r needs.

"You will not be able to remove the memory of duty done for our
country," replied Max quietly. "And it may be that if Germany lose--as
all in Belgium believe she will do--she may have to build up all that
she has destroyed. It may be that there are great factories across the
border in which _you_ have an interest, and it may chance that they will
be called upon to replace the machines and buildings you destroy here."

Too enraged to speak, the manager made a gesture expressive of his
complete rejection of such an idea, and turned abruptly away. Max also
turned his back, and, in a silence expressive of bitter hate on the one
hand and chilling contempt on the other, the two parted.

* * * * *

The discussion of the possibilities of rescuing Max by Dale, Dubec, and
the latter's wife, soon took a certain shape. There was no chance of
rescuing him while imprisoned in the governor's palace; that was clear
at once, as they knew nothing of the whereabouts of his cell, and there
was too little time to find out. There remained the opportunities
presented while he was being conveyed from the palace to the gates of
the Durend works, and during the execution within the yard. The latter
seemed hopeless. The yards were bounded by high walls, or by the river,
which was by this time well guarded, and the whole place was full of
workmen, the majority of whom were well disposed towards German rule.

It was during the march from the governor's palace to the gates that the
only hope seemed to offer, and upon this they concentrated their
attention. The whole thing looked desperate in the extreme, but Dale was
in such a state that either he must do something desperate or recklessly
place himself by his friend's side. Eventually, mainly through the
quick-wittedness of Madame Dubec, a plan that seemed to offer a chance
presently began to take shape. This plan was to create so strong a
diversion at some point of the route that Max might be enabled to make a
dart away to safety, and to aid his further progress once the first part
of the plan had been achieved. A diversion--strong, sudden, and
terrifying--was what was needed, and to furnish this their united brains
planned and planned until there emerged an idea that satisfied them all.

CHAPTER XV

The Dash

A curt command, and Max sprang to his feet. The last lap in the final of
his life's race had been begun, and it was now for him to sco