show it a little longer. But I'll say this much. You can
barely make out a line of hills across those fields. Well, they are five
or six miles away and we're going toward them at a leisurely but fairly
rapid pace."

"All right. Show the way. I think I'm in good shape for a canter of
several miles."

They walked steadily more than an hour, and the night lightened
somewhat. As they approached the hills John saw that they were high,
rough, and covered with dark green foliage. It was possible that Lannes
was seeking a refuge among them, but reflection indicated that it was
not probable. There could be no secure hiding place in a country so
thickly populated, and in a region so far away from France. Lannes must
have something else in view.

When they came to the first slope Lannes led boldly upward, although he
followed no path. The trees were larger than one usually sees in Europe,
and there was some undergrowth. At a point two or three hundred feet up
they stopped and looked back. They saw nothing. The town was completely
hidden by the night. John had a strong feeling of silence, loneliness
and awe. He would have insisted upon knowing where Lannes was leading
him, but the young Frenchman had shown himself wholly trustworthy.

The way continued upward. Lannes was following no path, but he advanced
with certainty. The night lightened somewhat. A few stars came out, and
an edge of the moon showed, but the town was now shut off from sight by
the foliage on the hills, and they seemed absolutely alone in the world.

John knew that they were not likely to see houses, owing to the habit
the rural people had on the continent of living in villages, but they
might pass the hut of a stray woodcutter or charcoal burner. He had no
mind to be taken back to the town and his hand slipped down to the butt
of the automatic.

"You've plenty of courage, John," said Lannes, "and you've a very steady
nerve, too. Courage and steady nerve don't always go together. You'll
need both."

"For our escape?"

"Yes. It's scarcely possible to walk out of Germany because the borders
are guarded everywhere. The land is closed to us, nor can we go by water
either. As an American they might have passed you on, if you had not
become so strongly identified with me, but borrowing one of your English
expressions we are now tarred with the same brush. But, as I told you
before, we shall leave Germany nevertheless."

John's curiosity was intense, but prid