Part 35 (1/2)

Reimers hastened up to him and seized his hand. He would have liked to throw his arms round the dear fellow's neck.

Now the reconciliation took place, and when the opponents shook hands Landsberg's glance fell before the honest eyes of the senior-lieutenant.

All traces of embarra.s.sment vanished from the men's faces. There were sighs of relief, and hearty congratulations; the two doctors packed up their grisly instruments again; all were anxious to get away, and to report the fortunate result of the duel to their comrades. Reimers was on his horse and already starting off at a trot, when Guntz called to him: ”Where are you going in such a hurry?”

And Reimers shouted back gaily: ”The colonel's waiting. 'Three crosses,' my orders say!”

The senior-lieutenant rode slowly down. He himself had plenty of time to spare. It was only ten minutes after the half hour, and it was not until six o'clock that he was due at the tactical exercises.

The carriage and the three riders overtook him. Dr. von Froben and Gretzschel greeted him with candid joy in their faces; Landsberg was a little stiff. The surgeon-major blew him a kiss from the carriage.

Guntz responded cordially, and continued at his leisurely pace.

The colonel was looking out into the street from his high summer-house in the garden. Reimers recognised him from a distance, and as nothing better occurred to him he took off his cap and waved it in the air.

Falkenhein checked him energetically when he was preparing to dismount.

”Stay where you are! Stay where you are!” he cried. ”So all has gone well?”

”Yes, sir,” answered Reimers, still out of breath with his quick ride.

The colonel heaved a sigh of relief.

”I am glad; very, very glad!” he said.

In the barrack-yard Gahler was waiting for his master. He handed him his helmet and bandolier and took the forage-cap in exchange.

The battery was ready to move on. Reimers set his horse to a short gallop and rode up to Guntz. ”I beg to report myself, sir,” he said.

Guntz nodded to him smilingly, and gave the words of command in his clear, resonant voice.

In the midst of the exercises two riders suddenly approached from the town. At first it was difficult to recognise them in the thick dust; but Sergeant-major Heppner announced that he saw the colonel's big sorrel horse. It was in fact the colonel and his adjutant.

Guntz galloped up to them and gave his report.

Falkenhein thanked him.

”I only wanted to watch you for a little,” he said simply. And his eyes shone joyfully on seeing the officer he had learnt to love stand unhurt before him.

He approached the battery and greeted them with his powerful voice: ”Good morning, sixth battery!”

And the many-voiced reply was shouted back: ”Good morning, sir!”

Falkenhein rode slowly along the ranks, taking stock of everything with his sharp eyes; then he spoke: ”Senior-lieutenant Guntz, be kind enough to continue!”

It was a lucky day. Everything went like clockwork; there was not a hitch, not the smallest oversight.

At the conclusion of the exercises the colonel ordered the officers and non-commissioned officers to come to him. His criticism contained nothing but approbation, and he crowned his praise by saying: ”I rejoice that the sixth battery, though under new leaders.h.i.+p, has again proved its excellence. And I am proud of commanding a regiment to which belong such admirable officers and non-commissioned officers and such a faultlessly trained battery.”

He shook hands with Guntz, and whispered to him softly: ”I rejoice doubly--threefold--a hundredfold, my dear Guntz.”