Before the car had stopped, Hans, with a disregard of the regulations which proved how excited he was, had wrenched open the door of the first compartment and clambered aboard. By the time they reached it, he had the luggage in the rack and sprang down to the platform with a smile of triumph.

“Good work!” said Stewart. “I didn’t think you had it in you!” and he dropped a generous tip into the waiting hand. “Come, my dear,” and he helped his companion aboard. Hans slammed the door shut after them, touched his cap, and hurried away. “Well, that was luck!” Stewart added, and dropped to the seat beside his companion. “But look out for the deluge in another minute!”

She was looking out of the window at the excited mob sweeping along the platform.

[Pg 92]

[Pg 92]

“The crowd is not coming this way,” she said, after a moment. “A line of police is holding it back. I think this carriage is intended for the officers.”

Stewart groaned.

“Then we shall have to get out! Take my advice and don’t wait to be asked twice!”

“Perhaps they will not need this corner. In any case, we will stay until they put us out. If you are wise, you will forget all the German you know and flourish your passport frequently. Germans are always impressed by a red seal!”

But, strangely enough, they were not disturbed. A number of officers approached the carriage, and, after a glance at its inmates, passed on to the other compartments. Stewart, putting his head out of the window, saw that the line of police were still keeping back the crowd.

“Really,” he said, “this seems too good to be true. It looks as if we were going to have this compartment to ourselves.”

He turned smilingly to glance at her, and the smile remained frozen on his lips. For her face was deathly pale, her eyes were staring, and she was pressing her hands tight against her heart.

“You’re not ill?” he asked, genuinely startled.

[Pg 93]

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