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Page 59
It was about an hour after dark when he caught his first glimpse of von
Arnheim, and he was really glad to see that he was not wounded.
"I've come to tell you, Mr. Scott," said von Arnheim, "that all of you
must march at once. You will cross the Marne, and then pass as prisoners
into Germany. You will be well treated there and I think you can
probably secure your release on condition that you return to your own
country and take no further part in the war."
John shook his head.
"I don't expect any harshness from the Germans," he said, "but I'm in
this war to stay, if the bullets and shells will let me. I warn you now
that I'm going to escape."
Von Arnheim laughed pleasantly.
"It's fair of you to give us warning of your intentions," he said, "but
I don't think you'll have much chance. You must get ready to start at
once."
"I take it," said John, "that our departure means the departure of the
German army also."
Von Arnheim opened his mouth to speak, but he closed it again suddenly.
"It's only a deduction of mine," said John.
Von Arnheim nodded in farewell and hurried away.
"Now I'm sure," said John to Fleury a few minutes later, "that this army
is going to withdraw."
"I think so too," said Fleury. "I can yet hear the fire of the cannon on
either flank and it has certainly moved to the east. In my opinion, my
friend, both German wings have been defeated, and this central army is
compelled to fall back because it's left without supports. But we'll
soon see. They can't hide from us the evidences of retreat."
The prisoners now marched in a long file in the moonlight across the
fields, and John soon recognized the proof that Fleury was right. The
German army was retreating. There were innumerable dull, rumbling
sounds, made by the cannon and motors of all kinds passing along the
roads, and at times also he heard the heavy tramp of scores of
thousands marching in a direction that did not lead to Paris.
John began to think now of Lannes. Would he come? Was Weber right when
he credited to him a knowledge near to omniscience? How was it possible
for him to pick out a friend in all that huge morass of battle! And yet
he had a wonderful, almost an unreasoning faith in Philip, and, as
always when he thought of him, he looked up at the heavens.
It was an average night, one in which large objects should be visible in
the skies, and he saw several aeroplanes almost over their heads, while
the rattle of a dirigible came from a point further toward the east.
The aeroplane was bound to be German, but as John looked he saw a sleek
shape darting high over them all and flying eastward. Intuition, or
perhaps it was something in the motion and shape of the machine, made
him believe it was the _Arrow_. It must be the _Arrow_! And Lannes must
be in it! High over the army and high over the German planes it darted
forward like a swallow and disappeared in a cloud of white mist. His
hair lifted a little, and a thrill ran down his spine.
He still looked up as he walked along, and there was the sleek shape
again! It had come back out of the white mist, and was circling over the
German planes, flying with the speed and certainty of an eagle. He saw
three of the German machines whirl about and begin to mount as if they
would examine the stranger. But the solitary plane began to rise again
in a series of dazzling circles. Up, up it went, as if it would
penetrate the last and thinnest layer of air, until it reached the dark
and empty void beyond.
The _Arrow_--he was sure it could be no other--was quickly lost in the
infinite heights, and then the German planes were lost, too, but they
soon came back, although the _Arrow_ did not. It had probably returned
to some point over the French line or had gone eastward beyond the
Germans.
John felt that he had again seen a sign. He remembered how he and Lannes
had drawn hope from omens when they were looking at the Arc de Triomphe,
and a similar hope sprang up now. Weber was right! Lannes would come to
his rescue. Some thought or impulse yet unknown would guide him.
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