“You have, sir,” interrupted the general, “a very serious one—­one that will require a more satisfactory explanation than the one you have just given.  This lad”—­and the general laid his hand on Chester’s shoulder—­“already has proven himself invaluable to our cause.  Had I not fortunately arrived in time, he would now be dead.  And in that event it would have fared badly with you.  But I must investigate this case farther.  Captain Bassil, you will go immediately to your quarters and consider yourself under arrest.”

As the captain saluted and turned to leave the tent, Chester, who had been silent thus far, exclaimed: 

“One moment, please, Captain Bassil,” and then turned to General Givet.  “I will explain, sir,” he, added, “if you will have Captain Bassil remain a moment longer.”

The general nodded and Captain Bassil remained.  Chester walked up to him and looked him steadily in the eye for several moments.  Then he turned to General Givet and said calmly: 

“I accuse Captain Bassil, sir, of being a German spy!”

“What!” exclaimed the Belgian commander, starting back.  “Do you realize what you are saying?”

“Perfectly, sir, and I am prepared to prove what I say.”

Captain Bassil smiled sneeringly.

“I won’t believe you will take any stock in such a wild story, sir,” he said to General Givet.  “With your permission, I shall go to my own quarters.”

“One moment,” said the general, raising a detaining hand, and then turned to Chester.  “Explain yourself,” he added shortly.

In a few well-chosen words Chester recounted his experiences of the day before.

“And I am positive,” he concluded, “that if you will have Captain Bassil searched, you will find in his possession a paper similar to this,” and he handed the commander the document he had taken from one of the conspirators before he entered their council chamber.

The commander ran his eye over the paper hurriedly, and turned sternly toward Captain Bassil.

“What have you to say to this charge, sir?” he demanded.

“That it is a lie!” shouted the accused officer.  “He is accusing me to save himself.”

The general looked at him in silence for some moments, apparently undecided as to how to act.

“Well,” he said at length, “it will do no harm to find out.”

He stepped to the door of his tent and spoke to the sentinel on duty just outside: 

“Ask Lieutenant Armand to step this way at once.”

As General Givet turned from giving this command, Captain Bassil suddenly uttered a loud cry and leaped upon the commander.

“At least you shall never live to thwart our plans!” he cried, as he sprang.

Taken completely off his guard, General Givet was hurled heavily to the ground by the force of the traitor’s spring.  The commander’s head struck the ground with a crash, and he lay still.  A revolver barrel gleamed in the sunlight that filtered through the half-closed opening in the tent.  But even as it was brought to bear Chester leaped forward.