CHAPTER XXV
A FIGHT FOR FREEDOM
Hal felt a stinging sensation in his left side. He paid no attention to this however, but, dropping suddenly to the floor, turned to face his adversary. He saw in that instant the reason the German's bullet had not penetrated a vital spot.
As the German had fired, Antoinette, with a quick movement, had grasped at his arm. She had not succeeded in turning the revolver from its victim, but she did manage to spoil the man's aim. Therefore, the bullet had glanced off one of Hal's ribs.
He now held the advantage, and yet it was not an advantage, for, realizing that he was facing almost certain death, the German had swung the girl in front of him and was using her as a shield.
"Shoot! Don't mind me!" Antoinette called.
But Hal would not fire without first making sure that he would not hit the girl. The German had succeeded now in freeing his hand, and, pointing the revolver over the girl's shoulder, pulled the trigger again.
Hal escaped this bullet by a quick spring aside, and, before the German could fire again, he had skipped forward, darted back of his opponent, and gripped him with his left hand by the throat.
Antoinette clawed so furiously at her captor that the German suddenly released her with a cry of anger, and swung about to confront Hal. He struck out so viciously that Hal stepped back to avoid the blow. The German again raised his revolver, but Hal, moving quickly forward, again struck at the German's revolver with his own—he had no time to raise it to fire. The German's revolver was knocked from his grasp, but Hal also lost his grip on his weapon and both went clattering to the floor together.
Realizing that he was no match for his heavier opponent if they came to hand grips, Hal stepped quickly back and threw himself into an attitude of defense. It was the lad's plan to stand off, if possible, and spar.
But the German had no mind to indulge in this kind of fighting, of which he had not the slightest knowledge. He came forward with a rush. Hal side-stepped and planted his right fist with great force above his opponent's left ear. The German staggered, but he did not go down. Before he could recover, Hal struck twice again—right and left, but neither blow found a vulnerable spot.
The German uttered a terrible roar of anger and charged again. This time Hal was not successful in avoiding the rush and the man's arms went about him. Hal felt his breath leaving his body as the German squeezed.
In vain the lad struck out right and left. Several times he felt his blows land, but there was no power behind them now.
As Hal struggled with the German, Antoinette had picked up one of the revolvers and circled around behind the struggling figures, trying to find an opening that she might fire without risk of hitting Hal. None presented itself.
Hal was gasping for breath. His mouth was open and his tongue hung out. Suddenly the lad's struggle relaxed and he became limp in the German's arms. The latter threw the boy's inert body from him roughly, and as he did so Antoinette fired. The German staggered as the bullet struck him in the side. As he turned to face her the girl fired again.
The German dropped to the floor and the bullet passed over him. Before the girl could aim again, the man had seized a revolver from the floor and covered her.
"Drop that gun!" he cried.
There was nothing for Antoinette to do but obey. She dropped the revolver.
"Sit down!" the German commanded.
Again the girl obeyed.
Her captor now saw signs of returning consciousness in Hal. He walked across the room, and, still keeping his revolver ready in one hand, stooped and picked Hal up with the other.
He deposited the lad on a sofa near the girl.
"Now I've got you both, so there'll be a double execution," he growled. "I'll just sit here and guard you till some of my men turn up."
Meanwhile, upstairs, Chester, Major Derevaux and the four Canadians had waited impatiently. The sound of revolver shots below had not carried to their ears. Chester closed his watch with a snap.
"Time's up," he said quietly. "They must have nabbed Hal. Let's go down."
There were no objections offered, so Chester led the way.
The American lad, the French officer and the four Canadian troopers descended the stairs as quietly as had Hal, and as quietly approached the door to the room where the German officer now guarded his captives. Chester peered through the key-hole and took in the situation at a glance.
Chester, however, used more caution than had Hal. Also he chose to proceed with strategy rather than force. Now, the lad realized, was a time when his German uniform would stand him in good stead. He explained his plan in whispers, and as the others stood back out of the way, Chester walked calmly into the room.
The German officer rose to his feet. He did not know Chester from
Adam, of course, but he recognized the uniform.
"Glad you've come, lieutenant," he said. "I've had a deuced hard time here. As you may see, I have been shot in the side. Colonel Brewsterberg has been killed. I'll ask you to take charge of my prisoners."
"Very well, sir," said Chester, and produced a revolver.
The German officer returned his revolver to his holster and made as though to leave the room.
"One moment," said Chester sharply.
The German stopped in his tracks and eyed him in surprise.
"I'll thank you for your gun," said Chester.
A great light broke upon the German.
"I see! I see!" he exclaimed. "Another one!"
His hand groped for his revolver.
"Be sure you keep your finger off the trigger," said Chester pleasantly.
For a moment the German hesitated and it was apparent to Chester that he was considering resistance.
"I wouldn't if I were you," said the lad quietly.
The German shrugged his shoulders, then took out his revolver and passed it to Chester, holding it by the muzzle.
"Thanks," said Chester. "Now sit down over there."
He motioned to a chair and the German sat down.
"All right, major," called Chester. "You can come in now."
Major Derevaux entered the room, followed by the four Canadians. The German prisoner looked at them in amazement. Apparently he thought the whole Allied army was about to follow them in.
"Major," said Chester, "you stand guard over that fellow. I'll have a look at Hal."
"I'm all right," said Hal, as Chester approached him. "Bullet struck me in the side, but it is nothing dangerous, I guess. That big German there nearly choked the life out of me, though. He's a hard customer."
Chester staunched the flow of blood in Hal's wound, and the latter announced that he was fit as a fiddle.
"The thing to do now is to get out of here," he said.
Under Major Derevaux's direction, Gregory and Crean had securely bound and gagged the prisoner.
The major now approached Antoinette.
"Have you learned anything?" he asked.
"Yes," replied the girl quietly. "The next German attack will be made day after tomorrow on this front, in an effort to recapture ground won by General Byng. There will be no activity now in the Verdun sector."
"But will the enemy weaken his lines there?"
"Such is not the plan. The general staff believes that there are enough men on this front to go through."
"Good!" said the major. "That's what I came all this way to learn.
But how were you discovered, Antoinette?"
"My wig came off," replied the girl. "One of the Germans tapped me playfully on the head, and his ring caught in my hair. The next thing I knew I was a prisoner."
"It's too bad," said the major. "We have lost a valuable assistant now. Of course, there is no use in your remaining here longer. You must go with us."
"But I would so like to stay," murmured the girl.
"But you can't," said Hal eagerly. "You can see that, can't you?"
Antoinette nodded her head.
"Yes, I must go," she said quietly.
"Then let's be moving," said the major.
The girl got to her feet. Chester led the way to the back door. But as he would have thrown open the door and stepped out, he moved back inside with an exclamation.
"What's the matter?" demanded Hal in some alarm.
"Matter?" exclaimed Chester. "The yard is full of Germans!"