wish to do
harm to anyone."

"Idiots!" cried Windt. "A motor-car? An automobile? Did you see it?
Answer--or----"

"A motor-car--Excellency?" the fellow stammered. "Yes--a motor-car."

"How long since?" snapped Windt.

"A moment only--it was here--just here--and now it is gone----"

"Where?"

"Y-yonder----" and he pointed down the road.

The three men exchanged frowning glances, but Herr Windt's were the most
terrible of the three.

"You saw? Speak--What color was this car?"

"H--how should I know, Excellency? I was peacefully eating my dinner.
See! It is but half finished----"

"You will never eat what remains unless you speak the truth----" he
roared.

"I--I am speaking the truth----"

"What color had this car?"

"I don't understand----"

"Its color, man--the paint?"

"Oh! The paint----"

"Speak! Blockhead----"

"Excellency, I think----" he stammered in terror, "I think----"

"What--quickly----"

"I think, Excellency, that it was green."

Renwick gasped. The face of Herr Windt wore a blank look as though he
had suddenly received a glacial douche.

"_Herr Gott!_" he muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow with an
eloquent forefinger.

"The green limousine!" muttered Renwick.

For a moment all three men stood helplessly staring down the road toward
the west, where the dustcloud was slowly settling on leaf and hedgerow,
but there was a turn in the road which hid all objects beyond. Herr
Windt was the first to recover his initiative.

"Clever!" he muttered. "A message! Linder should have observed----But
they will not get far. Come----" And he led the way at a quick trot in
the direction of the village, where they reached the telegraph office at
the railway station.

While Herr Windt went inside to give his orders, Renwick sank upon a
bench outside and tried to think of what had happened and what it might
mean to Marishka and to him. The green limousine--a German secret
agent--there could be no doubt, and he, Renwick, already warned of this
possible danger to Marishka had permitted her to fall into this trap,
while he had come off unscathed. His conscience assailed him bitterly.
Trusting to the efficiency of Herr Windt's men he had slept--slept while
Marishka was being carried off to danger--to imprisonment--or
perhaps--he did not dare to think of anything worse. And Marishka must
have connived at the plan for her escape! How had the message passed?
And what was the lure?

As the new i