t over following the barrage?"
asked Tom.

"We must beat them to it, as you Americans say," chuckled the major,
whose spirits seemed to rise as the peril increased.

And he prophesied well in this matter. They were, indeed, in the
trenches before the reserves were brought up for the planned attack
upon the American lines.

The trio of fugitives left the car at the wayside inn. They found the
hidden hut and made their changes into rubber suits, an outfit being
produced for Tom by the indefatigable Major Marchand.

Through the shrouding darkness they went in single file to the wood
directly behind the trenches. As on the previous night the French spy
had secured the password. Three men with an evident objective "up
front" were allowed to pass without question.

Once "over the top" they lay in the field until a patrol went out
through the wire entanglements to spy about No Man's Land. The three
joined this party, but quite unknown to its leader.

Once on the black waste at the edge of the morass, the three fugitives
separated from the German patrol and slipped down into the low ground.
Major Marchand found the path, and, for a second time, there began for
Ruth that wearisome and exhausting journey through the swamp.

This time, what with her failing strength and the excitement of the
venture, Ruth was utterly played out when they reached the log whereon
she and the major had rested the night before.

"We'll carry her between us--chair fashion," suggested Tom Cameron.
"That is the way, Major. Interlock your hands with mine. Lean back,
Ruthie. We'll get you out of this all right."

It was a three-hour trip to the American trenches, however, and, after
a while, Ruth insisted upon being set down. She did not want to
overburden her two companions.

At the listening post an officer was sent for who recognized Major
Marchand and who took Tom and Ruth "on trust." The major, too, sent
the word up and down the trenches by telephone that the expected
advance of the Germans was about to occur.

As the three passed through the American lines, after removing the
rubber suits in the dugout, they passed company after company of
American troops marching into the trenches.

Tom left Ruth and the major at a certain place to report to his
commander. But he promised to be in Clair the next morning to satisfy
Helen of his safety.

It was almost morning before the major and Ruth secured transportation,
the one to the