Chapter XXIX: The Way

“We are neglecting the colonel!” said Grail presently. “Come, we must lose no time in releasing him.”

“Father?” She stared at him.

“Yes. I am satisfied that he is somewhere here, held a prisoner just as I was.”

As he spoke, he began lighting matches, and holding them above his head; and in a moment he caught sight of the strong room, with its iron-sheathed door.

“What is that?” he inquired. Then, as Meredith told him, he stepped over to inspect it.

Meredith hesitated. “But, Ormsby,” she faltered, “the place is full of rats. I heard them when I stood at the door to-day.”

“It was not rats, my dear. It was doubtless your father trying to attract your attention. It was an ideal place of incarceration, and they have had him here ever since last night, when you saw the two men leave in the automobile, whom you took for burglars.”

Thus assured, Meredith lost no time in opening the door herself; it was fastened merely by a heavy bolt, and the lock was broken; but, to Grail’s intense surprise, although there was ample evidence there of a recent prisoner, the place was empty.

“By Jove!” ejaculated Grail, glancing about at the iron-sheathed walls, and high-up, narrow window. “Impossible as it seems, the colonel must have managed to escape. How any one of his build, though, could have----”

He ceased at the abrupt, warning clutch of Meredith’s hand on his arm. “Some one is coming!” she whispered tensely.

Grail thrust her behind him, and, closing the door of the strong room to a crack, listened. Unquestionably there were footsteps on the stairs, and looking out he could see the gleam of an electric flash light playing against the ceiling. What new danger menaced them now?

The steps came on; the ray of the flash light descended until it spread across the floor; then Grail received one of the surprises of his life.

Through the door, breathing a little heavily from their climb, came Otto Schilder and Colonel Vedant.

They paused at the threshold, a trifle perplexedly; then came on toward the strong room.

“If they have put Grail in here, though,” muttered the colonel, “they must have discovered my escape.”

The adjutant and Meredith waited no longer. Quickly stepping out, they disclosed themselves; and, while Meredith went to her father’s arms, Grail obtained from Schilder some rather enlightening explanations.

“My wife, you must understand, Captain Grail,” said the foundryman, “has a brother, Ivan Rezonoff, to whom she is devotedly attached, but whom, on account of his profession, I have forbidden her to have anything to do with. I am a loyal American citizen, and I stand for no spying by the emissaries of any foreign government. Recently, though, I learned that Rezonoff was in Brentford under an assumed name; and before I could make up my mind just what course to take in the matter, the colonel’s abduction occurred.

“I was satisfied that Rezonoff had engineered it,” he continued, “from the fact that my wife had induced me to employ several of her countrymen at the plant; but I determined to say nothing until I could confirm my suspicions. Last night I discovered that my brother-in-law and two other men had secretly visited the house, and by putting two and two together I finally reached the conclusion that it was for the purpose of secreting the colonel on these premises. I could find out nothing from the servants, since they are all under Mrs. Schilder’s domination; but by conducting a quiet search on my own hook, I eventually found the colonel, released him, and for the last two hours have had him in my apartment, restoring him and getting him in shape after his experiences.

“I also kept on the watch for developments in the meantime,” he went on, “and by cross-examining one of the footmen who appeared to me to be acting suspiciously, forced him to confess what had befallen you and your companion. The colonel and I then came here at once to liberate you; and since the sergeant, as I understand, is in the cellar, we will proceed there at once to set him free, also.

“First, however”--he turned so as to include the colonel in his remarks--“I wish to consult you gentlemen in regard to future steps. I make no plea for Rezonoff, of course; he must be dealt with as you see fit. But I do hope that some way can be found to cover up Mrs. Schilder’s folly, and----”

“Don’t worry about that, dear Otto,” interrupted a taunting voice from the head of the stairs. “The way is here!”