ads and was rumbling over France. Henceforward powerless, they must
undergo its consequences and hear its distant echoes without being able
to influence the formidable elements that had been let loose during that
Monday night.

CHAPTER V

THE THUNDERCLAP

The German argument was simple enough: the arrest had taken place in
Germany. At least, that was what the newspapers stated in the extracts
which Philippe and his father read in the _Boersweilener Zeitung_. Was it
not to be expected that this would be the argument eventually
adopted--if it was not adopted already--by the imperial government?

At Boersweilen--the _Zeitung_ made no mystery about it--people were very
positive. After twenty-four hours' silence, the authorities took their
stand upon the explanation given the day before by Weisslicht, in the
course of an enquiry attended by several functionaries, who were
mentioned by name; and they declared aloud that everything had taken
place in due form and that it was impossible to go back upon
accomplished facts. Special Commissary Jorance and Councillor Morestal,
caught in the act of assisting a deserter, would be brought before the
German courts and their case tried in accordance with German law.
Besides, it was added, there were other charges against them.

Of Dourlowski, there was no mention. He was ignored.

"But the whole case depends upon him!" exclaimed Morestal, after
receiving the Prefect of the Vosges at the Saint-Elophe town-hall and
discussing the German argument with him and the examining-magistrate.
"The whole case depends upon him, monsieur le prefet. Even supposing
their argument to be correct, what is it worth, if we prove that we were
drawn into an ambush by Weisslicht and that Baufeld's desertion was a
got-up job contrived by subordinate officials of police? And the proof
of this rests upon Dourlowski!"

He was indignant at the hawker's disappearance. But he added:

"Fortunately, we have Farmer Saboureux's evidence."

"We had it yesterday," said the examining-magistrate, "but we haven't it
to-day."

"How so?"

"Yesterday, Wednesday, when I was questioning him, Farmer Saboureux
declared that he had seen Weisslicht and Dourlowski together. He even
used certain words which made me suspect that he had noticed the
preparations for the attack and that he was an unseen witness of it ...
and a valuable witness, as you will agree. This morning, Thursday, he
retracts, he is not sure that