“All right. They can’t get out. I’ll watch the windows on this side,” said Larry.
In another minute slow footsteps sounded within the cottage, hesitating inside the door. Then the bolt was drawn, the door pulled open a few inches, and Larry flashed his pocket-light into the frightened face of the old German householder who had sat crouched over the fire.
“What would you have, gentlemen?” he stammered.
Major Harding, hearing a shout from the back door, ran around to Ed’s aid. Larry, not answering the old man’s question, pushed open the door and entered with Lucy behind him.
“Light the candle,” he shouted in German. “No use hiding. We know who are here. Franz Kraft! Karl and Elizabeth Müller! Show yourselves—you’re caught.”
There was a murmur of speech in the next room, which Lucy recognized as Elizabeth’s voice, pleading tremblingly with someone. A match was scratched and the candle lighted just as Major Harding and Ed appeared from the back door, holding Karl firmly between them.
“Karl tried to escape,” Major Harding explained. “He gave Ed a vicious punch in the ribs, but no worse damage. The others all right?”
“Yes,” Larry nodded, looking about the little room, still dim in spite of candle and fire-light.
Elizabeth had covered her face with her shaking hands. Now in her astonishment she lowered them to falter out, “Miss Lucy—here!” She sank down to avoid scrutiny in a shadowy corner, for Karl had turned on her with a savage frown darkening his hard face.
Franz stood shuffling his feet together, and casting odd glances from the cottage window down the steep hillside.