read
paraphernalia of war was speeding toward the frontier; but any display
of interest on his part would be positively dangerous now; so he, too,
closed his eyes.

By this time he was well aware that his real trials would begin at Aix;
but he had the philosopher's temperament, and never leaped fences till
he reached them.

At one in the morning they entered the station of the last important
town in Germany. Holland lay barely three miles away, Belgium a little
farther. The goal was near. Dalroy felt that by calmness and quiet
determination he and his charming protege might win through. He was very
much taken by Irene Beresford. He had never met any girl who attracted
him so strongly. He found himself wondering whether he might contrive to
cultivate this strangely formed friendship when they reached England. In
a word, the self-denying ordinance popularly attributed to Lord
Kitchener was weakening in Captain Arthur Dalroy.

Then his sky dropped, dropped with a bang.

The train had not quite halted when the door was torn open, and a
bespectacled, red-faced officer glared in.

"It is reported from Cologne that there are English in this carriage,"
he shouted.

"Correct, my friend. There they are!" said the man who had snarled at
Dalroy earlier.

"You must descend," commanded the new-comer. "You are both under
arrest."

"On what charge?" inquired Dalroy, bitterly conscious of a gasp of
terror which came involuntarily from the girl's lips.

"You are spies. A sentry heard you talking English, and saw you
examining troop-trains from the carriage window."

So that Bavarian lout had listened to the Prussian officer's taunt, and
made a story of his discovery to prove his diligence.

"We are not spies, nor have we done anything to warrant suspicion," said
Dalroy quietly. "I have letters----"

"No talk. Out you come!" and he was dragged forth by a bloated fellow
whom he could have broken with his hands. It was folly to resist, so he
merely contrived to keep on his feet, whereas the fat bully meant to
trip him ignominiously on to the platform.

"Now you!" was the order to Irene, and she followed. Half-a-dozen
soldiers closed around. There could be no doubting that preparations had
been made for their reception.

"May I have my portmanteau?" said Dalroy. "You are acting in error, as
I shall prove when given an opportunity."

"Shut your mouth, you damned Englishman"--that was a favourite phrase on
German lips appa