To know the worst I ventured:  “Well, how are we going to get to Paris?”

“You mean Melun?” she gently smiled.

“Sheer madness,” I replied.  “A carriage is out of the question, and if we had one there would be a hundred guards to turn us back.”

We stepped aside while two military trucks in their gray war-paint went lurching by.  She followed them with her eyes until they disappeared into the distant haze where poplar and purple sky melted into one.

“Going straight to Robert,” she cried, clasping her hands, “and if they only knew how much I want to go, I don’t believe they would refuse me.”

Preposterous as it was, if they could indeed have seen the longing in her eyes I felt certain they wouldn’t either.  Discreetly I refrained from saying so.

We walked slowly back to the partial barricade which compelled the motors to slow down.  A siren heralded the approach of a car.  I drew her aside into the ditch.  Wrenching her hand loose she cried: 

“I don’t care what happens.  I’m going to stop this car!” Planting herself squarely in the path of the great gray thing, she signaled wildly for it to stop.  The goggled driver bore straight down upon the little figure, then swerving sharply to one side jammed on the brakes and came to a sudden halt.

“What’s the trouble?” said the other occupant of the car, a thick-set swarthy fellow in a captain’s uniform.  “Washout, bombs or Uhlans?”

“No, it’s Robert!” Marie exclaimed.

“Robert?” he cried, angered at this delay.

His aroused curiosity took the sting out of his words as he exclaimed, “Who the devil is Robert?”

She told him who Robert was, told it with her soul naming in her face.  Her voice implored.  Her eyes entreated.  The black cloud that had overcast the captain’s countenance at the impertinence of her action melted slowly away into a genial smile.  And yet had fortune been unkind she might have brought us some calculating routinist with pride in strict obedience to the letter of the military law.

“It’s a plain infraction of all the regulations,” he said, “but if you can risk all this for him, I can risk this much for you.  Step up,” he added, lifting her into a seat, and giving me a place behind with the baggage.  It had happened all too swiftly for comprehension.  We were on the road to Arcady again—­and this time in high estate.  With fifty horses racing away under the hood of our royal car, we were speeding forward like a bullet.

Adown this road in the days of chivalry traveled oft the noble chevaliers and knights.  In shining cavalcades they rode forth for glory in their lady’s name.  But never was there truer tribute to the spirit of High Romance than when down this same road, athrone upon a war-gray car, came this little Pennsylvania music-teacher.

All the way we rode exalted, with hearts too full for speech.  And our benefactor gave us no occasion for it.  His eyes were fixed straight ahead upon the speeding road, alert for obstacles or rapt in visions of his own dear ones; or, more probable still, deep in reconsideration of his rashness in harboring two strangers who might turn out to be traitors.