Part 37 (1/2)

”Then he must have been drowned. Poor fellow! But I'd rather be drowned than be executed as a spy.”

It saddened them. They had learned to like Weber, and, having saved him once, they were sorry they could not save him twice. But one could not mourn long at such a time. The more daring of the Uhlans would certainly swim the river and continue the pursuit, and it was for the three to hide their trail as soon as possible. John rose first.

”Come, boys,” he said. ”Our clothes will dry faster while we're running.”

”Put it that way if you like,” said Carstairs. ”At any rate I'm going to toddle.”

They had lost their rifles, but they had their automatic pistols which might be of service in spite of their dips, but they wished to avoid the need of their use. They already heard the splashes as the Uhlans made their horses leap into the river, and they ran at their best speed through the forest, coming presently to a vineyard, which they crossed between the rows of vines, finding a high wire fence on the other side.

As they darted between the strands they recognized that they could have no better barrier between them and pursuing hors.e.m.e.n.

Near them on the left was a large chateau, with a flower garden in front and a kitchen garden behind. They resisted the inevitable temptation of man to run to a roof for shelter and protection, and sped instead into the dense foliage and shrubbery that spread away toward the fields.

There they threw themselves down again and panted for the breath that came so hardly through their exhausted lungs.

But they did not hear the sinister tread of the Uhlans, nor did they notice the presence of any human being, a fact which for the present failed to impress them, because the Uhlans filled their minds. Five minutes, ten, fifteen pa.s.sed and still no sound.

”Perhaps they think we're drowned,” whispered John. ”They were not near enough to see us swim away from the automobile.”

”I hope you're right, and maybe you are,” said Wharton. ”In any case I don't think they'll hunt for us long. We're not important enough for them to waste time on when they're so near the French lines.”

”I'm going to stay where I am until I hear the tread of hoofs,” said Carstairs. ”I'm drying fast and it's comfortable lying here under the vines. You didn't lose those papers, when we were in the river; did you, Wharton?”

”They're safe in my pocket,” replied Wharton, ”and I had them wrapped up so thoroughly that they didn't have a chance to get wet.”

”If the Uhlans don't find us in the next half hour,” said John, ”it's quite certain they won't find us at all. They won't spend more time than that on us.”

Then they lay quite still, sheltered well under the vines. Their armored car, the car of the prince was now lying at the bottom of the river, but it had served them well. John was sure that they would find some other means of reaching the Franco-British army. He was fast learning that ways nearly always opened to daring and persistence.

The half hour pa.s.sed, and no Uhlans appeared. They had crossed the river, as the splashes indicated, but, doubtless, finding no trail of the fugitives, they had believed them pinned under the car at the bottom of the river, and had gone away on some other more profitable quest.

But the three waited another half hour for the sake of precaution, and then came from under the vines. Twilight was now at hand, and they realized that they were physically weak after so much excitement and exertion.

”I might be able to limp along through the night,” said Wharton, ”but I doubt it.”

”I know I can't,” said Carstairs.

”Why try to go on?” said John. ”Here's a house. Being in France it must be inhabited by French sympathizers. They'll shelter us and give us food.”

”I think we'd better try it,” said Carstairs.

”I agree with you,” said Wharton, ”but I think it strange that we've seen n.o.body attached to this place. So large a house and grounds must have at least twenty people about, and an affair like ours would certainly attract their attention. Yet, we see n.o.body.”

”That's so,” said John. ”Suppose we wait a bit--it's darkening fast--and see what's happened.”

They still stood among the vines, and, as the night was coming on and their clothing was only partially dried, they s.h.i.+vered with chill. The tile roof of the chateau, showing among the trees looked attractive. But no light appeared in any of the windows, and not a sound came from the house itself, nor any of the buildings about it.

The windows glittered like fire with the last rays of the sun, and then the darkness soon swept down, heavy and thick. The three holding their automatics, and s.h.i.+vering in the chill wind of the night, approached the silent chateau. John felt a little awe, too. Chance certainly was taking him into strange places, and he was devoutly glad that he had two good comrades by his side.

They pa.s.sed out of the vineyard and entered the grounds, which were large, adorned with ancient trees, several statues, and a fountain, in which the water was still playing. The moonlight, coming out now, gave to the chateau an appearance of great age.

”I fancy that some old n.o.ble family lived here,” he said. ”It must have been quite a place once.”