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But no, you bring only one prisoner, this German, for the other is Lieutenant Noyez. Noyez, my dear fellow, how do you happen to have your hands up?" "Because of the idiocy of this American," hissed Noyez. "Lieutenant De Verne, from the conversation that I overheard I learned that Noyez is a spy, and that he was reporting to his chief, this enemy colonel," Dick stated.
At sight of that Noyez fell back three steps, then sank cowering into a chair, covering his eyes with his hands. "You comprehend that further lying will avail you nothing!" the division commander went on sternly. "Lieutenant De Verne!" "Here, sir!" "Noyez, stand up.
Lieutenant De Verne, I instruct you to remove from the uniform of Noyez the insignia of his rank and every emblem that stands for France! That done, you will next cut the buttons from Noyez's tunic!" Standing so weakly that it looked as if he must fall, Noyez submitted to the indignity, silent save for the sobs that choked his voice. "Call in the guard, and have the wretch removed from my sight!"
"And it was you, my dear Captain Prescott, who captured one spy who has since admitted his guilt. And now you bring in another whom you accuse." "Berger has confessed, sir," Dick asked, "may I inquire if he implicated Lieutenant Noyez?" "He did not." "Yet, sir, from what I heard, Berger and Noyez worked together.
Twenty years ago he moved to Paris, to serve the German Kaiser. He fooled even your boasted police into believing him French, and his name Noyez. My father is dead, so I may tell the truth, that he served the Kaiser like a loyal subject. And he made a spy of me. I was called to the French colors, and I went, under a French name, but a loyal German at heart!
He felt that he could talk, at last, without danger of being killed for his audacity. Noyez, pallid as in death, was silent, his eyes cast down. Back to the third line of trenches De Verne led the party, then down into the dug-out of his company commander, Captain Cartier. "A German colonel and Lieutenant Noyez, prisoners!" announced the patrol leader.
"Truly, it seems incredible." "It is worse! It is an infamous charge!" cried Noyez passionately. "Yet our American comrade must be truthful, a man of honor," said Captain Cartier, in a bewildered tone. "May I suggest, sir," Dick interposed, "that it will be easy to decide.
"Now that I have brought them to you, both are naturally in your hands." "It is a stupid lie that you, De Verne, must set straight," Noyez insisted angrily. "Since Captain Prescott has made the charge, it must stand, of course, until you have been taken before competent authority," De Verne said coldly. "Pirot! Grugny! I turn Lieutenant Noyez over into your charge.
General Bazain ordered. "Yet, Noyez, I will say that it seems to me incredible that any Frenchman could have been so ignoble as you have proved yourself to he." "A Frenchman?" repeated Noyez disdainfully. "No Frenchman am I. Already I am condemned, so I no longer need even pretend that I am French. No! Though I was born in Alsace, my father's name was Bamberger.
And since Berger has weakened and betrayed me, I will tell you that he, too, is and always has been a German subject. Remember, there are many more of us wearing the hated uniform of France." "Noyez! Bamberger!" retorted General Bazain, "I can almost find it in my heart to feel grateful to you, for you have told me that you are not French. Since you are a German I can understand anything.
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