Part 16 (1/2)
”But,” said the ba.s.s voice once more, ”supposing some of the military should straggle along? There might be one who has seen you before.
Alas! I despair! You will not hide yourself; you will stay here till they find you.”
I fell to wondering what in the world Gretchen had done.
”I have not been to the village since I was a little girl. Dressed as I am, who would recognize me? No one at the castle, for there is no one there but the steward. Would you send me away?”
”G.o.d forbid! But this American? You say you can read faces; how about the other one?”
Silence.
”Yes; how about him?”
Said Gretchen: ”We are not infallible. And perhaps I was then much to blame.”
”No; we are not infallible; that is the reason why you should take no chance,” was the final argument of the innkeeper.
”Hus.h.!.+” said Gretchen.
”Confound the pipe!” I muttered. It had fallen over the window sill.
Five minutes pa.s.sed; I heard no sound. Glancing from the side of the window I saw that Gretchen and the innkeeper were gone.
Yes, there wasn't any doubt about it; Gretchen was a conspirator. The police were hunting for her, and she was threatened with discovery. It was beyond my imagination what she could have done. Moreover, she was rather courting danger; the military post was only five miles down the river. The one thing which bothered me was the ”him” who had suddenly intruded upon the scene, invisible, but there, like Banquo's ghost.
Perhaps her beauty had lured some fellow to follow her fortunes and his over-zeal, or lack of it, had brought ruin to some plot.
”Gretchen,” said I, as I jumped into bed, ”whoever he was, he must have been a duffer.”
Her Serene Highness the Princess Hildegarde was in Jericho, and Hillars along with her, where I had consigned them.
Next morning Gretchen waited upon me at breakfast. She was quiet and answered my questions in monosyllables. Presently she laid something at the side of my plate. It was my pipe. I looked at her, but the leads of my eyes could not plumb the depths in hers.
”Thanks,” said I. ”It dropped from my window last night, while I was playing the disgraceful part of eavesdropper.” I dare say she had expected anything but this candid confession. It was very cunning in me. She knew that I knew she knew. Had I lied I should have committed an irreparable blunder.
As it was she lifted her chin and laughed.
”Will you forgive me?”
”Yes; for you certainly wasted your time.”
”Yes, indeed; for I am just as much in the dark as ever.”
”And will remain so.”
”I hope so. A mystery is charming while it lasts. Really, Gretchen, I did not mean to play the listener, and I promise that from now on----”
”From now on!” cried Gretchen. ”Does not Herr leave to-day?”
”No; I am going to spend a whole week here.”
There was a mixture of dismay and anger in her gaze.