“But it is all true,” said Professor Snodgrass. “He wants you to share in his fortune, or rather, he wanted you to, and I am to carry out his wishes as expressed in his will. By so doing I get a fortune for myself. It is really a great relief. But now tell me—how did you girls get here? The last I heard of you was that you were near Metz.”
“We were there,” answered Miss Petersen; “but the German family with whom we were staying after uncle went away thought the place in 241 danger of capture and left, taking us with them. Finally, after traveling about, they said we had better shift for ourselves, as it was dangerous for any German to befriend any American, which we are. So we did what we could. We tried to make our way to the Allied lines, but this was as far as we could get. Tell me, Professor, do you think the Americans will come?”
“Oh, of course! Yes!” asserted Professor Snodgrass, who would have said anything, just then, to gain time to think, and not to worry the girls. “Of course they’ll be here, but perhaps we had better go to meet them.”
“Oh, yes! Let’s!” cried Dorothy. “Poor Uncle Emil! If he were only here! He was very kind to us.”
“Yes, we loved him,” added Gladys softly. “He was so much like you, Professor Snodgrass—you remind me very much of him.”
“I am glad I do,” was the simple answer. “Emil Petersen was a man to be proud of. He was my friend. And now let us consider what is best to do. I think we had better leave.”
And so, though only after much protest on the part of the kind Frenchman, who warned them of their danger, the three set out. A hat was provided for Professor Snodgrass. They were going to try to reach the American lines.
“I fear you will all be captured,” said their 242 host. “And, if you are, it will go hard with you. The Germans hate the Americans worse than ever since the recent defeat of the Kaiser’s best troops. I fear you will not get through.”
And they did not. Just as they seemed on the point of success, having reached a French village at a place opposite the Allied line, they were halted as they were about to cross in a secluded spot, and during a lull in the fighting.
In his innocence the professor made no effort to conceal his purpose, and he and the young ladies were turned back, while a German officer, smiling in contempt, said: