Chester was struck with a sudden idea.

“General,” he said, “why can’t we round up all the conspirators that are in the city?”

“In what way?” asked the commander.

Chester’s reply was another question: 

“Has your attempted assassination been kept a secret, or is it generally known?”

“It has been kept quiet,” was the general’s reply.  “Were it generally known our coup might fail.”

“Exactly as I thought,” said Chester.  “Now I am almost positive that the conspirators will gather for one more session before the German advance, if only to make sure that nothing has gone amiss.  We can surround the house and capture them red-handed.”

“An excellent idea!” exclaimed the general.  “It shall be acted upon.  I will give orders to that effect immediately,” and he turned to leave the tent.

But before he should step outside, Chester jumped out of bed and ran after him.

“And how about me, sir?” he demanded.  “Am I not to be allowed to take part in the capture?”

“You!” exclaimed the general.  “You are in no condition to move about.  You shall stay here in bed.”

“Please, general,” pleaded Chester.  “This is my discovery; it should be my capture, too.”

The general stood wrapped in thought for some moments.

“So it should,” he said at length, “and so it shall be, if you feel equal to the task.”

“I am perfectly strong again,” said Chester eagerly.

“So be it, then,” replied General Givet.  “How many of the conspirators did you say there are?”

“About twenty-five, I should judge.”

“Good!  I shall place one hundred men at your disposal, and leave entirely to you the manner in which you make the capture.”

Chester was jubilant.  So great was his eagerness to be at his work that he could hardly wait for his men to be selected.  But at last everything was ready and it was time to start.

A short distance from the rendezvous of the conspirators, Chester divided his men into four groups of twenty-five each, so that they could approach from all directions at once.

With his men concealed from view, Chester bethought himself of the best manner to entice the conspirators out into the open.  Finally he hit upon a plan.  Calling three of his men, he walked with them to a spot directly in front of the conspirators’ rendezvous.  Here the four started a heated argument.

Suddenly there was the sound of a door opening, and a moment later the well-known voice of the chief of the conspirators exclaimed: 

“It is the spy!  Come, men, we must capture him.  Shoot down the soldiers!”

A moment later and the entire number of masked conspirators were in the street.  Then, at a signal from Chester, the Belgian troops sprang upon them.

There was the sound of a pistol shot, followed by many more, and a bullet whistled by Chester’s ear.  Two of the Belgian troopers fell, and several others groaned.  It was plain that the conspirators, trapped as they were, would not give up without a fight.