I
cannot delay my work for these swine, no matter if they both are dying
or dead," old Otto was angrily shouting with many German oaths.

"I tell you," Frederic was saying,--his voice was calmer but
determined,--"we've got to get these people to a doctor. It's too
heartless. I will not leave them here."

"And betray us at the last moment, when our plans are all ready,"
snarled old Otto.

"There is less danger if we bundle them into the car and take them with
us than if we leave them here," protested Frederic. "Two bodies right
here at the entrance would be fine, _nicht wahr?_"

His last remark appealed to old Otto.

"That is so," he muttered. "It is not safe. We must hide the bodies,
both of them, yes?"

The bodies! Jane decided that Dean must have been killed and that they
thought that she, too, was dead. As she strove to open her eyes she
could hear Frederic protesting.

"It's inhuman," he cried. "They both are hurt, but perhaps still alive.
We must take them to a hospital."

"And endanger all our plans," stormed old Otto. "Throw them into the
woods."

"We'll do nothing of the sort," Frederic insisted, his voice becoming
unusually stern and severe. "I'm going to get both of these people to a
doctor at once, I tell you."

With effort Jane opened her eyes and looked cautiously about. Where was
Thomas Dean? How badly had he been hurt? The Hoffs' automobile was
slowly backing up. As she looked old Otto sprang out of it and righted
the motorcycle. As he did so Jane saw the body of Dean lying senseless
beneath it, but to him the old German paid no attention. He was
examining the motorcycle and still sputtering that the swine should be
left to rot.

"We are going to take them with us in the car," directed Frederic in a
voice of authority. "I command it."

At the word old Otto's mutterings ceased, though he shot a black look at
the younger man.

"This machine," he suggested, "it is not hurt. I will take it and do our
work. There is haste. You remain with the car. Do what you will with
these people."

"Go then," said his nephew curtly. "You can take the train at the first
station and make time."

As the old man mounted the motorcycle and sped away Frederic sprang from
the car, and approaching the spot where Dean's body lay, began making an
examination of his injuries.

"Scalp wound, perhaps fractured skull, broken arm," Jane heard him
saying aloud to himself. She noted curiously that as soon as he was l