Twice now the general had attempted to move on, but Mrs. Schweiring had prevented it. He tried again, and she asked:
"What time have you, your excellency?"
General Rentzel glanced at his watch.
"Half-past eleven," he said.
"Surely, it is not that late," said Mrs. Schweiring. "Why, we have only been here a short time."
"Madame," said General Rentzel at this juncture, "I must ask you to excuse me. I must be going."
There was no reply the other could make to this without laying herself open to suspicion. She stepped back, and the German secret service chief passed on.
Behind him the woman and her daughter wrung their hands. They had been unsuccessful. In their minds they could see General Rentzel bursting in upon Hal and McKenzie in the middle of their work.
"What are we going to do?" cried the mother.
"They must be warned!' cried the daughter.