“Now you!” was the order to Irene, and she followed. Half-a-dozen soldiers closed around. There could be no doubting that preparations had been made for their reception.
“May I have my portmanteau?” said Dalroy. “You are acting in error, as I shall prove when given an opportunity.”
“Shut your mouth, you damned Englishman”—that was a favourite phrase on German lips apparently—“would you dare to argue with me?—Here, one of you, take his bag. Has the woman any baggage? No. Then march them to the——”
A tall young lieutenant, in the uniform of the Prussian Imperial Guard, dashed up breathlessly.
“Ah, I was told the train had arrived!” he cried. “Yes, I am in search of those two——”
“Thank goodness you are here, Von Halwig!” began Dalroy.
The Guardsman turned on him a face aflame with fury. “Silence!” he bellowed. “I’ll soon settle your affair.—Take his papers and money, and put him in a waiting-room till I return,” he added, speaking to the officer of reserves who had affected the arrest. “Place the lady in another waiting-room, and lock her in. I’ll see that she is not molested. As for this English schwein-hund, shoot him at the least sign of resistance.”
“But, Herr Lieutenant,” began the other, whose heavy paunch was a measure of his self-importance, “I have orders——”
“Ach, was! I know! This Englishman is not an ordinary spy. He is a cavalry captain, and speaks our language fluently. Do as I tell you. I shall come back in half-an-hour.—Fräulein, you are in safer hands. You, I fancy, will be well treated.”
Dalroy said not a word. He saw at once that some virus had changed Von Halwig’s urbanity to bitter hatred. He was sure the Guardsman had been drinking, but that fact alone would not account for such an amazing volte-face. Could it be that Britain had thrown in her lot with France? In his heart of hearts he hoped passionately that the rumour was true. And he blazed, too, into a fierce if silent resentment of the Prussian’s satyr-like smile at Irene Beresford. But what could he do? Protest was worse than useless. He felt that he would be shot or bayoneted on the slightest pretext.