he drew back while Tom raised the door to the merest crack
and peered cautiously out. The fresh air afforded them infinite relief.

The night was still and clear, the sky thick with stars. Far away a
range of black heights was outlined against the sky, and over there the
moon was rising. It seemed to be stealthily creeping up out of that
battle-scourged plain in France for a glimpse of Alsace. It was from
beyond those mountains that had come the portentous rumblings which they
had heard.

"The blue Alsatian mountains," murmured Tom. "I wish we were across
them."

"We'll have to go down and around if we everr get therre," Archer said.

"Sh-h-h!" warned Tom, putting his head out and peering about while
Archer held the lid up.

The moonlight, glinting down through the interstices of the trellised
vine, made animated shadows in the quiet vineyard, conjuring the wooden
supports and knotty masses of vine stalk into lurking human forms. Here
some grim figure waited in silence behind an upright, only to dissolve
with the changing light. There an ominous helmet seemed to stir amid the
thick growth.

The two fugitives, elated at their deliverance, but tremblingly
apprehensive, stood hesitating at so radical a move as complete
emergence from their hiding place.

"We can't crawl out of herre in daylight, that's surre," whispered
Archer. "D'you think maybe she'll come even now--if we waited?"

"It must be long after midnight," Tom answered. "You wait here and hold
the door up while I crawl out. Don't move and don't speak. What's that
shining over there? See?"

"Nothin' but an old waterring can."

"All right--sh-h-h!"

Cautiously, silently, Tom crept out, peering anxiously in every
direction. Stealthily he raised himself. Then suddenly he made a low
sound and with a rapidity which startled Archer, dropped to his hands
and knees.

"What's the matterr?" Archer whispered. "Come inside--quick!"

But Tom was engrossed with something on the ground.

"What is it?" Archer whispered anxiously. "His footprints?"

"Yop," said Tom, less cautiously. "Come on out. He's standing over there
in the field now. Come on out, don't be scared."

Archer did not know what to make of it, but he crept out and looked over
to the adjacent field where Tom pointed. A kindly, patient cow, one of
those they had seen before, was grazing quietly, partaking of a late
lunch in the moonlight.

"Here's her footprint," said Tom simply. "She gave us a