Page 53 - A Hero of Liége

"You say you are English?" he said, scanning the two men.

"I assure you that is the truth," replied Granger. "We were both arrested as
spies in Cologne, but by an ingenious stratagem of my friend here we

obtained possession of a German aeroplane, and are delighted to find
ourselves in Belgian territory, among a friendly people."

"You speak very good French."

"Which is not to our discredit, I hope," said Granger with a smile.

The Colonel was plainly even more incredulous than his subordinate. A

man who spoke such good French must be a German spy! He took up the
receiver of a field telephone. Ascertaining that an aide de camp was at the

other end of the wire he said:

"Two men, one in police, the other in military uniform, German, have

landed from a Taube monoplane west of Liers. They say they are English,
but they are clearly German spies. I await orders."

The prisoners, who had heard all, watched his face grimly set as he held the
receiver to his ear.

"It's extraordinary, the persistence of a fixed idea," said Granger in a low

tone to Kenneth. "If he heard us speaking English I suppose he would take
it as a clinching proof that we are Germans! The uniforms, our salvation in
Cologne, are here our damnation."

"They'll send us to the General, won't they? He won't be such an ass."

"We shall see."

A few minutes passed. Then the look of blank expectancy on the Colonel's
face gave way to a look of satisfaction. He laid down the receiver.

"Shoot them!" he said laconically, turning to the lieutenant.