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〃Take me where？〃 asked Lathrop。
〃Take you anywhere！〃 cried Miss Farrar。 〃You should be ashamed to
talk to me when you should be looking for the enemy！〃
〃I am WAITING for the enemy；〃 explained Lathrop。 〃It's the same
thing。〃
Miss Farrar smiled vindictively。 Her eyes shone。 〃You need not
wait long；〃 she said。 There was a crash of a falling stone wall；
and of parting bushes； but not in time to give Lathrop warning。 As
though from the branches of the trees opposite two soldiers fell
into the road； around his hat each wore the red band of the
invader； each pointed his rifle at Lathrop。
〃Hands up！〃 shouted one。 〃You're my prisoner！〃 cried the other。
Mechanically Lathrop raised his hands； but his eyes turned to Miss
Farrar。
〃Did you know？〃 he asked。
〃I have been watching them；〃 she said； 〃creeping up on you for the
last ten minutes。〃
Lathrop turned to the two soldiers； and made an effort to smile。
〃That was very clever；〃 he said； 〃but I have twenty men up the
road； and behind them a regiment。 You had better get away while
you can。〃
The two Reds laughed derisively。 One； who wore the stripes of a
sergeant； answered： 〃That won't do！ We been a mile up the road；
and you and us are the only soldiers on it。 Gimme the gun！〃
Lathrop knew he had no right to refuse。 He had been fairly
surprised； but he hesitated。 When Miss Farrar was not in his mind
his amateur soldiering was to him a most serious proposition。 The
war game was a serious proposition； and that； through his failure
for ten minutes to regard it seriously； he had been made a
prisoner； mortified him keenly。 That his humiliation had taken
place in the presence of Beatrice Farrar did not lessen his
discomfort； nor did the explanation he must later make to his
captain afford him any satisfaction。 Already he saw himself
playing the star part in a court…martial。 He shrugged his
shoulders and surrendered his gun。
As he did so he gloomily scrutinized the insignia of his captors。
〃Who took me？〃 he asked。
〃WE took you；〃 exclaimed the sergeant。
〃What regiment？〃 demanded Lathrop； sharply。 〃I have to report who
took me； and you probably don't know it； but your collar ornaments
are upside down。〃 With genuine exasperation he turned to Miss
Farrar。
〃Lord！〃 he exclaimed； 〃isn't it bad enough to be taken prisoner；
without being taken by raw recruits that can't put on their
uniforms？〃
The Reds flushed； and the younger； a sandy…haired； rat…faced youth；
retorted angrily： 〃Mebbe we ain't strong on uniforms； beau；〃 he
snarled； 〃but you've got nothing on us yet； that I can see。 You
look pretty with your hands in the air； don't you？〃
〃Shut up；〃 commanded the other Red。 He was the older man； heavily
built； with a strong； hard mouth and chin； on which latter sprouted
a three days' iron…gray beard。 〃Don't you see he's an officer？
Officers don't like being took by two…spot privates。〃
Lathrop gave a sudden start。 〃Why；〃 he laughed； incredulously；
〃don't you know〃 He stopped； and his eyes glanced quickly up and
down the road。
〃Don't we know what？〃 demanded the older Red； suspiciously。
〃I forgot；〃 said Lathrop。 〃II must not give information to the
enemy〃
For an instant there was a pause； while the two Reds stood
irresolute。 Then the older nodded the other to the side of the
road； and in whispers they consulted eagerly。
Miss Farrar laughed； and Lathrop moved toward her。
〃I deserve worse than being laughed at；〃 he said。 〃I made a
strategic mistake。 I should not have tried to capture you and an
army corps at the same time。〃
〃You；〃 she taunted； 〃who were always so keen on soldiering； to be
taken prisoner；〃 she lowered her voice； 〃and by men like that！
Aren't they funny？〃 she whispered； 〃and East Side and Tenderloin！
It made me homesick to hear them！ I think when not in uniform the
little one drives a taxicab； and the big one is a guard on the
elevated。〃
〃They certainly are very 'New York；'〃 assented Lathrop； 〃and very
tough。〃
〃I thought；〃 whispered Miss Farrar； 〃those from New York with the
Red Army were picked men。〃
〃What does it matter？〃 exclaimed Lathrop。 〃It's just as
humiliating to be captured by a ballroom boy as by a mere
millionaire！ I can't insist on the invading army being entirely
recruited from Harvard graduates。〃
The two Reds either had reached a decision； or agreed that they
could not agree； for they ceased whispering； and crossed to where
Lathrop stood。
〃We been talking over your case；〃 explained the sergeant； 〃and we
see we are in wrong。 We see we made a mistake in taking you
prisoner。 We had ought to shot you dead。 So now we're going to
shoot you dead。〃
〃You can't！〃 objected Lathrop。 〃It's too late。 You should have
thought of that sooner。〃
〃I know；〃 admitted the sergeant； 〃but a prisoner is a hell of a
nuisance。 If you got a prisoner to look after you can't do your
own work； you got to keep tabs on him。 And there ain't nothing in
it for the prisoner； neither。 If we take you； you'll have to tramp
all the way to our army； and all the way back。 But； if you're
dead； how different！ You ain't no bother to anybody。 You got a
half holiday all to yourself； and you can loaf around the camp； so
dead that they can't make you work； but not so dead you can't smoke
or eat。〃 The sergeant smiled ingratiatingly。 In a tempting manner
he exhibited his rifle。 〃Better be dead；〃 he urged。
〃I'd like to oblige you；〃 said Lathrop； 〃but it's against the
rules。 You CAN'T shoot a prisoner。〃
The rat…faced soldier uttered an angry exclamation。 〃To hell with
the rules！〃 he cried。 〃We can't waste time on him。 Turn him
loose！〃
The older man rounded on the little one savagely。 The tone in
which he addressed him was cold； menacing； sinister。 His words
were simple； but his eyes and face were heavy with warning。
〃Who is running this？〃 he asked。
The little soldier muttered； and shuffled away。 From under the
brim of his campaign hat； his eyes cast furtive glances up and down
the road。 As though anxious to wipe out the effect of his
comrade's words； the sergeant addressed Lathrop suavely and in a
tone of conciliation。
〃You see；〃 he explained； 〃him and me are scouts。 We're not
supposed to waste time taking prisoners。 So； we'll set you free。〃
He waved his hand invitingly toward the bicycle。 〃You can go！〃 he
said。
To Miss Farrar's indignation Lathrop； instead of accepting his
freedom； remained motionless。
〃I can't！〃 he said。 〃I'm on post。 My captain ordered me to stay
in front of this house until I was relieved。〃
Miss Farrar； amazed at such duplicity； exclaimed aloud：
〃He is NOT on post！〃 she protested。 〃He's a scout！ He wants to
stop here； becausebecausehe's hungry。 I wouldn't have let you
take him prisoner； if I had not thought you would take him away
with you。〃 She appealed to the sergeant。 〃PLEASE take him away；〃
she begged。
The sergeant turned sharply upon his prisoner。
〃Why don't you do what the lady wants？〃 he demanded。
〃Because I've got to do what my captain wants；〃 returned Lathrop；
〃and he put me on sentry…go； in front of this house。〃
With the back of his ha