efore, and General Joffre stepped from it on to the
pavement.

"Ah, what? You do not know where he is? No one has seen him--the young
English lieutenant who was to meet me here?" said the General, knitting
his white eyebrows. "That is strange; but never mind"--and he drew out
his watch--"it still wants four minutes to eight."

Leaning his elbow on the side of the automobile with one foot planted
on the step, the great Frenchman waited, talking meanwhile with a
Divisional General who had something to report.

"Yes, yes," said the Generalissimo, and then he looked at his watch
again. The minute hand pointed to the hour, but Sir Douglas Haig's
messenger had not come!

CHAPTER XIII

A Mad Gamble for Liberty

When Dennis Dashwood saw that terrible tableau through the window of Von
Rudolfstein's hunting-lodge, his first thought was that he had arrived
too late to save his friend; and, drawing his revolver from beneath
Blumberger's flying coat, he raced for the front entrance.

"Scoundrel and pig! I will split your skull even as I ground that cross
of yours beneath my heel!" Dennis heard the old man bellow. "I will be
bound you know more about the destruction of that fine Zeppelin than you
will admit. Come, have you not finished yet, thou clumsy old fool?"

"Clumsy old fool, indeed!" screamed the woman. "Who was it discovered
that he was a Frenchman, I'd like to know? You will be taking the whole
credit to yourself, worthless one!"

"No, I want some of the credit myself," said a stern young voice from
the doorway. "Shame on you both to treat a wounded man thus!" And he
fired at one of the huge hands that held the woodcutter's axe.

The formidable weapon fell with a clang on to the floor, and the
forester gave a howl like a wounded beast.

"Quick, Gretchen, ring the alarm bell! They will hear it at the
village!"

The old woman, who had sent up a piercing shriek, ran towards another
door; but Dennis was too quick for her, and, putting out his foot, she
pitched headlong on to the stone floor and lay quite still.

"Move your own length," he cried to the husband, laying his revolver by
the side of the basin of hot water, "and I will shoot you like a dog!
Courage, Laval! All is ready, and I'll have you out of this in a brace
of shakes."

"_Ma foi!_ you must forgive me, my dear friend," said the wounded
officer. "When I heard the machine rise, I thought for a moment that you
had deemed it wiser to save yours