One he made out was a male voice, which he took to belong to a German officer. The second was that of Mademoiselle Vaubaun. Then a third voice boomed out. This, Hal knew, was that of a second German.

Hal approached the door and put his eye to the key-hole. Then he started back and whipped out his revolver.

In the center of the room sat Antoinette Vaubaun. She was no longer attired as an old woman. She was the girl that Hal had seen the night before. Her hair hung down her back. It was perfectly plain to the lad that she had been discovered. Her face, though pale, was set sternly. Hal listened to the conversation that ensued.

"So you are a spy, eh?" said a big German officer who sat on her right.

The girl made no response.

"Why don't you answer?" demanded the third occupant of the room, a heavily bearded man, and shook his fist threateningly in her face.

"I'll answer only what I choose to answer," returned Antoinette quietly. "Neither you nor the whole German army can make me talk."

"Is that so?" sneered the first man. "I suppose you've heard of the fate that came to an English nurse called Edith Cavell, eh?"

"I have," replied the girl angrily, "and it was crime for which Germany will have to pay some day. But you can't frighten me."

"You, too, will be shot as a spy," declared the larger German.

"And do you think that frightens me? I have done a whole lot for my country. Many times I warned my countrymen of an impending German attack. I am only sorry that I shall no longer have the opportunity."

"What!" exclaimed the German. "You admit it!"

"Of course I admit it. Why not?"

The German took a step toward the girl and raised a hand as though he would strike.

This was more than Hal could stand. He sent the door crashing in with a swift kick and dashed into the room.

It would have been possible for Hal to have shot the German where he stood, but the lad was so angry that he wanted a word with him first.

"You big, hulking coward!" he cried.

Both Germans dropped their hands to their revolvers.

Hal's revolver flashed fire.

The German nearest the young French girl clapped a hand to his forehead and sank to the floor.

There was a flash as the second German fired.

CHAPTER XXV

A FIGHT FOR FREEDOM

Hal felt a stinging sensation in his left side. He paid no attention to this however, but, dropping suddenly to the floor, turned to face his adversary. He saw in that instant the reason the German's bullet had not penetrated a vital spot.

As the German had fired, Antoinette, with a quick movement, had grasped at his arm. She had not succeeded in turning the revolver from its victim, but she did manage to spoil the man's aim. Therefore, the bullet had glanced off one of Hal's ribs.

He now held the advantage, and yet it was not an advantage, for, realizing that he was facing almost certain death, the German had swung the girl in front of him and was using her as a shield.

"Shoot! Don't mind me!" Antoinette called.

But Hal would not fire without first making sure that he would not hit the girl. The German had succeeded now in freeing his hand, and, pointing the revolver over the girl's shoulder, pulled the trigger again.

Hal escaped this bullet by a quick spring aside, and, before the German could fire again, he had skipped forward, darted back of his opponent, and gripped him with his left hand by the throat.

Antoinette clawed so furiously at her captor that the German suddenly released her with a cry of anger, and swung about to confront Hal. He struck out so viciously that Hal stepped back to avoid the blow. The German again raised his revolver, but Hal, moving quickly forward, again struck at the German's revolver with his own--he had no time to raise it to fire. The German's revolver was knocked from his grasp, but Hal also lost his grip on his weapon and both went clattering to the floor together.

Realizing that he was no match for his heavier opponent if they came to hand grips, Hal stepped quickly back and threw himself into an att.i.tude of defense. It was the lad's plan to stand off, if possible, and spar.

But the German had no mind to indulge in this kind of fighting, of which he had not the slightest knowledge. He came forward with a rush. Hal side-stepped and planted his right fist with great force above his opponent's left ear. The German staggered, but he did not go down. Before he could recover, Hal struck twice again--right and left, but neither blow found a vulnerable spot.

The German uttered a terrible roar of anger and charged again. This time Hal was not successful in avoiding the rush and the man's arms went about him. Hal felt his breath leaving his body as the German squeezed.

In vain the lad struck out right and left. Several times he felt his blows land, but there was no power behind them now.

As Hal struggled with the German, Antoinette had picked up one of the revolvers and circled around behind the struggling figures, trying to find an opening that she might fire without risk of hitting Hal. None presented itself.

Hal was gasping for breath. His mouth was open and his tongue hung out. Suddenly the lad's struggle relaxed and he became limp in the German's arms. The latter threw the boy's inert body from him roughly, and as he did so Antoinette fired. The German staggered as the bullet struck him in the side. As he turned to face her the girl fired again.

The German dropped to the floor and the bullet pa.s.sed over him. Before the girl could aim again, the man had seized a revolver from the floor and covered her.

"Drop that gun!" he cried.

There was nothing for Antoinette to do but obey. She dropped the revolver.

"Sit down!" the German commanded.

Again the girl obeyed.

Her captor now saw signs of returning consciousness in Hal. He walked across the room, and, still keeping his revolver ready in one hand, stooped and picked Hal up with the other.

He deposited the lad on a sofa near the girl.

"Now I've got you both, so there'll be a double execution," he growled. "I'll just sit here and guard you till some of my men turn up."

Meanwhile, upstairs, Chester, Major Derevaux and the four Canadians had waited impatiently. The sound of revolver shots below had not carried to their ears. Chester closed his watch with a snap.

"Time's up," he said quietly. "They must have nabbed Hal. Let's go down."

There were no objections offered, so Chester led the way.

The American lad, the French officer and the four Canadian troopers descended the stairs as quietly as had Hal, and as quietly approached the door to the room where the German officer now guarded his captives. Chester peered through the key-hole and took in the situation at a glance.