Part 31 (1/2)
”Don't smile in that way!” she pleaded. ”We'll lock him in a closet and I'll stand guard. That will give you time to run for it--or some other plan--anything so they will not get you--please, please!”
”Very moving picture-ish that, Helen,” he said. ”No. I'll go with von Eichborn to see his General and explain that an officer invading a private house struck me and I struck him back, that being a custom of my country and I being ignorant of the customs of foreign countries.
Come!” As he led the way out of doors he added to von Eichborn: ”Some men in your position might want to forget the whole experience.”
”Not that you struck me when in uniform! Never!” von Eichborn said.
”My uncle will punish that. You will be shot, as Belgians were for the same offence.”
Helen followed them. Henriette was already in the grounds, having come down from her room by the other stairway. Thus von Stein, alighting from his car, had the whole group before him as he approached. At sight of him, von Eichborn murmured something under his breath and clicked his heels together as he saluted.
”So there you are, you scoundrel!” called out the General.
Von Eichborn knew how to deal with the rage of an uncle who had no son of his own.
”Yes, sir,” he said humbly. ”I came to interrogate these two young women about this man's case.”
”Without leave!” put in von Stein sternly.
”Time was important. The Major said you would not need me. You were busy.”
”No excuse!” blurted von Stein.
”Sorry, sir!” replied von Eichborn. ”Then this man returned to the house and struck me with his fist!”
”You struck an officer!” Von Stein turned on Phil, Prussian indignation overwhelming every other idea. ”Why didn't you shoot him?”
he demanded of von Eichborn.
”He took away my revolver when I was down and stunned,” explained von Eichborn.
”Baby!” roared von Stein. ”And you--” to Phil, ”you struck an officer!
That is settled!”
”After he had struck at me!” replied Phil steadily.
”Yes, at his face with his gloves!” put in Helen, stepping forward and looking squarely at the General. ”I saw it. And he was not here to interrogate us. He wanted to go upstairs where my sister was. Then our cousin came.”
Von Stein gave the two girls a scrutinising look. There was truth in Helen's eyes as surely as Henriette was beautiful. He liked Helen, not having much use for beautiful women, being unhappily married to one.
But aside from her evidence he knew that his nephew was lying, as he had before to get himself out of a sc.r.a.pe.
”Did you try to go upstairs? Answer!” he said to von Eichborn, who understood from experience that confession was best when his uncle spoke in that fas.h.i.+on.
”Yes, sir!”
”And you struck at him?”
”Yes, he insulted me.”
”After his insult!” interrupted Phil. ”I----”