ht.

It was just as well that he did, for as he thrust his head around
the corner of the building the first thing that his eyes fell upon
was the figure of an Austrian sentry, scarcely three paces from him.
The soldier was standing in a listening attitude, his head half
turned away from the American. The sounds coming from the direction
of the inn were apparently what had attracted his attention.

Behind him, Barney was sure he heard evidences of pursuit. Before
him was certain detection should he attempt to cross the street. On
either hand rose the walls of buildings. That he was trapped there
seemed little doubt.

He continued to stand motionless, watching the Austrian soldier.
Should the fellow turn toward him, he had but to withdraw his head
within the shadow of the building that hid his body. Possibly the
man might turn and take his beat in the opposite direction. In which
case Barney was sure he could dodge across the street, undetected.

Already the vague threat of pursuit from the direction of the inn
had developed into a certainty--he could hear men moving toward him
through the alley from the rear. Would the sentry never move!
Evidently not, until he heard the others coming through the alley.
Then he would turn, and the devil would be to pay for the American.

Barney was about hopeless. He had been in the war zone long enough
to know that it might prove a very disagreeable matter to be caught
sneaking through back alleys at night. There was a single chance--a
sort of forlorn hope--and that was to risk fate and make a dash
beneath the sentry's nose for the opposite alley mouth.

"Well, here goes," thought Barney. He had heard that many of the
Austrians were excellent shots. Visions of Beatrice, Nebraska,
swarmed his memory. They were pleasant visions, made doubly alluring
by the thought that the realities of them might never again be for
him.

He turned once more toward the sounds of pursuit--the men upon his
track could not be over a square away--there was not an instant to
be lost. And then from above him, upon the opposite side of the
alley, came a low: "S-s-t!"

Barney looked up. Very dimly he could see the dark outline of a
window some dozen feet from the pavement, and framed within it the
lighter blotch that might have been a human face. Again came the
challenging: "S-s-t!" Yes, there was someone above, signaling to
him.

"S-s-t!" replied Barney. He knew that he had been discovered, and