to him as he strolled past them. The folk of the village eyed
his bulk and graceful dignity with something like awe.

Beyond the hamlet the ridge of hilltop ran on for perhaps a
quarter-mile before dipping into the plain below. At one end of this
little plateau a company of infantry was drilling. Bruce recognized
Mahan among the marching lines, but he saw his friend was on duty and
refrained from going up to him.

Above, the sunset sky was cloudless. Like tiny specks, miles to
eastward, a few enemy airships circled above the heap of clustered
hills which marked the nearest German position. The torn-up plain,
between, seemed barren of life. So, at first, did the farther end of
the jutting ridge on which the village was perched. But presently
Bruce's idly wandering eye was caught by a flutter of white among some
boulders that clumped together on the ridge's brow farthest from the
village.

Some one--a woman, from the dress--was apparently picking her way
through the boulders. As Bruce moved forward, a big rock shut her off
from his view and from the view of the hamlet and of the maneuvering
infantry company a furlong away.

Just then a puff of breeze blew from eastward toward the collie; and it
bore to him a faint scent that set his ruff a-bristle and his soft
brown eyes ablaze. To a dog, a scent once smelled is as recognizable
again as is the sight of a once-seen face to a human. Bruce set off at
a hand-gallop toward the clump of boulders.

The Red Cross nurse, whom Bruce had so nearly killed, was off duty
until the night-shift should go on at the hospital. The nurse had taken
advantage of this brief surcease from toil, by going for a little walk
in the cool sunset air, and had carried along a bag of sewing.

Up to three months ago this nurse had been known as Heinrich Stolz, and
had been a valued member of the Wilhelmstrasse's workingforce of secret
agents. Then, acting under orders, Herr Heinrich Stolz had vanished
from his accustomed haunts. Soon thereafter a Red Cross nurse--Felicia
Stuart by name had reported for duty at Paris, having been transferred
thither from Italy, and bearing indubitable credentials to that effect.

From carefully picked-up information Stolz had just learned of the
expected arrival of the three troop-trains at the junction at nine that
evening. The tidings had interested him keenly, and he knew of other
people to whom they would be far more interesting.

Seating himself under the le