"Come on; there's a place in the garret where they'll never find you."
I got him upstairs unseen. If no one but I knew him to be at the inn,
so much the better.
"O, say! This'll smother me," said Dan, as I pushed him into the
little room.
"They'll put you in a smaller place," I said. "Hang it all Jack; I'd
rather have it out with them."
"They have their pistols and sabres."
"That's so. In that case, discretion is the better part of valor, and
they wouldn't appreciate any coup on my side. Come back and let me out
as soon as they go."
I descended into the barroom and found the two officers interrogating
the innkeeper. They were the same fellows who had visited the inn
earlier in the day. Gretchen was at her place behind the bar. She was
paler than usual.
"Ah," said the innkeeper, turning to me, "am I not right in saying that
you are the only guest at the inn, and that no American has been here?"
I did not understand his motive, for he knew that I was an American.
"It is perfectly true," said I, "that I am your only guest."
"Ah, the Englishman!" said the lieutenant, suspiciously. "We are
looking for a person by the name of Hillars whom we are charged to
arrest. Do you know anything about him?"
"It is not probable," said I, nonchalantly.
I glanced at Gretchen. I could fathom nothing there.
"Well," snarled the lieutenant, "I suppose you will not object to my
seeing your passports?"
"Not in the least," said I. But I felt a shock. The word "American"
was written after the nationality clause in my passports. I was in for
some excitement on my own account. If I returned from my rooms saying
that I could not find my passports they would undoubtedly hold me till
the same were produced. "I'll go and bring them for you," said I. I
wanted some time in which to mature a plan of action, if action became
necessary.
There was rather a sad expression in Gretchen's eyes. She understood
to a fuller extent than I what was likely to follow when it was found
that I had misrepresented myself. I cursed the folly which had led me
to say that I was English. And I swore at the innkeeper for meddling.
As I left the room I smiled at Gretchen, but she did not answer it.
Perhaps I was gone five minutes. In that time I made up my mind to
show the passports, and trust to luck for the rest. When I came back
Gretchen had engrossed their attention. They took no notice of me. I
have never understood how it came about, but all at once the lieutenant
bent forward and kissed Gretchen on the cheek. She started back with a
cry, then looked at me. That swift glance told me what to do. I took
the lieutenant by the collar and flung him into the corner. The
surprise on his face was not to be equaled. Then, as he rose to his
feet, the veins in his neck swelled with rage.