dea came to him he rose quickly and moved toward the door of
the telegraph office. He paused for a moment to adjust his monocle and
it was fortunate that he did so, for there was a crash of glass at the
window just by his head, followed by a cry of alarm within the room.
Renwick dodged behind a projection of the building, and peered out while
Windt and Linder came rushing from the office.

"A shot?"

"Who?"

"I can't imagine. He can't have gone far."

The four men raced out, Herr Windt with automatic drawn, but when they
reached the freight station which seemed to be in the direction from
which the shot had come there was no one in sight. Across the railroad
was a patch of dense woods.

Here Herr Windt paused.

"He was shooting at _you_, Herr Renwick," he said calmly.

"I haven't a doubt of it."

"Go forward, Linder and Spivak--search the woods--but do no shooting
unless attacked." Here Windt pocketed his weapon. "I regret, Herr
Renwick, that my other business is of the utmost importance. You will
come with me to the telegraph office, please."

Renwick obeyed rather willingly. He was unarmed and saw no possible
utility to his own cause or Marishka's in dodging around in woods which
contained a person bent upon assassinating him.

"You see, Herr Renwick, the matter is not ended."

"I'm much more comfortable that it is not," replied Renwick grimly. "He
shoots well."

"You must be careful," said his companion casually. "Come inside.
Hadwiger will watch." And he calmly took up his interrupted duty with
the telegraph officer, with an air of impassivity, which of course, was
part of his professional mien, but Renwick somehow gained the idea that
his own death whether by shooting, poison, or other sudden device was a
matter with which Herr Windt could have the least possible concern.
Renwick sank into a chair and smoked a pipe, trying to think what he
could do, listening dully meanwhile to the Austrian's dictated messages
to the wire, delivered rapidly and with a certain military precision.

"Stop all green motor cars traveling north on the Prague highroad--and
all roads leading north. Report at once here by telegraph description of
those arrested. Confirm this message by name of station." And then in
quicker tones, "Send that to all telegraph stations in this district
north and west of here--and quick, you understand--lose no time. When
that message is sent I will give you another--for the Chief of Police at