"
"Which may be because I'm American."
"Oh, well, we English are friendly, too."
"But seldom polite, although I think you're unaware of the latter
fact."
"If a man doesn't know he's impolite, then he isn't. It's the intention
that counts."
"We'll let it go, but I've a strong premonition that this Austrian boy
is going to do me a great favor some day."
"I have premonitions, too, often, but they're invariably wrong. Now, I
see an orderly coming. I hope he hasn't a message from Captain Colton
for us to prowl around in the snow somewhere."
Happily, the message released them from further duty that night and bade
them seek rest. Young Kratzek was lying in John's bed and was sleeping.
He looked so young and so pale that the heart of his captor and rescuer
was moved to pity. Light-headed the Austrians might be, but no one could
deny them valor.
Just beyond the niche was another and smaller one, seldom used, owing to
its extreme narrowness, but John decided that he could sleep in it. At
any rate, if he fell off he would land in six or eight inches of soft
snow.
The flakes were still coming down heavily. It was the biggest snow that
he had yet seen in Europe and he believed that it would fall all night.
They had plenty of blankets and spreading two on the shelf which was no
broader than himself he lay down and put two more over him.
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