"Nature pulled his nose and twisted it, too," murmured Raoul, passing me. Then he said aloud:
"It really is not healthy for us here any longer. The Swiss gendarmes will arrive in the morning. I have held the wagon that penetrated the Pass. It's waiting for us. So if you'll be kind enough to pack your luggage——"
"Are you going?" I asked, appalled.
"We must," said Raoul gaily. "And I regret to say that I think you and Mr. Smith had better come with us."
I shrugged my shoulders.
"It's too bad to have done this to you," said Raoul, "but we couldn't very well avoid it. You had better cross with us into France until this blows over. The boche are sure to raise a terrific row; and the Swiss are mortally afraid of invasion. So if you remain you'll be annoyed—held for examination—possibly imprisoned. But they won't confiscate your estate: you know too much about the Swiss Government's cognizance of these hun conspirators, and their use of neutral soil."
I scarcely heard him; I was looking at Thusis who stood bending over the music-box and studying the disks lying there.
"Could I help you to pack up?" insisted Raoul.
"Thanks; I shall remain here," said I quietly.
At that moment the door burst open and Puppsky, his clothing still steaming in spots, rushed in upon us followed by Wildkatz in similar and vaporous attire: