Part 41 (1/2)

”But I won't,” said Wharton, as he stepped back and smashed the receiver with the b.u.t.t of his automatic.

Then as he turned away he said:

”Boys, I've been talking with the Emperor himself maybe, and if not with some one very high in command. I'll tell you about it later, as we must waste no time in escaping from this chateau.”

”I hope you told the Emperor that we are here, ready to defeat him,”

said John.

”I didn't tell him that exactly, but I told him or whoever it was something which may help us. Now, fellows, we must be off.”

They crippled the instrument beyond hope of repair and started. As John turned toward the stairway, he glanced at von Boehlen. The Prussian had returned to consciousness and his eyes were wide open. They bent upon John such a look of anger and hatred that the young American shuddered.

And yet, John felt von Boehlen had full cause for such feelings. Despite himself he believed that they owed him an apology, and stooping a little he said:

”It's been a cruel necessity, Captain von Boehlen. War is violence.”

The Prussian's eyes glared back. A handkerchief in his mouth kept him from speaking, but his eyes said enough.

”I hope that you and your comrade will not suffer,” said John. ”Your friends will find you here in the morning.”

Then he followed his comrades down the narrow stairway.

”What were you saying to him?” asked Carstairs. ”I was apologizing for the blow I gave him from behind.”

”The decent thing to do.”

As they descended into the lower part of the house Wharton told them more fully what he had said over the wireless, and Carstairs patted him on the back.

”Good old chap,” he said. ”You Yankees do have bright ideas sometimes.”

”The next bright idea is open to any one who can furnish it,” said Wharton. ”It's to tell us how we're to get out of the chateau.”

”I think there's a vineyard just behind the house,” said John, ”and if we can reach it we're safe. And we should be able to get there as the Uhlans are watching for people who may come to the chateau, and not for anybody going away.”

They explored the rear of the house and found a door opening upon a narrow flagged walk, lined on either side with pines, and leading straight to the vineyard about thirty yards away. They could make a dash for it, and a Uhlan might or might not see them.

”And if they should see us,” said Carstairs, ”we could probably get away in the garden and the darkness.”

”But we don't want 'em to discover what's happened on the roof,” said Wharton. ”Then they might send a new wireless. If we can slip away without being seen maybe they won't know what's happened to the wireless, until morning.”

”I think,” said John, ”that we'd better resort to the tactics, used long ago by the borderers in the American wilderness, and creep along the walk until we reach the vineyard.”

”Go ahead,” said Carstairs, ”I'm as good a creeper as you are. But, since it's one of your Yankee tricks, you lead.”

They stepped outside and instantly dropped to their hands and knees. The gra.s.s beside the walk was rather high and John led the way through it, instead of on the walk, whispering to Carstairs who was just behind him to do as he did, Carstairs in turn pa.s.sing the word to Wharton.

They advanced about ten yards, and then, John lay flat. The others did the same. One of the Uhlans riding on his beat was pa.s.sing near the vineyard. He was a man of good eyes and he was watchful as became his service, but it was impossible for him to see the three dark figures of his enemies lying in the gra.s.s and he rode on. Then John rose to his hands and knees again, and resumed his creeping advance with the others close behind him. He could hear Carstairs muttering against this painful mode of travel, but he would not alter it, and he knew that the Englishman would be true to his word.

Near the vineyard he flattened down a second time in the gra.s.s. The Uhlan was riding back again on his beat, and the most critical moment had come. He would certainly pa.s.s very near, and although the odds were against it, his eye might catch a glimpse of the three figures in the gra.s.s. Even then they might escape through the vineyard and across the wire fence which would impede the horses, but John recognized as fully as Wharton did the importance of the Uhlans believing until morning that all was well on the roof of the chateau.

The beat of the horse's hoofs came near. The Uhlan was young and blond, a handsome fellow with a kindly face. John hoped that he would never have to shoot at him. But he did not see the three p.r.o.ne figures. It was likely that they blended with the shadows more thoroughly than John had supposed. He pa.s.sed on and the danger pa.s.sed on with him.