“I had no idea that the scoundrel was in Dinant, watching the wanton work of his Prussian friends. He hated Belgium, and all Belgians, and so he went, I suppose, to witness a scene of destruction unparalleled in modern history.
“Last night, after we had been driven back over the hills, I resolved at all hazards to return to you; therefore, as I have explained, I took the clothes from a dead Bavarian and succeeded in passing the German outposts just before the dawn. It was an exciting journey back to Dinant, I can assure you,” and he smiled grimly.
“Ah! It must have been. And you risked your life—you are risking it now—in order to save me,” she said.
Slowly the light faded and a ray of red sunset, shining in at the doorway of the shed, lit up the place with crimson light.
Suddenly they heard sounds of voices. They both held their breath.
Aimée, who knew German, heard one of the men exclaim, as they approached:
“This would, I think, be a snug place in which to spend the night, Karl.”
Her heart beat quickly. She could hear it thumping.
The man’s companion muttered some response gruffly, and they both entered with heavy tramp. She could see that they were tall, broad-shouldered Uhlans, in grey braided tunics, jack boots, and helmets.
They looked around for a few seconds, whereupon the gruff-voiced man exclaimed in disgust: