ithout any explanation whatever! What the devil was going
on? Unanswered.

The carriage began to move slowly. It had to; swift driving in the
Krumerweg was hardly possible and at no time safe. Carmichael set
himself to note the turns of the street. One turn after another he
counted, fixing as well as he could the topography of the town through
which they were passing. At last he realized that they were leaving
Dreiberg behind and were going down the mountain on the north side,
toward Jugendheit. Once the level road was reached, a fast pace was set
and maintained for miles. At the Ehrenstein barrier no question was
asked, and Carmichael's one hope was shattered. At the Jugendheit
barrier the carriage stopped. There were voices. Carmichael saw the
flicker of a lantern. His captors got out. Presently there appeared at
the door an old man dressed as a mountaineer. In his hand was the
lantern.

"Pardon me, dear nephew--Fools!" he broke off, swinging round. "He has
tricked you all. This is not _he_!"

Three astonished faces peered over the old man's shoulder. Carmichael
eyed them evilly. He now saw that one was a carter, another a butcher,
and the third a baker. He had seen them before, in the Black Eagle. But
this signified nothing.

"Untie him and take off that rag. It may be Scharfenstein." The old man
possessed authority.

Carmichael, freed, stretched himself.

"Well?" he said, with a dangerous quiet.

"Herr Carmichael, the American consul!" The old man nearly dropped the
lantern. "Oh, you infernal blockheads!"

"Explanations are in order," suggested Carmichael.

"You are offered a thousand apologies for a stupid mistake. Now, may I
ask how you came to be dressed in these clothes on this particular
night?"

Carmichael's anger dissolved, and he laughed. All the mystery was gone
with the abruptness of a mist under the first glare of the sun. He saw
how neatly he had been duped. He still carried the note. This he gave to
the leader of this midnight expedition.

"Humph!" said the old man in a growl. "I thought as much." He whispered
to his companions. "Herr Carmichael, I shall have the honor of escorting
you back to Dreiberg."

"But will it be as easy to go in as it was to come out?"

"Trust you for that. The American consul's word will be sufficient for
our needs."

"And if I refuse to give that word?"

"In that case, you will have to use your legs," curtly.

"I prefer to ride."

"Thanks. I shall sit