For how could he tell which of these overtures to close with?
A wrong decision might be fatal; yet time unquestionably pressed.
"Mein Gott!" he muttered irresolutely, "vich shall I do ?" At that moment the other bed creaked, and, to his infinite horror, he heard a suspicious voice demand-- "Is that you talking, Rudolph ?" Poor Eva, who was quite unaware of the presence of another prisoner, uttered a stifled shriek; with a cry of "Fly, quickly!" the Baron leaped from his bed, and headlong down the wooden stairs they clattered for freedom.
A dim vision of the thrice-bribed Dugald, screeching, "The car's ready for ye, sir!" but increased their speed.
Outside, a motor car stood panting by the door, and in the youthful driver, turning a pale face toward them in the lamp's radiance, the Baron had just time to recognize his first fair deliverer.
"Good-bye!" he whispered to his second, and flung himself in.
Some one followed him; the door was slammed, and with a mighty throbbing they began to move.
"Rudolph! Rudolph!" wailed a voice behind them.
"Zank ze goodness SHE is not here!" exclaimed the Baron.
"Whisht! whisht!" he could hear Dugald expostulate.
With a violent start he turned to the fellow-passenger who had followed him in.
"Are you not Dugald ?" he demanded hoarsely.
"No--it's--it's me! I dursn't wait for my dog-cart!" "Eva!" he murmured.

"Oh, Himmel! Vat shall I do ?" Only a screen of glass separated his two rescuers, and the one had but to turn her head and look inside, or the other to study with any attention the roll of hair beneath their driver's cap, in order to lead to most embarrassing consequences.

Not that it was his fault he should receive such universal sympathy: but would these charming ladies admit his innocence?
"How thoughtful of Dugald to have this car----" began Eva.
"Hush!" he muttered hoarsely.

"Yes, it was thoughtful, but you most not speak too loudly." "For fear---- ?" she smiled, and turned her eyes instinctively toward their driver.
"Excuse me," he muttered, sweeping her as gently as possible from her seat and placing her upon the floor.
"It vill not do for zem to see you," he explained in a whisper.
"How awful a position," he reflected.

"Oh, I hope it may still be dark ven we get to ze station." But with rising concern he presently perceived that the telegraph posts along the roadside were certainly grown plainer already; he could even see the two thin wires against a paling sky; the road behind was visible for half a mile; the hill-tops might no longer be confounded with the clouds-day indubitably was breaking.