looked into the sergeant's
face.

"Brandt is my name it is true," said the wachtmeister gruffly, as he
peered at the soap-lathered countenance before him, "but who are you? I
can see naught but soap. . . . Himmel," he shouted joyfully, as the
professor beamed back at him, "I was blind. It is my dear and honored
Herr Professor from Munich! Now, Gott sie dank, I see you again after
all these years!"

"It is indeed I, Brandt," said the professor, "but spur, man, spur, and
bring back that man we must talk later!"

With a sharp word to the trooper, Brandt unslung his rifle and spurred
headlong after the fleeing horseman, now rapidly nearing the shelter of
the dunes.

Meanwhile, the professor and Dick turned their attention to the dying
man, whilst the others resumed the clamor of questions and
recriminations which the arrival of the police had interrupted.

Gilderman, his self-confidence almost restored by the approaching death
of one, and the flight of the other of his accusers, now tried to
brazen matters out.

Thrusting himself before Dick, who was helping dress the wound, he bent
down before Grosman and began loudly, so that all might hear. "Now
then, Grosman, where are those diamonds? It is a most outrageous thing
that you have done, to rob your employers in this manner. And that
ridiculous lie of Junes' about salting! Come, man, tell me where the
diamonds are, and tell these people that Junes made up that yarn as you
know he did and I'll try to save you from the police. Come now own up
where are the stones?"

"You cannot save him from death and the Maker who will judge him," said
the professor sternly as he came from his tent with his medicine chest.
"Man, think shame to pester the man so; men do not lie on their
deathbed"; and as Gilderman did not move he swung him aside by the
collar as though he had been a child.

Gilderman uttered a furious exclamation. "Absurd preposterous
professor, surely you are not mad enough to believe the story this
would-be thief has told?"

"Story?" queried the professor, "what story has he told? Junes, yes!
but this man, so far, has accused you of nothing!"

Gilderman flushed with vexation at the false step he had made.

"But the diamonds?" he insisted, "he confessed they had planned to
steal them. Make him tell you where they are?"

"Maybe the police will bring them back with Junes," said the professor,
going on with his work of dressing the wound. "And if not, you ask?