Part 15 (1/2)

She noted a metal b.u.t.ton painted gray, set at the side of one of the stones of the wall, which looked unreal. She struck the stone with her knuckles and it gave out the sound of hollow wood, which was followed, as an echo, by a little laugh from Lanstron. Pressing the b.u.t.ton, a panel door flew open, revealing a telephone mouthpiece and receiver set in the recess. Without giving him time to refuse permission, her thought all submissive to the prompting spirit of adventure, she took down the receiver and called: ”h.e.l.lo!”

”The wire isn't connected,” explained Lanstron.

Marta hung up the receiver and closed the door abruptly in a spasm of reaction.

”Like a detective play!” were the first words that sprang to her lips.

”Well?” As she faced around her eyes glittered in the lantern's rays.

”Well, have you any other little tricks to show me? Are you a sleight-of-hand artist, too, Lanny? Are you going to take a machine gun out of your hat?”

”That is the whole bag,” he answered. ”I thought you'd rather see it than have it described to you.”

”Having seen it, let us go!” she said, in a manner that implied further reckoning to come.

”If out of a thousand possible sources one source succeeds, then the cost and pains of the other nine hundred and ninety-nine are more than repaid,” he was saying urgently, the soldier uppermost in him. ”Some of the best service we have had has been absurd in its simplicity and its audacity. In time of war more than one battle has been decided by a thing that was a trifle in itself. No matter what your preparation, you can never remove the element of chance. An hour gained in information about your enemy's plans may turn the tide in your favor. A Chinese peasant spy, because he happened to be intoxicated, was able to give the j.a.panese warning in time for Kuroki to make full dispositions for receiving the Russian attack in force at the Sha-ho. There are many other incidents of like nature in history. So it is my duty to neglect no possible method, however absurd.”

By this time he was at the head of the steps. Standing to one side, he offered his hand to a.s.sist Marta. But she seemed not to see it. Her aspect was that of downright antagonism.

”However absurd! yes, it is absurd to think that you can make me a party to any of your plans, for--” She broke off abruptly with starting eyes, as if she had seen an apparition.

Lanstron turned and through the door of the tool-room saw Feller entering the sitting-room. He was not the bent, deferential old gardener, nor was he the Feller changed to youth as he thought of himself at the head of a battery. His features were hard-set, a fighting rage burning in his eyes, his sinews taut as if about to spring upon an adversary. When he recognized the intruders he turned limp, his head dropped, hiding his face with his hat brim, and he steadied himself by resting a hand on the table edge.

”Oh, it's you, Lanny--Colonel Lanstron!” he exclaimed thickly. ”I saw that some one had come in here and naturally I was alarmed, as n.o.body but myself ever enters. And Miss Galland!” He removed his hat deferentially and bowed; his stoop returned and the lines of his face drooped. ”I was so stupid; it did not occur to me that you might be showing the tower to Colonel Lanstron.”

”We are sorry to have given you a fright!” said Marta very gently.

”Eh? eh?” queried Feller, again deaf. ”Fright? Oh, no, no fright. It might have been some boys from the town marauding.”

He was about to withdraw, in keeping with his circ.u.mspect adherence to his part, which he played with a sincerity that half-convinced even himself at times that he was really deaf, when the fire flickered back suddenly to his eyes and he glanced from Lanstron to the stairway in desperate inquiry.

”Wait, Feller! Three of us share the secret now. These are Miss Galland's premises. I thought best that she should know everything,”

said Lanstron.

”Everything!” exclaimed Feller. ”Everything--” the word caught in his throat. ”You mean my story, too?” He was neither young nor old now. He seemed nondescript and miserable. ”She knows who I am?” he asked.

”Yes!” Lanstron answered.

”Lanny!” This almost reproachfully, as if the ethics of friends.h.i.+p had been abused.

”Yes. I'm sorry, Gustave. I--” Lanstron began miserably.

”But why not?” said Feller, with a wan attempt at a smile. ”You see--I mean--it does not matter!” he concluded in a hopeless effort at philosophy.

”My thoughtlessness, my callousness, my obsession with my work! I should not have told your story,” said Lanstron.

”His story!” exclaimed Marta, with a puzzled look to Lanstron before she turned to Feller with a look of warm sympathy. ”Why, there is no story!

You came with excellent recommendations. You are our very efficient gardener. That is all we need to know. Isn't that the way you wish it, Mr. Feller?”

”Yes, just that!” he said softly, raising his eyes to her in grat.i.tude.