“Miss Lucy, what will they do to Karl? Oh, better I never asked him to come here!”
The little German woman still thought that her husband had come on purpose to see her.
“I must go for my airplane,” said Bob. “Karl can run von Eckhardt’s boat to Coblenz and tow the barge.” In answer to a doubtful look from Larry he added reassuringly, “Oh, Karl is as trustworthy now as you or I. Don’t you see, he’s with us again? He’s always on the winning side.”
Larry was tying up the wounded shoulder of the German whom Rogers had shot. Lucy bent to help him and, in the man’s broad head and heavy, stooping figure, recognized the lodge-keeper called Ludwig, whom she and Michelle had seen at midnight in the forest. She saw the man look up to cast a glance of bitter hatred at von Eckhardt.
“We won’t have much trouble getting the truth out of this chap,” said Larry with a chuckle. “Doesn’t seem fond of his noble master.”
Lucy took opportunity to whisper, “Don’t be hard on Elizabeth, Larry. Don’t treat her like the rest.”
Larry nodded. “Bob’s gone already,” he said, looking behind him. “Let’s beat him to Coblenz.”
CHAPTER XIII
ACROSS THE CHANNEL
At General Gordon’s that evening there was so much to be talked over that the general sent word to Badheim hospital that he would keep Bob and Lucy overnight. Larry and Major Harding were there, sharing the late supper that Lucy and Elizabeth prepared. Elizabeth was hard at work as ever, with only her pale face and anxious eyes to betray that she was other than her quiet, steady self. When her pleading, troubled glance encountered that of the Americans her eyelids dropped hurriedly, as though dreading the hard words and reproaches so far delayed.