; it is growing late. They will be shutting off the
lights before we return."

The police-bureau was far away, but the distance was nothing to these
healthy young people.

They progressed at a smart pace and in less than twenty minutes they
arrived. It was Gretchen who drew back fearfully.

"After all, will it not be foolish?" she suggested.

"They will be searching for me," he answered.

"It will be easier if I present myself. It will bear testimony that I
am innocent of any wrong."

"I will go in with you," determinedly.

The police officer, or, to be more particular, the sub-chief of the
bureau, received them with ill-concealed surprise.

"I have learned that you are seeking me," said the vintner, taking off
his cap. His yellow curls waved about his forehead in moist profusion.

Immediately the sub-chief did not know what to say. This was out of the
ordinary, conspicuously so. There was little precedent by which to act
in a case like this. So in order to appear that nothing could destroy
his official poise, he let the two stand before his desk while he sorted
some papers.

"You are not a native of Dreiberg," he began.

"No, Herr; I am from Bavaria. If you will look into your records you
will find that my papers were presented two or three weeks ago."

"Let me see them."

The vintner's passports were produced. The sub-chief compared them to
the corresponding number in his book. There was nothing wrong about
them.

"I do not recollect seeing you here before."

"It was one of your assistants who originally went over the papers."

"What is your business?"

"I am a vintner by trade, Herr."

"And are there not plenty of vineyards in Bavaria?"

"We vintners," with an easy gesture, "are of a roving disposition. I
have been all along the Rhine and the Moselle. I prefer grapes to hops."

"But why Dreiberg? The best vineyards are south."

"Who can say where we shall go next? Dreiberg seemed good enough for
me," with a shy glance at Gretchen.

"Why did you jump out of the window?"

"I was frightened at first, Herr. I did not know that you merely
dispersed meetings. I believed that we were all to be arrested. Such
measures are in force in Munich."

"You accused him of being a Jugendheit spy," broke in Gretchen, who was
growing impatient under these questions, which seemed to go nowhere in
particular.

"You be silent," warned the sub-chief.

"I am here because of that accusation," said the vintner