Doubtless in the excitement of the moment the Alsatian had found hiding elsewhere.

He was sorry that they had become separated, but Weber had a great ability to take care of himself, and John was quite sure that he would escape.

The task that lay upon him now was to make good his own flight.
The building, the shelter of which he had reached, was a low brick structure, already much damaged by shells and shrapnel.

But the walls were thick enough to protect him for the moment from bullets, and flinging himself down in the deep snow he crouched in the shadow until he could regain sufficient breath for further flight.

He heard more shots fired, but evidently random triggers only had been pulled, as no bullet struck near him.
The fall of snow ceased almost entirely, and the moon grew brighter and brighter.