sture of the seeming peasant suddenly appeared familiar to Kratzek.

Before John had realized what he intended Kratzek suddenly seized him by
both shoulders and turning him around, looked straight into his eyes.

"Scott, the American, and a spy!" he exclaimed.

John's heart missed several beats. He knew that it was useless to deny,
but in a moment or two he had himself under full control.

"Yes, it's Scott, and I'm in disguise, but I'm not a spy," he said.

"The penalty anyhow is death."

"But you'll not betray me!"

"You saved my life at the great peril of your own."

John was silent. He felt that the time had come for Kratzek to repay,
but he would not say so. Now his own look was straight and high, and it
was Kratzek's that wavered.

"You pledge your word that you are not seeking to pry into our military
secrets?" asked the Austrian at length.

"No such purpose is in my mind at all, and I leave here within
twenty-four hours as ignorant of them as I was when I came."

"Then, sir, I do not know you. I never saw you before, and I believe
you are the peasant you seem to be."

Kratzek gave him one look of intense curiosity, then sprang upon his
horse, and rode away, never looking back.

"There goes a true man," thought John, as he returned to the stable.

Toward evening Walther gave him a heavier suit of clothes which he put
on, a great overcoat like an ulster falling almost to his ankles, and an
automobile cap and glasses. John could see that he longed to ask
questions but he did not do so and John too was silent. A few minutes
before nine o'clock Walther told him to go to the small gate in the rear
wall.

"Reach it without being seen if you can," he said. "But if you are seen
be sure to answer no questions. I would go with you myself, but it's
forbidden. You're to be absolutely alone."

John, shrouded in the overcoat and cap and glasses, made his way in the
dark to the designated gate.

As he approached the place he saw the black shadow of a heavy bulk
against the dusk. No person was yet in sight and there was utter
silence. The beat of his heart was so hard that it gave him actual
physical pain. The shadow he knew was that of a large closed automobile,
but no driver was in the seat, and he did not believe that anybody was
inside. Both the silence and the loneliness became sinister.

John slipped forward boldly. It required no divination to know that he
was expected to drive this machine. The gate w