Part 53 (1/2)
”From headquarters, I heard that you were on picket duty on Chapel mountain. A fearful night for such a service.”
Hartmut was silent. No need to say that had he not been roused it would have been his last. Egon glanced uneasily at him; despite the uncertain light he saw how exhausted and spent the man before him was as he leaned against a pillar as if needing support.
”I came with a commission which you can accept or not as you see fit,”
he began again. ”The thing is almost impossible, would be altogether so for any one but you. You have the courage, but whether, after all your exertions you have the strength, is another question.”
”A quarter of an hour of warmth and some refreshment will bring back my strength. What is it?”
”A ride of life and death. To take some intelligence to R---- through the mountain pa.s.s just where the enemy lies.”
”To the front!” cried Hartmut; ”that's where--”
”General Falkenried is with his brigade. He is lost if the news does not reach him. We put the means of saving his life in the hands of his son!”
Hartmut grasped his friend's arm. He was all excitement and anxiety in an instant.
”I can save my father? I? What has happened? What am I to do?”
”Listen. The prisoner which you sent to us this evening has made some terrible revelations. The fort is to be blown up after the surrender, as soon as the French garrison are out and our men are in it. The general has sent two messengers--but they take round-about ways and will never reach there in time. Your father intends to seize the fort to-morrow. He must be warned in time, and there's but one way. The news must go through the mountain pa.s.s which the enemy hold; that is the only chance to reach our friends. But that way--”
”I know it. Our regiment marched through it two weeks ago before the enemy had taken it,” cried Hartmut.
”All the better! You must of course lay aside your uniform.”
”I only need exchange my cloak and helmet. If I had stayed here I'd have been dead in a few hours; now if I ride fast enough I have one chance.
If I only had a good horse.”
”That is ready for you, I brought my own Arabian, Sadi, with me. You know him well, have ridden him often. He'll fly like a bird on a night like this, he'll need no whip to spur him on.”
The conversation was whispered in stormy haste, and the prince handed him the papers.
”Here is the general's order which you present when you reach our sentinels, and here are the dispatches. Take a half hour to get some warmth and strength into your body, then you can start.”
”Do you think I want rest or warmth?” cried Hartmut, the old Hartmut again. ”When I break down now it will be from the enemy's bullet. I thank you Egon for this hour, in which you have at last, at last, exonerated me from a fearful suspicion!”
”And in which I send you to your death,” said the prince gently. ”We must not hide the truth from ourselves--only a miracle can save you.”
”A miracle?” Hartmut's glance sought the altar which the flickering moonlight revealed. He had ceased to pray long years ago, and yet in this moment a hot, speechless prayer went up to Heaven for strength to accomplish this miracle. ”If I can only save my father then I am content!”
In the next second he turned, and Egon, who had put new life into him and given him back his courage, said gently:
”And now let us say good-bye! G.o.d bless you, Hartmut!”
The two friends clung to one another in a last embrace. All that had come between them was lost sight of forever, and the old, warm love was mightier than ever in this last hour, for they both felt that it was a farewell for all time.
Scarcely fifteen minutes later a rider dashed out of the camp. The slender Arab's hoofs hardly touched the ground over which it sped; in a wild gallop it went on over the snow-covered ground, through the ice-clad forest, over frozen streams, on, on, into the mountain pa.s.s!
CHAPTER XVI.