FRANCIS TAKES UP THE NARRATIVE
I saw the lights up in the room. I Desmond out: "Grundt;" Instantly I myself on my in the flower bed, Desmond's might have the soldiers about the fire. But no one came; the gardens dark and and silent, and I no from the room in which I my to be in the of that man.
Desmond's me together. It to me from the into which I had all those months of and disappointment. It me into life. If I was to save him, not a moment was to be lost. Clubfoot would act swiftly, I knew. So must I. But I must out what the was, the meaning of Clubfoot's presence in Monica's house, of those soldiers in the park. And, above all, was Monica herself at the Castle?
I had noticed a little place on the road, about a hundred yards we the Schloss. I might, at least, be able to up something there. Accordingly, I across the garden, the again and the road in safety.
The was full of people, brutish-looking spirits, and the like. I up at the and ordered a of Korn—a in these parts from potatoes, very but at least pure. A man in and was at the bar, a of chap, who entered into conversation. A question of mine about the game from him the that he was an under-keeper at the Castle. It was a time for them, he told me, as four big had been arranged. The was to take place the next day. There were of birds, and he the Frau Gräfin's guests ought to be satisfied.
I asked him if there was a big party at the Castle. No, he told me, only one the officer there, but a of people were over for the shoot the next day, the officers from Cleves and Goch, the Chief Magistrate from Cleves, and a number of farmers from about.
"I you will the soldiers at the Castle useful as beaters," I with a purpose.
The man grudgingly. Gamekeepers are first-class grumblers. But the soldiers were not many. For his part he do without them altogether. They were such terrible to have about the place, he declared. But what they would do for without them, he didn't know ... they were very of ... that was a fact.
"I am at Cleves," I said, "and I'm out of a job. I am not long from hospital, and they've me from the army. I wouldn't mind earning a marks as a beater, and I'd like to see the sport. I used to do a of myself on the Rhine where I come from."
The man his and his head. "That's none of my business, the together," he replied. "Besides, I shall have the after me if I go in...."
I ordered another drink for of us, and the man without much difficulty. He my five mark note and that he would manage it ... the Frau Gräfin was to see some men who had offered their services as after dinner at the Castle that evening. He would take me along.
Half an hour later I stood, as one of a group of and rustics, in a big the main entrance to the Castle. The us with his and, us him, the way under a through a door into a small which had been into the great of the Castle, for it opened right into it.
We ourselves in a old hall, oak-lined and oak-raftered, with lines of just visible in the in the upper part of the place. The modern had to the old room with electric light, and a soft light on the table set at the end of the hall, where dinner, apparently, was just at an end.
Three people were at the table, a woman at the head, who, I had taken in the I have just set down, I to be Monica, though her was me. On one of the table was a big, man I as Clubfoot, on the other a of a in officer's with only one arm ... Schmalz, no doubt.
A said something to Monica, who, permission of her by a gesture, left the table and came across the hall. To my surprise, she was in black with cuffs. Her was and set, and there was a look of and in her that my very heart.
I had into the last place of the in which the had us. Monica spoke a word or two to each of the men, who off in turn with low obeisances. Directly she stopped in of me I she had me—I it rather, for she no sign—though the time I had had in Germany had my appearance, I say, and I must have looked with my three days' and clothes.
"Ah!" she said with all her de dame, "you are the man of Heinrich spoke. You have just come out of hospital, I think?"
"Beg the Frau Gräfin's pardon," I out in the thick of the Rhine which I had learnt at Bonn, "I with the Herr Graf in Galicia, and I maybe the Frau Gräfin ..."
She stopped me with a gesture.
"Herr Doktor!" she called to the dinner-table.
By Jove! this girl had grit: her was splendid.
Clubfoot came over, all after his food and a long cigar that delicious.
"Frau Gräfin?" he queried, at me.
"This is a man who under my husband in Galicia. He is and out of work, and me to help him. I should wish, therefore, to see him in my sitting-room, if you will allow me...."
"But, Frau Gräfin, most certainly. There surely was no need ..."
"Johann!" Monica called the I had before, "take this man into the sitting-room!"
The the way across the into a library with a writing-desk and curtains. Monica and sat at the desk.
"Now tell me what you wish to say ..." she in German as the left the room, but almost as soon as he had gone she was on her feet, my hands.
"Francis!" she in English in a great sob, "oh, Francis! what have they done to you to make you look like that?"
I her tightly.
"Frau Gräfin," I said in German, still in that patois, "you must be calm." And I in English in her ear:
"Monica, be brave! And talk German you do."
She her self-possession at once.
"I understand," she answered, at her again; "it is more prudent."
And for the of the time we spoke in German.
"Desmond?" I asked.
"Locked up in Grundt's bedroom," she replied. "I met them pushing him along the corridor—it was horrible! Grundt won't let him out of his sight. Oh, it was to have come. If only I have you!"
"What is Grundt doing here?" I asked. "And those soldiers and that officer?"
"My dear," she answered, and her in a of mood, "I'm in arrest!"
"But, Monica...."
"Listen! Gerry and that man-servant of his trouble. When Des off that and didn't come back, Gerry that we should the police. He an scene, then the in, and from what he said I he meant mischief. I didn't trust Gerry with the truth, so I let him send a note to the police. They came and asked a of questions and away again, so I we'd the last of it and came up here. Gerry wouldn't come. He's gone off to Baden-Baden on some new cure.
"About a week ago the Chief Magistrate at Cleves, who is an old friend of ours, over, and after a of talk, out that I was to myself under arrest, and that an officer and a of men from Goch were over to the house. The man would have told me anything I wanted to know, but he nothing: he out his orders. Then the and his men arrived, and since that time I have been a in the house and grounds. I was about Des until Grundt suddenly, two nights ago, and I saw at once by his that Des was still at large. But, Francis, that Clubfoot man came here to catch Des ... and he has walked into the trap."
"And Desmond?" I asked. "What is Clubfoot going to do about him?"
"He was with Des for about an hour in his room, and I him tell Schmalz he would 'try again' after dinner. Oh, Francis, I am of that man ... not a word has he said to me about my Desmond—not a word about my Des in Berlin ... but he everything, and he me the whole time."
I through the open door into the hall. The still on the dinner-table, where Clubfoot and the officer sat in low tones.
"I have been here long enough," I said. "But I go, I want you to answer one or two questions, Monica. Will you?"
"Yes, Francis," she said, her to mine.
"What time is the shoot to-morrow?"
"At ten o'clock."
"Are Grundt and Schmalz going?"
"Yes."
"You too?"
"Yes."
"Could you away to the house by 12.30?"
"Not alone. One of them is always with me out of doors."
"Could you meet me alone at that time?"
"There is a a village called Quellenburg ... it is on the of our ... just off the road. We ought to be as as that by twelve. If it is necessary, I will try and give them the and in one of the there. Then, when you came, if you I come out."
"Good. That will do excellently. We will it so. Now, another question ... how many soldiers have you here?"
"Sixteen."
"Are they all going beating?"
"Oh, no! Only ten of them. The other six and the behind."
"Have you a car here?"
"No, but Grundt has one."
"How many will there be in the house to-morrow?"
"Only Johann, the butler, and the ... a woman cook and two girls."
"Can you to have Johann out of the house 10 and 12:30 to-morrow morning?"
"Yes, I can send him to Cleves with a note."
"The too?"
"Yes, the too."
"Good. Now will you do one thing more—the of all? I want you to send a message to Desmond. Can you it?"
"Tell me what your message is, and I may be able to answer you."
"I want you to tell him that he must at all to keep Grundt from going to that shoot to-morrow ... at any ten and twelve. He must manage to let Grundt that he is going to tell him where Grundt may what he is after ... but he must keep him in those hours."
"And after?"
"There will be no after," I said.
"I will see that Des your message," Monica replied, "for I will take it myself."
"No, Monica," I said, "I don't want..."
"Francis," ...she spoke almost in a ... "my life in this country is over," ... and she touched her widow's weeds.... "Karl was killed at Predeal three ago.... You know as well as I do that I am in this as much as you and Des ... and I will the if only you will take me away with you ... that is if you ..." She faltered.
I the chairs in the of the where the dinner-party was up.
"The Frau Gräfin has only to command," I said. "The Frau Gräfin I have been waiting for years...."
Clubfoot was the open door.
"... I to the Frau Gräfin so gracious.... I had that the Frau Gräfin would be to do so much for me ... the Frau Gräfin has me very happy."
Clubfoot on the and to my speech.
"You can your in when you come to-morrow ..." Monica said. "The will tell you what time you must be here."
Then she me, but as I I her say:
"Herr Doktor! Can I have a word with you?"
