The knocking seemed to shake the house, so violent it was, so insistent; and Stewart, petrified, stood staring numbly. But his companion was quicker than he. In an instant she had run to the light and blown it out. Then she was back at his side.
"The moment they are in the house," she said, "raise the window as silently as you can and unbolt the shutter."
And then she was gone again, and he could hear her moving about near the door.
Again the knocking came, louder than before. It could mean only one thing, Stewart told himself—their ruse had been discovered—a party of soldiers had come to arrest them——
He drew a quick breath. What then? He closed his eyes dizzily—what had she said? "A file of soldiers in front, a wall behind!" But that should never be! They must kill him first! And then he sickened as he realized how puny he was, how utterly powerless to protect her——
He heard shuffling footsteps approach along the hall, and a glimmer of light showed beneath the door. For an instant Stewart stared at it uncomprehending—then he smiled to himself. The girl, quicker witted than he, had pulled away the things that had been stuffed there.
"Who is it?" called the voice of their landlady.
"It is I, Frau Ritter," answered the voice of the police agent. "Open quickly."
A key rattled in a lock, the door was opened, and the party stepped inside.
Stewart, at the window, raised the sash and pulled back the bolt. He could hear the confused murmur of voices—men's voices——