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Page 107
John's unformed plan of escape included Julie Lannes. He could not go
away without her. If he did he could never face Lannes again, and what
was more, he could never face himself. It was in reality this thought
that made his resolve to escape seem so difficult. It had been lurking
continuously in the back of his head. To go away without Julie was
impossible. Under ordinary circumstances her situation as a prisoner
would not be alarming. Germans regarded women with respect. They had
done so from the earliest times, as he had learned from the painful
study of Tacitus. Von Arnheim had received a deep impression from
Julie's beauty and grace. John could tell it by his looks, but those
looks were honest. They came from the eyes and heart of one who could do
no wrong. But the other! The man of the Middle Ages, the older prince.
He was different. War re-created ancient passions and gave to them
opportunities. No, he could not think of leaving without Julie!
He kept his place at the tall, narrow window, and the night was steadily
growing brighter. A full, silver moon was swinging high in the heavens.
The stars were out in myriads in that sky of dusky, infinite blue, and
danced regardless of the tiny planet, Earth, shaken by battle. From the
hills came the relentless groaning which he knew was the sound of the
guns, fighting one another under the searchlights.
Then he heard the clatter of hoofs, and another company of Uhlans rode
up to the ch�teau. Their leader dismounted and entered the great gate.
John recognized von Boehlen, who had taken off his helmet to let the
cool air blow upon his close-cropped head. He stood on the graveled walk
for a few minutes directly in a flood of silver rays, every feature
showing clearly. He had been arrogant and domineering, but John liked
him far better than Auersperg. His cruelty would be the cruelty of
battle, and there might be a streak of sentimentalism hidden under the
stiff and harsh German manner, like a vein of gold in rock. As von
Boehlen resumed his approach to the house he passed from John's range of
vision, and then the prisoner watched the horizon for anything that he
might see. Twice he beheld the far flare of searchlights, but nobody
else came to the ch�teau, and the night darkened somewhat. No rattle of
arms or stamp of hoofs came from the hussars in the grounds, and he
judged that all but the sentinels slept. Nor was there any sound of
movement in the house, and in the peaceful silence he at last began to
feel sleepy. The problems of his position were too great for him to
solve--at least for the present--and lying down on the cot he was fast
asleep before he knew it.
Youth does not always sleep soundly, and the tension of John's nerves
continued long after he lapsed into unconsciousness. That, perhaps, was
the reason why he awoke at once when the heavy key began to turn again
in the lock. He sat up on the cot--he had not undressed--and his hand
instinctively slipped to his belt, where there was no weapon.
The key was certainly turning in the lock, and then the door was
opening! A shadow appeared in the space between door and wall, and
John's first feeling was of apprehension. An atmosphere of suspicion had
been created about him and he considered his life in much more danger
there than it had been when he was first a prisoner.
The door closed again quickly and softly, but somebody was inside the
room, somebody who had a light, feline step, and John felt the prickling
of the hair at the back of his neck. He longed for a weapon, something
better than only his two hands, but he was reassured when the intruder,
speaking French, called in a whisper:
"Are you awake, Mr. Scott?"
It was surely not the voice and words of one who had come to do murder,
and John felt a thrill of recognition.
"Weber!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, it's Weber, Mr. Scott."
"How under the sun did you get here, Weber?"
"By pretending to be a German. I'm an Alsatian, you know, and it's not
difficult. I'm doing work for France. It's terribly dangerous. My life
is on the turn of a hair every moment, but I'm willing to take the risk.
I did not know you were here until late tonight, when I came to the
ch�teau to see if I could discover anything further about the numbers
and movements of the enemy. You must get away now. I think I can help
you to escape."
There was a tone in Weber's voice that aroused John's curiosity.
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