The familiar voice roused Madame Joos from a stupor of fear. She fumbled in her bodice, and produced a key attached to a chain of fine silver. Her husband mounted nimbly on a chair, ran a finger along one of the heavy beams which roofed the kitchen, found a cunningly hidden keyhole, and unlocked a long, narrow receptacle which had been scooped out of the wood. A more ingenious, accessible, yet unlikely hiding-place for treasure could not readily be imagined. He took out a considerable sum of money in notes, gold, and silver. Though a man of wealth, with a substantial account in the state bank, he still retained the peasant’s love of a personal hoard.
Stowing away the money in various pockets, Joos got down off the chair. Busch was dying, but he was not unconscious. He had even watched the miller’s actions with a certain detached curiosity, and the old fellow seemed to become aware of the fact. “So,” he cackled, “you saw, did you? That should annoy you in your last hour, you fat thief.—Yes, yes, monsieur, I’ll come now.—Léontine, stop blubbing, and tie up that piece of beef and some bread in a napkin. We fighting men must eat.—Jan, put the bottles of champagne and the pork-pie in a basket.—Léontine, run and get your own and your mother’s best shoes. You can change them in the wood.”
“What wood?” put in Maertz.
“We can’t walk to Maestricht by the main road, you fool.”
“That’s all right for you and madame here, and for Léontine, perhaps. But I remain in Belgium. My friends are fighting yonder at Liège, and I’m going to join them. And these others mustn’t try it. The frontier is closed for them. I was offered my life only two hours ago if I arrested them.”
“Jan!” cried Léontine indignantly.
“It’s true. Why should I tell a lie? I didn’t understand then the sort of game the Prussians are playing. Now that I know——”
“Miss Beresford,” broke in Dalroy emphatically, “if these good people will not escape when they may we must leave them to their fate.”
“Do come, Monsieur Joos,” said Irene, speaking for the first time since the tragedy. “By remaining here you risk your life to no purpose.”
“We are coming now, ma’m’selle.”