"Lucky for your mistress and lucky for us all that you were, Picard!"
"We must leave Obenstein, your honor, at once!"
"Of course, Picard. We must take flight in the machine."
"As it would be hard to explain my presence, your honor, suppose I wait down the road for you. I've already turned the horse loose in the forest. First I'll move this from the path lest someone see it and give the alarm too soon."
He lifted the body of Weber and hid it among the bushes. Then they separated, John returning quickly to the inn. He saw a light in Julie's window and inferring that she had not yet retired he went hastily to her room and knocked on the door.
"Who's there?" came the brave voice of his beloved.
"It's John!" he replied, guardedly. "Open at once, Julie! We're in great danger and must act quickly!"
He heard the bolt shoot back, the door was opened, and Julie stood before him, pale but erect and courageous. Behind her, as usual, hovered the protecting shadow of Suzanne. John stepped inside and closed the door.
"Julie," he said, in a whisper, sharp with anxiety, "we must leave Obenstein in fifteen minutes! Weber is a traitor in the service of Prince Karl of Auersperg! He followed us to get you back to him! He has been signaling from a wireless station on the mountain! A detachment of hussars will be here in three hours!"
Her pallor deepened, but the courage that he loved still glowed in her eyes.