e garden," I suggested, "because his line of retreat was
cut off and he had to go somewhere."

"It's queer, though, sir, when Dutch has been sleeping on the long bench
down there by the fountain. You know how we feel about him, sir, he
being of that race."

"Dutch told me he was camping in the tool-house," I answered.

"The boys drove him out, sir, and he took to the garden."

"Nasty of the boys, I should say. If that interloper should murder
him----"

A yell rose from the midst of the garden, followed by a crash and an
instant later by a splash that interrupted another yell. I snatched
Antoine's lantern and ran down the steps toward the scene of commotion.
When I reached the circular pool the jet was still playing gayly, but
the waters on one side were in furious agitation. Two men were rolling
and tumbling about as though bent upon drowning each other. I swung the
lantern over them just as Dutch got upon his feet, gripping his
antagonist by the collar. He flung him backward over the stone curbing
of the pool and fell upon him in the walk with a swish of wet garments.
The guards from the outer edges of the garden had clambered down and
they gathered about us as I began questioning Dutch.

Dutch, undoubtedly enjoying his victorious encounter, was tearing open
the prostrate captive's collar to give him air and with his knees
clamping the man's body was disposed to delay the story of his
adventures to increase its dramatic effect.

"It happens this evenin'," he began, spouting water, "that I seen Elsie,
who's been sneakin' me meals to the old stables, an' she says to me:
'Dutch,' she says, 'they's all ag'in us here, callin' us Huns, an' we
gotta show 'em we's good Americans,' she says. An' she tole me a feller
been to see 'er 'at wanted 'er to rob the house fer 'im, he thinkin' 'er
likely to do ut fer love o' the Kaiser. She said as 'ow she'd nail 'im
when he comes to-night to git a fan she's promised to lift fer 'im. She
said that'd prove she wasn't no Dutchwoman and recommended if I got the
chance to do the same. I thought nothin' wuz goin' to happen an' wuz
sleepin' on me bench here in the garden when the hollerin' at the garage
woke me up. I sits quiet, listenin' an' this guy drops into the garden
an' wuz crawlin' past me bench an' I pinches 'im. He wuz fer havin' a
fight, an' we knocks over one of the big urns an' lit in the tank. He
says it's a thousand bones an' ye turn me loose, he says, an' I soused
'im a