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The stranger did not start。 Except that he raised his eyes he
gave no sign that he had heard。 His eyes stared across the little
sun…filled valley。 They were half closed as though in study； as
though perplexed by some deep and intricate problem。 They
appeared to see beyond the sun…filled valley some place of
greater moment； some place far distant。
Then the eyes smiled； and slowly； as though his neck were stiff；
but still smiling； the stranger turned his head。 When he saw the
boy； his smile was swept away in waves of surprise； amazement；
and disbelief。 These were followed instantly by an expression of
the most acute alarm。 〃Don't point that thing at me！〃 shouted the
stranger。 〃Is it loaded？〃 With his cheek pressed to the stock and
his eye squinted down the length of the brown barrel； Jimmie
nodded。 The stranger flung up his open palms。 They accented his
expression of amazed incredulity。 He seemed to be exclaiming；
〃Can such things be？〃
〃Get up！〃 commanded Jimmie。
With alacrity the stranger rose。
〃Walk over there；〃 ordered the scout。 〃Walk backward。 Stop！ Take
off those field…glasses and throw them to me。〃 Without removing
his eyes from the gun the stranger lifted the binoculars from his
neck and tossed them to the stone wall。 〃See here！〃 he pleaded；
〃if you'll only point that damned blunderbuss the other way； you
can have the glasses； and my watch； and clothes； and all my
money； only don't〃
Jimmie flushed crimson。 〃You can't bribe me；〃 he growled。 At
least； he tried to growl； but because his voice was changing； or
because he was excited the growl ended in a high squeak。 With
mortification； Jimmie flushed a deeper crimson。 But the stranger
was not amused。 At Jimmie's words he seemed rather the more
amazed。
〃I'm not trying to bribe you；〃 he protested。 〃If you don't want
anything； why are you holding me up？〃
〃I'm not；〃 returned Jimmie； 〃I'm arresting you！〃
The stranger laughed with relief。 Again his eyes smiled。 〃Oh；〃 he
cried； 〃I see！ Have I been trespassing？〃
With a glance Jimmie measured the distance between himself and
the stranger。 Reassured； he lifted one leg after the other over
the wall。 〃If you try to rush me；〃 he warned； 〃I'll shoot you
full of buckshot。〃
The stranger took a hasty step BACKWARD。 〃Don't worry about
that；〃 he exclaimed。 〃I'll not rush you。 Why am I arrested？〃
Hugging the shotgun with his left arm； Jimmie stopped and lifted
the binoculars。 He gave them a swift glance； slung them over his
shoulder； and again clutched his weapon。 His expression was now
stern and menacing。
〃The name on them〃 he accused； 〃is 'Weiss； Berlin。' Is that your
name？〃 The stranger smiled； but corrected himself； and replied
gravely； 〃That's the name of the firm that makes them。〃
Jimmie exclaimed in triumph。 〃Hah！〃 he cried； 〃made in Germany！〃
The stranger shook his head。
〃I don't understand；〃 he said。 〃Where WOULD a Weiss glass be
made？〃 With polite insistence he repeated； 〃Would you mind
telling me why I am arrested； and who you might happen to be？〃
Jimmie did not answer。 Again he stooped and picked up the map；
and as he did so； for the first time the face of the stranger
showed that he was annoyed。 Jimmie was not at home with maps。
They told him nothing。 But the penciled notes on this one made
easy reading。 At his first glance he saw； 〃Correct range； 1；800
yards〃； 〃this stream not fordable〃； 〃slope of hill 15 degrees
inaccessible for artillery。〃 〃Wire entanglements here〃； 〃forage
for five squadrons。〃
Jimmie's eyes flashed。 He shoved the map inside his shirt； and
with the gun motioned toward the base of the hill。 〃Keep forty
feet ahead of me；〃 he commanded； 〃and walk to your car。〃 The
stranger did not seem to hear him。 He spoke with irritation。
〃I suppose；〃 he said； 〃I'll have to explain to you about that
map。〃
〃Not to me； you won't；〃 declared his captor。 〃You're going to
drive straight to Judge Van Vorst's； and explain to HIM！〃
The stranger tossed his arms even higher。 〃Thank God！〃 he
exclaimed gratefully。
With his prisoner Jimmie encountered no further trouble。 He made
a willing captive。 And if in covering the five miles to Judge Van
Vorst's he exceeded the speed limit； the fact that from the rear
seat Jimmie held the shotgun against the base of his skull was an
extenuating circumstance。
They arrived in the nick of time。 In his own car young Van Vorst
and a bag of golf clubs were just drawing away from the house。
Seeing the car climbing the steep driveway that for a half…mile
led from his lodge to his front door； and seeing Jimmie standing
in the tonneau brandishing a gun； the Judge hastily descended。
The sight of the spy hunter filled him with misgiving； but the
sight of him gave Jimmie sweet relief。 Arresting German spies for
a small boy is no easy task。 For Jimmie the strain was great。 And
now that he knew he had successfully delivered him into the hands
of the law； Jimmie's heart rose with happiness。 The added
presence of a butler of magnificent bearing and of an athletic
looking chauffeur increased his sense of security。 Their presence
seemed to afford a feeling of security to the prisoner also。 As
he brought the car to a halt； he breathed a sigh。 It was a sigh
of deep relief。
Jimmie fell from the tonneau。 In concealing his sense of triumph；
he was not entirety successful。
〃I got him！〃 he cried。 〃I didn't make no mistake about THIS one！〃
〃What one？〃 demanded Van Vorst。
Jimmie pointed dramatically at his prisoner。 With an anxious
expression the stranger was tenderly fingering the back of his
head。 He seemed to wish to assure himself that it was still
there。
〃THAT one！〃 cried Jimmie。 〃He's a German spy！〃
The patience of Judge Van Vorst fell from him。 In his exclamation
was indignation； anger； reproach。
〃Jimmie！〃 he cried。
Jimmie thrust into his hand the map。 It was his 〃Exhibit A。〃
〃Look what he's wrote；〃 commanded the scout。 〃It's all military
words。 And these are his glasses。 I took 'em off him。 They're
made in GERMANY！ I been stalking him for a week。 He's a spy！〃
When Jimmie thrust the map before his face； Van Vorst had glanced
at it。 Then he regarded it more closely。 As he raised his eyes
they showed that he was puzzled。
But he greeted the prisoner politely。
〃I'm extremely sorry you've been annoyed；〃 he said。 〃I'm only
glad it's no worse。 He might have shot you。 He's mad over the
idea that every stranger he sees〃
The prisoner quickly interrupted。
〃Please！〃 he begged； 〃Don't blame the boy。 He behaved extremely
well。 Might I speak with youALONE？〃 he asked。
Judge Van Vorst led the way across the terrace； and to the
smoking…room； that served also as his office； and closed the
door。 The stranger walked directly to the mantelpiece and put his
finger on a gold cup。
〃I saw your mare win that at Belmont Park；〃 he said。 〃She must
have been a great loss to you？〃
〃She was；〃 said Van Vorst。 〃The week before she broke her back； I
refused three thousand for her。 Will you have a cigarette？〃
The stranger waved aside the cigarettes。
〃I brought you inside；〃 he said； 〃because I didn't want your
servants to hear； and because I don't want to hurt