this room peaceably, or shall I order you under arrest?"

"Dog of a German!" she hissed, "the day is coming when I will help to
drive you out of Belgium, even as you now drive me. Brave soldiers are
you, to make war on women and children. Guh! I would kill you where you
stand--if I dared." With venomous hate she spat upon the floor, then
seized her wailing children, shook them and waddled out of the room.

There was a general sigh of relief.

"You may return to the launch, Henderson," said the captain.

"Monsieur Rondel," said Uncle John, grasping the young Belgian's hand,
"we are grateful to you for your kindness. The failure of your mission
was not your fault. We thank you. The governor has given us our liberty
and permission to travel where we please, so to-morrow we will go to
Charleroi ourselves to search for Mrs. Denton."

"My motor car is at your disposal, sir, and my services."

"To-morrow? Oh, let us go to-night, Uncle!" cried Patsy.

Mr. Merrick looked inquiringly at the Belgian.

"I am ready now," said Rondel with a bow.

"Then," said Patsy, "we will start in half an hour. You see, we have
wasted two whole days--two precious days! I hope Dr. Gys will keep his
promise, and that we shall find poor Denton alive on our return."

CHAPTER XIV

FOUND AT LAST

The pretty city of Charleroi had suffered little damage from the German
invasion, yet many of the townspeople had gone away since the occupation
and those who remained kept well within their houses or huddled in
anxious groups upon the streets. The civic affairs were still
administered by the Belgian burgomaster, but the martial law of the
Germans prevailed over all.

When Patsy Doyle, escorted by Uncle John and accompanied by Captain
Carg, Lieutenant von Holtz and Monsieur Rondel, arrived in the early
morning, the streets were comparatively deserted. The Hotel Royal
received them hospitably and the landlord and his daughters prepared
them an excellent breakfast.

While eating, Patsy chatted with the Belgian girls, who were neat,
modest and intelligent. She found that Henderson and Rondel had not
stopped at this hotel while in Charleroi, but at a smaller inn at the
other end of the town. The girls remembered hearing of their visit and
of their inquiries for a Mrs. Denton, but did not know whether they had
succeeded in their quest or not.

"We have lived here all our lives," said the eldest of the landlord's
three daughters, "but we ha