good-morning!”

Phil watched the ramrod form to the tune of the jingling spurs disappear past the gate-post. He was disgusted and thoughtful.

”I am very glad that you are here with us,” said Henriette soberly, when he returned to the house. She, too, had been thinking.

CHAPTER XX

UNDER ARREST

An hour later a Prussian sergeant and two privates marched into the grounds. The sergeant mounted the steps and having rung the bell proceeded to hammer on the door. Phil answered the call, and was not long in realising that he was under arrest. The sergeant could not say why, such details not being in his...o...b..t of duty. His orders were to bring one young man from the chateau to headquarters. The only thing for Phil was to take the situation philosophically.

”I never did like melodrama,” he said, as he stood by the steps under the guard of the two privates, while the sergeant was searching his room for incriminating evidence.

”Don't!” pleaded the girls together. ”Don't joke about it!”

”And answer all their questions politely,” added Helen. ”If we don't hear anything by to-night we'll come to headquarters or get the cure to go there.”

”I'll be as polite as pie,” said Phil. ”And don't you be too serious about it,” he added warningly, in turn. ”When I show my papers to some one in authority I'll be all right.”

”It was I who got you into this!” Helen exclaimed, beset by a new thought. ”If I hadn't stayed----”