I was in the bush not ten feet from him while you talked."
"Lucky for your mistress and lucky for us all that you were, Picard!"
"We must leave Obenstein, your honor, at once!"
"Of course, Picard. We must take flight in the machine."
"As it would be hard to explain my presence, your honor, suppose I wait
down the road for you. I've already turned the horse loose in the
forest. First I'll move this from the path lest someone see it and give
the alarm too soon."
He lifted the body of Weber and hid it among the bushes. Then they
separated, John returning quickly to the inn. He saw a light in Julie's
window and inferring that she had not yet retired he went hastily to her
room and knocked on the door.
"Who's there?" came the brave voice of his beloved.
"It's John!" he replied, guardedly. "Open at once, Julie! We're in great
danger and must act quickly!"
He heard the bolt shoot back, the door was opened, and Julie stood
before him, pale but erect and courageous. Behind her, as usual, hovered
the protecting shadow of Suzanne. John stepped inside and closed the
door.
"Julie," he said, in a whisper, sharp with anxiety, "we must leave
Obenstein in fifteen minutes! Weber is a traitor in the service of
Prince Karl of Auersperg! He followed us to get you back to him! He has
been signaling from a wireless station on the mountain! A detachment of
hussars will be here in three hours!"
Her pallor deepened, but the courage that he loved still glowed in her
eyes.
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