“It was not rats, my dear. It was doubtless your father trying to attract your attention. It was an ideal place of incarceration, and they have had him here ever since last night, when you saw the two men leave in the automobile, whom you took for burglars.”
Thus assured, Meredith lost no time in opening the door herself; it was fastened merely by a heavy bolt, and the lock was broken; but, to Grail’s intense surprise, although there was ample evidence there of a recent prisoner, the place was empty.
“By Jove!” ejaculated Grail, glancing about at the iron-sheathed walls, and high-up, narrow window. “Impossible as it seems, the colonel must have managed to escape. How any one of his build, though, could have——”
He ceased at the abrupt, warning clutch of Meredith’s hand on his arm. “Some one is coming!” she whispered tensely.
Grail thrust her behind him, and, closing the door of the strong room to a crack, listened. Unquestionably there were footsteps on the stairs, and looking out he could see the gleam of an electric flash light playing against the ceiling. What new danger menaced them now?
The steps came on; the ray of the flash light descended until it spread across the floor; then Grail received one of the surprises of his life.
Through the door, breathing a little heavily from their climb, came Otto Schilder and Colonel Vedant.
They paused at the threshold, a trifle perplexedly; then came on toward the strong room.
“If they have put Grail in here, though,” muttered the colonel, “they must have discovered my escape.”
The adjutant and Meredith waited no longer. Quickly stepping out, they disclosed themselves; and, while Meredith went to her father’s arms, Grail obtained from Schilder some rather enlightening explanations.