CHAPTER XIII
IN WHICH A WOMAN ACCUSES ME OF MURDER ANDI PLACE A RUBY NECKLACE ABOUT HER THROAT
~1~
Anxious to renew my acquaintance with Captain Grauble at the earliestopportunity, I sent my social secretary to invite him to meet me for adinner engagement in one of the popular halls of the Free Level.
When I reached the dining hall I found Captain Grauble awaiting me. Buthe was not alone. Seated with him were two girls and so strange apicture of contrast I had never seen. The girl on his right was anextreme example of the prevailing blonde type. Her pinkish white skinseemed transparent, her eyes were the palest blue and her hair wasbright yet pale gold. About her neck was a chain of blue stones linkedwith platinum. She was dressed in a mottled gown of light blue and gold,and so subtly blended were the colours that she and her gown seemed tobe part of the same created thing. But on Grauble's left sat a womanwhose gown was flashing crimson slashed with jetty black. Her skin waswhite with a positive whiteness of rare marble and her cheeks and lipsflamed with blood's own red. The sheen of her hair was that of a raven'swing, and her eyes scintillated with the blackness of polished jade.
The pale girl, whom Grauble introduced as Elsa, languidly reached up herpink fingers for me to kiss and then sank back, eyeing me with mildcuriosity. But as I now turned to be presented to the other, I saw theblack-eyed beauty shrink and cower in an uncanny terror. Grauble againrepeated my name and then the name of the girl, and I, too, started infear, for the name he pronounced was "Katrina" and there flashed beforemy vision the page from the diary that I had first read in the dankchamber of the potash mine. In my memory's vision the words flamed andshouted: "In no other woman have I seen such a blackness of hair andeyes, combined with such a whiteness of skin."
The girl before me gave no sign of recognition, but only gripped thetable and pierced me with the stare of her beady eyes. Nervously I sankinto a seat. Grauble, standing over the girl, looked down at her inangry amazement. "What ails you?" he said roughly, shaking her bythe shoulder.
But the girl did not answer him and annoyed and bewildered, he sat down.For some moments no one spoke, and even the pale Elsa leaned forward andseemed to quiver with excitement.
Then the girl, Katrina, slowly rose from her chair. "Who are you?" shedemanded, in a hoarse, guttural voice, still gazing at me withterrified eyes.
I did not answer, and Grauble again reached over and gripped the girl'sarm. "I told you who he was," he said. "He is Herr Karl von Armstadt ofthe Chemical Staff."
But, the girl did not sit down and continued to stare at me. Then sheraised a trembling hand and, pointing an accusing finger at me, shecried in a piercing voice:
"You are not Karl Armstadt, but an impostor posing as Karl Armstadt!"
We were located in a well-filled dancing cafe, and the tragic voice ofthe accuser brought a crowd of curious people about our table. CaptainGrauble waved them back. As they pushed forward again, a street guardelbowed in, brandishing his aluminum club and asking the cause of thecommotion. The bystanders indicated Katrina and the guard, edging up,gripped her arm and demanded an explanation.
Katrina repeated her accusation.
"Evidently," suggested Grauble, "she has known another man of the samename, and meeting Herr von Armstadt has recalled some tragic memory."
"Perhaps," said the guard politely, "if the gentleman would show theyoung lady his identification folder, she would be convinced ofher error."
For a moment I hesitated, realizing full well what an inquiry mightreveal.
"No," I said, "I do not feel that it is necessary."
"He is afraid to show it," screamed the girl. "I tell you he is tryingto pass for Armstadt but he is some one else. He looks like KarlArmstadt and at first I thought he was Karl Armstadt, but I know heis not."
I looked swiftly at the surrounding faces, and saw upon them suspicionand accusation. "There may be something wrong," said a man in a militaryuniform, "otherwise why should the gentleman of the staff hesitate toshow his folder?"
"Very well," I said, pulling out my folder.
The guard glanced at it. "It seems to be all right," he said, addressingthe group about the table; "now will you kindly resume your seats andnot embarrass these gentlemen with your idle curiosity?"
"Let me see the folder!" cried Katrina.
"Pardon," said the guard to me, "but I see no harm," and he handed herthe folder.
She glanced over it with feverish haste.
"Are you satisfied now?" questioned the guard.
"Yes," hissed the black-eyed girl; "I am satisfied that this is KarlArmstadt's folder. I know every word of it, but I tell you that the manwho carries it now is not the real Karl Armstadt." And then she wheeledupon me and screamed, "You are not Karl Armstadt, Karl Armstadt is dead,and you have murdered him!"
In an instant the cafe was in an uproar. Men in a hundred types ofuniform crowded forward; small women, rainbow-garbed, stood on thechairs and peered over taller heads of ponderous sisters of the labourcaste. Grauble again waved back the crowd and the guard brandished hisclub threateningly toward some of the more inquisitive daughtersof labour.
When the crowd had fallen back to a more respectful distance, the guardrecovered my identification folder from Katrina and returned it to me."Perhaps," he said, "you have known the young lady and do not again careto renew the acquaintance? If so, with your permission, I shall take herwhere she will not trouble you again this evening."
"That may be best," I replied, wondering how I could explain the affairto Captain Grauble.
"The incident is most unfortunate," said the Captain, evidently a littlenettled, "but I think this rude force unnecessary. I know Katrina well,but I did not know she had previously known Herr von Armstadt. Thisbeing the case, and he seeming not to wish to renew the acquaintance, Isuggest that she leave of her own accord."
But Katrina was not to be so easily dismissed. "No," she retorted, "Iwill not leave until this man tells me how he came by thatidentification folder and what became of the man I loved, whom he nowrepresents himself to be."
At these words the guard, who had been about to leave, turned back.
I glanced apprehensively at Grauble who, seeing that I was grievouslywrought up over the affair, said quietly to the officer, "You had besttake her away."
Katrina, with a black look of hatred at Grauble, went without furtherwords, and the curious crowd quickly melted away. The three of us whoremained at the table resumed our seats and I ordered dinner.
"My, how Katrina frightened me!" exclaimed the fragile Elsa.
"She does have temper," admitted Grauble. "Odd, though, that she wouldconceive that idea that you were some one else. I have heard of allsorts of plans of revenge for disappointments in love, but that is anew one."
"You really know her?" questioned Elsa, turning her pale eyes upon me.
"Oh, yes, I once knew her," I replied, trying to seem unconcerned; "butI did not recognize her at first."
"You mean you didn't care to," smiled Grauble. "Once a man had knownthat woman he would hardly forget her."
"But you must have had a very emotional affair with her," said Elsa, "tomake her take on like that. Do tell us about it."
"I would rather not; there are some things one wishes to forget."
Grauble chided his dainty companion for her prying curiosity and triedto turn the conversation into less personal channels. But Elsa'sappetite for romance had been whetted and she kept reverting to thesubject while I worried along trying to dismiss the matter. But theending of the affair was not to be left in my hands; as we were sittingabout our empty cups, we saw Katrina re-enter the cafe in company with ahigh official of the level and the guard who had taken her away.
"I am sorry to disturb you," said the official, addressing mecourteously, "but this girl is very insistent in her accusation, andperhaps, if you will aid us in the matter, it may prevent her makingfurther charges that might annoy you."
"And what do you wish
me to do?"
"I suggest only that you should come to my office. I have telephoned tohave the records looked up and that should satisfy all and so endthe matter."
"You might come also," added the official, turning to Grauble, but hewaved back the curious Elsa who was eager to follow.
When we reached his office in the Place of Records, the official who hadbrought us thither turned to a man at a desk. "You have received thedata on missing men?" he inquired.
The other handed him a sheet of paper.
The official turned to Katrina. "Will you state again, please, the timethat you say the Karl Armstadt you knew disappeared?"
Katrina quite accurately named the date at which the man whose identityI had assumed had been called to the potash mines.
"Very well," said the official, taking up the sheet of paper, "here wehave the list of missing men for four years compiled from the weighers'records. There is not recorded here the disappearance of a singlechemist during the whole period. If another man than a chemist shouldtry to step into a chemist's shoes, he would have a rather difficulttime of it." The official laughed as if he thought himself very clever.
"But that man is not Karl Armstadt," cried Katrina in a wavering voice."Do you think I would not know him when every night for--"
"Shut up," said the official, "and get out of here, and if I hearanything more of this matter I shall subtract your credit."
Katrina, now whimpering, was led from the room. The official beamed uponCapt. Grauble and myself. "Do you see," he said, "how perfectly ourrecords take care of these crazy accusations? The black haired one isevidently touched in the head with jealousy, and now that she haschanced upon you, she makes up this preposterous story, which mightcause you no end of annoyance, but here we have the absolute refutationof the charge. Before a man can step into another's shoes, he must stepout of his own. Murdered bodies can be destroyed, although that isdifficult, but one man cannot be two men!"
We left the official chuckling over his cleverness.
"The Keeper of Records was wise after his kind," mused Grauble, "but itnever occurred to him that there might be chemists in the world who arenot registered in the card files of Berlin."
Grauble's voice sounded a note of aloofness and suspicion. Had hepenetrated my secret? Did I dare make full confession? Had Grauble givenme the least encouragement I should have done so, but he seemed to wishto avoid further discussion and I feared to risk it.
My hope of a fuller understanding with Grauble seemed destroyed, and wesoon separated without further confidences.
~2~
When I returned home from my offices one evening some days later, mysecretary announced that a visitor was awaiting me.
I entered the reception-room and found Holknecht, who had been mychemical assistant in the early days of my work in Berlin. Holknecht hadseemed to me a servile fawning fellow and when I received my firstpromotion I had deserted him quite brutally for the very excellentreason that he had known the other Armstadt and I feared that his dulledintelligence might at any time be aroused to penetrate my disguise. Thathe should look me up in my advancement and prosperity, doubtless to begsome favour, seemed plausible enough, and therefore with an air ofcondescending patronage, I asked what I could do for him.
"It is about Katrina," he said haltingly, as he eyed me curiously.
"Well, what about her?"
"She wants me to bring you to her."
"But suppose I do not choose to go?"
"Then there may be trouble."
"She has already tried to make trouble," I said, "but nothing came ofit."
"But that," said Holknecht, "was before she saw me."
"And what have you told her?"
"I told her about Armstadt's going to the mines and you coming back tothe hospital wearing his clothes and possessed of his folder and of yourbeing out of your memory."
"You mean," I replied, determined not to acknowledge his assumption ofmy other identity, "that you explained to her how the illness hadchanged me; and did that not make clear to her why she did not recognizeme at first?"
"There is no use," insisted Holknecht, "of your talking like that. Inever could quite make up my mind about you, though I always knew therewas something wrong. At first I believed the doctor's story, and thatyou were really Armstadt, though it did seem like a sort of magic, theway you were changed. But when you came to the laboratory and I saw youwork, I decided that you were somebody else and that the Chemical Staffwas working on some great secret and had a reason for putting some oneelse in Armstadt's place. And now, of course, I know very well that thatwas so, for the other Karl Armstadt would never have become a von of theRoyal Level. He didn't have that much brains."
As Holknecht was speaking I had been thinking rapidly. The thing Ifeared was that the affair of the mine and hospital should beinvestigated by some one with intelligence and authority. Since Katrinahad learned of that, and this Holknecht was also aware that I was a manof unknown identity, it was very evident that they might set someserious investigation going. But the man's own remarks suggested away out.
"You are quite right, Holknecht," I said; "I am not Karl Armstadt; and,just as you have surmised, there were grave reasons why I should havebeen put into his place under those peculiar circumstances. But thismatter is a state secret of the Chemical Staff and you will do well tosay nothing about it. Now is there anything I can do for you? Apromotion, perhaps, to a good position in the Protium Works?"
"No," said Holknecht, "I would rather stay where I am, but I could use alittle extra money."
"Of course; a check, perhaps; a little gift from an old friend who hasrisen to power; there would be no difficulty in that, would there?"
"I think it would go through all right."
"I will make it now; say five thousand marks, and if nothing more issaid of this matter by you or Katrina, there will be another one like ita year later."
The young man's eyes gloated as I wrote the check, which he pocketedwith greedy satisfaction. "Now," I said, "will this end the affair forthe present?"
"This makes it all right with me," replied Holknecht, "but what aboutKatrina?"
"But you are to take care of her. She can only accept two hundred marksa month and I have given you enough for that four times over."
"But she doesn't want money; she already has a full list."
"Then what does she want?"
"Jewels, of course; they all want them; jewels from the Royal Level, andshe knows you can get them for her."
"Oh, I see. Well, what would please her?"
"A necklace of rubies, the best they have, one that will cost at leasttwenty thousand marks."
"That's rather expensive, is it not?"
"But her favourite lover disappeared," fenced Holknecht, "and his deathwas never entered on the records. It may be the Chemical Staff knowswhat became of him and maybe they do not; whatever happened, you seem towant it kept still, so you had best get the necklace."
After a little further arguing that revealed nothing, I went to theRoyal Level, and searching out a jewelry shop, I purchased a necklace ofvery beautiful synthetic rubies, for which I gave my check for twentythousand marks.
Returning to my apartment, I found Holknecht still waiting. He insistedon taking the necklace to Katrina, but I feared to trust a man whoaccepted bribes so shamelessly, and decided to go with him and deliverit in person.
Sullenly, Holknecht led the way to her apartment.
Katrina sensuously gowned in flaming red was awaiting the outcome of herblackmailing venture. She motioned me to a chair near her, whileHolknecht, utterly ignored, sank obscurely into a corner.
"So you came," said the lady of black and scarlet, leaning back amongher pillows and gazing at me through half closed eyes.
"Yes," I said, "since you have looked up Holknecht and he has explainedto you the reason for the disappearance of the man you knew, I thoughtbest to see you and have an understanding."
"But that dumb fellow
explained nothing," declared Katrina, "except thathe told me that Armstadt went to the mines and you came back and tookhis place. He wasn't even sure you were not the other Karl Armstadtuntil I convinced him, and then he claimed that he had known it all thetime; and yet he had never told it. Some men are as dull as books."
"On the contrary, Holknecht is very sensible," I replied. "It is a graveaffair of state and one that it is best not to probe into."
"And just what did become of the other Armstadt?" asked Katrina, and inher voice was only a curiosity, with no real concern.
"To tell you the truth, your lover was killed in the mine explosion," Ireplied, for I thought it unwise to state that he was still alive lestshe pursue her inquiries for him and so make further trouble.
"That is too bad," said Katrina. "You see, when I knew him he was only achemical captain. And when he deserted me I didn't really care much. Butwhen the Royal Captain Grauble asked me to meet a Karl von Armstadt ofthe Chemical Staff, at first I could not believe that it was the sameman I had known, but I made inquiries and learned of your rapid rise andtraced it back and I thought you really were my old Karl. And when I sawyou, you seemed to be he, but when I looked again I knew that you wereanother and I was so disappointed and angry that I lost control of mytemper. I am sorry I made a scene, and that official was so stupid--asif I would not know one man from another! How I should like to tell himthat I knew more than his stupid records."
"But that is not best," I said; "your former lover is dead and there aregrave reasons why that death should not be investigated further--" Theargument was becoming a little difficult for me and I hastened to add:"Since you were so discourteously treated by the official, I feel that Iowe you some little token of reparation."
I now drew out the necklace and held it out to the girl.
Her black eyes gleamed with triumph at the sight of the bauble. Greedilyshe grasped it and held it up between her and the light, turning itabout and watching the red rays gleaming through the stones. "And now,"she gloated, "that faded Elsa will cease to lord it over me--and tothink that another Karl Armstadt has brought me this--why that stingyfellow would never have bought me a blue-stone ring, if he had been madethe Emperor's Minister."
Katrina now rose and preened before her mirror. "Won't you place itround my neck?" she asked, holding out the necklace.
Nor daring to give offence, I took the chain of rubies and attempted tofasten it round her neck. The mechanism of the fastening was strange tome and I was some time in getting the thing adjusted. Just as I hadsucceeded in hooking the clasp, I heard a curdled oath and the neglectedHolknecht hurled himself upon us, striking me on the temple with onefist and clutching at the throat of the girl with the other hand.
The blow sent me reeling to the floor but in another instant I was upand had collared him and dragged him away.
"Damn you both," he whimpered; "where do I come in?"
"Put him out," said Katrina, with a glance of disdain at the coweringman.
"I will go," snarled Holknecht, and he wrenched from my grasp and dartedtoward the door. I followed, but he was fairly running down the passageand pursuit was too undignified a thing to consider.
"You should have paid him," said Katrina, "for delivering my message."
"I have paid him," I replied. "I paid him very well."
"I wonder if he thought," she laughed, "that I would pay any attentionto a man of his petty rank. Why, I snubbed him unmercifully years agowhen the other Armstadt had the audacity to introduce me."
"Of course," I replied, "he does not understand."
And now, as I resumed my seat, I began puzzling my brain as to how Icould get away without giving offence to the second member of my pair ofblackmailers. But a little later I managed it, as it has been managedfor centuries, by looking suddenly at my watch and recalling a forgottenappointment.
"You will come again?" purred Katrina.
"Of course," I said, "I must come again, for you are very charming, butI am afraid it will not be for some time as I have very important dutiesand just at present my leisure is exceedingly limited."
And so I made my escape, and hastened home. After debating the questionpro and con I typed a note to Holknecht in which I assured him that Ihad not the least interest in Katrina. "Perhaps," I wrote, "when she hastired a bit of the necklace, she would appreciate something else. But itwould not be wise to hurry this; but if you will call around in a monthor so, I think I can arrange for you to get her something and present ityourself, as I do not care to see her again."
CHAPTER XIV
THE BLACK SPOT IS ERASED FROM THE MAP OF THE WORLD ANDTHERE IS DANCING IN THE SUNLIGHT ON THE ROOF OF BERLIN
~1~
The relative ease with which I had so long passed for the real KarlArmstadt had lulled me into a feeling of security. But now that mydisguise had been penetrated, my old fears were renewed. True, theweigher's records had seemingly cleared me, but I knew that Grauble hadseen the weak spot in the German logic of the stupid official, who hadso lightly dismissed Katrina's accusations. Moreover, I fancied thatGrauble had guessed the full truth and connected this uncertainty of myidentity with the seditious tenor of the suggestions I had made to him.Even though he might be willing to discuss rebellious plans with aGerman, could I count on him to consider the treasonable urging comingfrom a man of another and an enemy race?
So fearing either to confess to him my identity or to proceed withoutconfessing, I postponed doing anything. The sailing date of his fifthtrip to the Arctic was fast approaching; if I was ever to board a vesselleaving Berlin I would need von Kufner's permission. Marguerite reportedthe growing cordiality of the Admiral. Although I realized that hisinfatuation for her was becoming rather serious, with the confidence ofan accepted lover, I never imagined that he could really come betweenMarguerite and myself.
But one evening when I went to call upon Marguerite she was "not athome." I repeated the call with the same result. When I called her up bytelephone, her secretary bluntly told me that the Princess Margueritedid not care to speak to me. I hastened to write an impassioned note,pleading to see her at once, for the days were passing and there was nowbut a week before Grauble's vessel was due to depart.
In desperation I waited two more days, and still no word came. Myletters of pleading, like my calls and telephone efforts, werestill ignored.
Then a messenger came bearing a note from Admiral von Kufner, asking meto call upon him at once.
"I have been considering," began von Kufner, when I entered his office,"the request you made of me some time ago to be permitted to go inperson to make a survey of the ore deposits. At first I opposed this, asthe trip is dangerous, but more recently I have reconsidered theimportance of it. As others are now fully able to continue your workhere, I can quite conceive that your risking the trip to the mines inperson would be a very courageous and noble sacrifice. So I have takenthe matter up with His Majesty."
With mocking politeness von Kufner now handed me a document bearing theimperial seal.
I held it with a trembling hand as I glanced over the fateful words thatcommissioned me to go at once to the Arctic.
My smouldering jealousy of the oily von Kufner now flamed intoexpression. "You have done this thing from personal motives," I cried."You have revoked your previous decision because you want me out of yourway. You know I will be gone for six months at least. You hope in yourcowardly heart that I will never come back."
Von Kufner's lips curled. "You see fit," he answered, "to impugn mymotives in suggesting that the order be issued, although it is thegranting of your own request. But the commission you hold in your handbears the Imperial signature, and the Emperor of the Germans neverrevokes his orders."
"Very well," I said, controlling my rage, "I will go."
~2~
Upon leaving the Admiral's office my first thought was to go at once toMarguerite. Whatever might be the nature of her quarrel with me I wasnow sure that von Kufner was at the bottom of it, and that
it was insome way connected with this sudden determination of his to send me tothe Arctic, hoping that I would never return.
But before I had gone far I began to consider other matters. I wascommissioned to leave Berlin by submarine and that too by the vessel incommand of Captain Grauble, whom I knew to be nursing rebellion andmutiny in his heart. If deliverance from Berlin was ever to come, it hadcome now. To refuse to embrace it would mean to lose for ever thisfortunate chance to escape from this sunless Babylon.
I would therefore go first to Grauble and determine without delay if hecould be relied on to make the attempt to reach the outer world. Once Iknew that, I could go then to Marguerite with an invitation for her tojoin me in flight--if such a thing were humanly possible.
But recalling the men who had done so much to fill me with hope andfaith in the righteousness of my mission, I again changed my plan andsought out Dr. Zimmern and Col. Hellar and arranged for them to meet methat evening at Grauble's quarters.
At the hour appointed I, who had first arrived at the apartment, satwaiting for the arrival of Zimmern. When he came, to my surprise andbewildered joy he was not alone, for Marguerite was with him.
She greeted me with distress and penitence in her eyes and I exulted inthe belief that whatever her quarrel with me might be it meant noirretrievable loss of her devotion and love.
We sat about the room, a very solemn conclave, for I had alreadyinformed Grauble of my commission to go to the Arctic, and he had sensedat once the revolutionary nature of the meeting. I now gave him a briefstatement of the faith of the older men, who from the fulness of theirlives had reached the belief that the true patriotism for their race wasto be expressed in an effort to regain for the Germans the citizenshipof the world.
The young Captain gravely nodded. "I have not lived so long," he said,"but my life has been bitter and full of fear. I am not out of sympathywith your argument, but before we go further," and he turned toMarguerite, "may I not ask why a Princess of the House of Hohenzollernis included in such a meeting as this?"
I turned expectantly to Zimmern, who now gave Grauble an account of thetragedy and romance of Marguerite's life.
"Very well," said Grauble; "she has earned her place with us; now that Iunderstand her part, let us proceed."
For some hours Hellar and Zimmern explained their reasons for believingthe life of the isolated German race was evil and defended their faithin the hope of salvation through an appeal to the mercy and justice ofthe World State.
"Of all this I am easily convinced," said Grauble, "for it is but alogically thought-out conclusion of the feeling I have nourished in myblind rebellion. I am ready to go with Herr von Armstadt and surrendermy vessel to the enemy; but the practical question is, will our riskavail anything? What hope can we have that we will even be able todeliver the message you wish to send? How are we to know that we willnot immediately be killed?"
The hour had come. "I will answer that question," I said, and there wasa tenseness in my tone that caused my hearers to look at me with eager,questioning eyes.
"Barring," I said, "the possibility of destruction before I can gainopportunity to speak to some one in authority, there is nothing to fearin the way of our ungracious reception in the outer world--" As I pausedand looked about me I saw Marguerite's eyes shining with the sameworshipful wonder as when I had visioned for her the sunlight and thestorms of the world outside Berlin--"because I am of that world. I speaktheir language. I know their people. I never saw the inside of Berlinuntil I was brought here from the potash mines of Stassfurt, wearing theclothes and carrying the identification papers of one Karl Armstadt whowas killed by gas bombs which I myself had ordered dropped intothose mines."
At these startling statements the older men could only gasp inincredulous astonishment, but Captain Grauble nodded wisely--"I halfexpected as much," he said.
I turned to Marguerite. Her eyes were swimming in a mist of tears.
"Then your visions were real memories," she cried,--"and not miracles. Iknew you had seen other worlds, but I thought it was in some spiritlife." She reached out a trembling hand toward me and then shrinkinglydrew it back. "But you are not Karl Armstadt," she stammered, as sherealized that I was a nameless stranger.
"No," I said, going to her and placing a reassuring arm about hershoulder, "I am not Karl Armstadt. My name is Lyman de Forrest. I am anAmerican, a chemical engineer from the city of Chicago, and if CaptainGrauble does not alter his purpose, I am going back there and will takeyou with me."
Zimmern and Hellar were listening in consternation. "How is it," askedHellar, "that you speak German?"
By way of answer I addressed him in English and in French, while he andZimmern glanced at each other as do men who see a miracle and strive tohold their reason while their senses contradict their logic.
I now sketched the story of my life and adventures with a fulness ofconvincing detail. One incident only I omitted and that was of the neardiscovery of my identity by Armstadt's former mistress. Of that I didnot speak for I felt that Marguerite, at least in the presence of theothers, would not relish that part of the story. Nor did I wish to worrythem with the fear that was still upon me that I had not seen the lastof that affair.
After answering many questions and satisfying all doubts as to the truthof my story, I again turned the conversation to the practical problem ofthe escape from Berlin. "You can now see," I declared, "that I deserveno credit for genius or courage. I am merely a prisoner in an enemy citywhere my life is in constant danger. If any one of you should speak theword, I would be promptly disposed of as a spy. But if you are sincerein your desire to send a message to my Government, I am here to takethat message."
"It almost makes one believe that there is a God," cried Hellar, "andthat he has sent us a deliverer."
"As for me," spoke up Captain Grauble, "I shall deliver your messengerinto the hands of his friends, and trust that he can persuade them todeal graciously with me and my men. I should have made this break forliberty before had I not believed it would be fleeing from one deathto another."
"Then you will surely leave us," said Zimmern. "It is more than we havewished and prayed for, but," he added, turning a compassionate glancetoward Marguerite, "it will be hard for her."
"But she is going with us," I affirmed. "I will not leave her behind. Asfor you and Col Hellar, I shall see you again when Berlin is free. Butthe risks are great and the time may be long, and if Marguerite will goI will take her with me as a pledge that I shall not prove false in mymission for you, her people."
I read Marguerite's answer in the joy of her eyes, as I heard Col.Hellar say: "That would be fine, if it were possible."
But Zimmern shook his head. "No," he said, as if commanding. "Margueritemust not go now even if it were possible. You may come back for her ifyou succeed in your mission, but we cannot lose her now; she must not gonow,--" and his voice trembled with deep emotion. At his words ofauthority concerning the girl I loved I felt a resurge of the oldsuspicion and jealousy.
"I am sorry," spoke up Captain Grauble, "but your desire to take thePrincess Marguerite with you is one that I fear cannot be realized. Iwould be perfectly willing for her to go if we could once get heraboard, but the approach of the submarine docks are very elaboratelyguarded. To smuggle a man aboard without a proper permit would beexceedingly difficult, but to get a woman to the vessel is quiteimpossible."
"I suppose that it cannot be," I said, for I saw the futility of arguingthe matter further at the time, especially as Zimmern was opposed to it.
The night was now far spent and but four days remained in which tocomplete my preparations for departure. In this labour Zimmern andHellar could be of no service and I therefore took my leave of them,lest I should not see them again. "Within a year at most," I said, "wemay meet again, for Berlin will be open to the world. Once the passageis revealed and the protium traffic stopped, the food stores cannot lastlonger. When these facts are realized by His Majesty and the AdvisoryCouncil, le
t us hope they will see the futility of resisting. Theknowledge that Germany possesses will increase the world's food supplyfar more than her population will add to the consumptive demands, hence ifreason and sanity prevail on both sides there will be no excuse for warand suffering."
~3~
And so I took my leave of the two men from whose noble souls I hadachieved my aspirations to bring the century-old siege of Berlin to asane and peaceful end without the needless waste of life that all theworld outside had always believed would be an inevitable part of thecapitulation of the armoured city.
I now walked with Marguerite through the deserted tree-lined avenues ofthe Royal Level.
"And why, dear," I asked, "have you refused to see me these five dayspast?"
"Oh, Karl," she cried, "you must forgive me, for nothing matters now--Ihave been crazed with jealousy. I was so hurt that I could see no one,for I could only fight it out alone."
"And what do you mean?" I questioned. "Jealous? And of whom could you bejealous, since there is no other woman in this unhappy city for whom Ihave ever cared?"
"Yes, I believe that. I haven't doubted that you loved me with a noblerlove than the others, but you told me there were no others, and Ibelieved you. So it was hard, so very hard. The Doctor--I saw Dr.Zimmern this morning and poured out my heart to him--insisted that Ishould accept the fact that until marriage all men were like that, andit could not be helped. But I never asked you, Karl, about other women;you yourself volunteered to tell me there were no others, and what youtold me was not true. I must forgive you, for now I may lose you, butwhy does a man ever need to lie to a woman? I somehow feel that lovemeans truth--"
"But," I insisted, "it was the truth. I bear no personal relation to anyother woman."
She drew back from me, breathing quickly, faith and doubt fighting abattle royal in her eyes. "But the checks, Karl?" she stammered; "thosechecks the girl on the Free Level cashes each month, and worse than thatthe check at the Jeweller's where you bought a necklace for twentythousand marks?"
"Quite right, there are such checks, and I shall explain them. Butbefore I begin, may I ask just how you came to know about those checks?Not that I care; I am glad you do know; but the fact of your knowledgepuzzles me, for I thought the privacy of a man's checking account wasone of the unfair privileges that man has usurped for himself and notgranted to women."
"But I did not pry into the matter. I would never have thought of such athing until he forced the facts upon me."
"He? You mean von Kufner?"
"Yes, it was five days ago. I was out walking with him and he insistedon my going into a jewellery store we were passing. I at first refusedto go as I thought he wished to buy me something. But he insisted thathe merely wanted me to look at things and I went in. You see, I wastrying not to offend him."
"Of course," I said, "there was no harm in that. And--"
"The Admiral winked at the Jeweller. I saw him do that; and the jewellerset out a tray of ruby necklaces and began to talk about them, and thenvon Kufner remarked that since they were so expensive he must not sellmany. 'Oh, yes,' said the Jeweller, 'I sell a great number to young menwho have just come into money. I sold one the other day to Herr vonArmstadt of the Chemical Staff,' and he reached for his sales book andopened it to the page with a record of the sale. He had the placemarked, for I saw him remove a slip as he opened the book."
"Rather clever of von Kufner," I commented; "how do you suppose he gottrail of it?"
"He admitted his trailing quite frankly," said Marguerite, "for as soonas we were out of the shop, I accused him of preparing the scene. 'Ofcourse,' he said, 'but I had to convince you that your chemist was notso saintly as you thought him. His banker is a friend of mine, and Iasked him about von Armstadt's account. He is keeping a girl on the FreeLevel and evidently also making love to one of better caste, or he wouldhardly be buying ruby necklaces.' I told von Kufner that he was amiserable spy, but he only laughed at me and said that all men werealike and that I ought to find it out while I was young--and then heasked if I would like him to have the young woman's record sent up fromthe Free Level for my inspection. I ordered him to leave me at once andI have not seen or heard from him since, until I received a note fromhim today telling me of the Royal order for you to go to the Arctic."
I first set Marguerite's mind at ease about the checks to Bertha byexplaining the incident of the geography, and then told the story ofKatrina and the meeting in the cafe, and the later affair of Holknechtand the necklace.
"And you will promise me never to see her again?"
"But you have forgotten," I said, "that I am leaving Berlin in fourdays."
"Oh, Karl," she cried, "I have forgotten everything--I cannot evenremember that new name you gave us--I believe I must be dreaming--orthat it is all a wild story you have told us to see how much we in oursimplicity and ignorance will believe."
"No," I said gently, "it is not a dream, though I could wish that itwere, for Grauble says that there is no hope of taking you with me; andyet I must go, for the Emperor has ordered me to the Arctic and vonKufner will see to it that I make no excuses. If I once leave Berlin bysubmarine with Grauble I do not see how I can refuse to carry out mypart of this project to which I am pledged, and make the effort to reachthe free world outside."
Marguerite turned on me with a bitter laugh. "The free world," shecried, "your world. You are going back to it and leave me here. You aregoing back to your own people--you will not save Germany at all--youwill never come back for me!"
"You are very wrong," I said gently. "It is because I have known you andknown such men as Dr. Zimmern and Col. Hellar that I do want to carrythe message that will for ever end this sunless life of yourimprisoned race."
"But," cried Marguerite, "you do not want to take me; you could find away if you would--you made the Emperor do your bidding once--you coulddo it again if you wanted to."
"I very much want to take you; to go without you would be but a bittersuccess."
"But have you no wife, or no girl you love among your own people?"
"No."
"But if I should go with you, the people of your world would welcome youbut they would imprison me or kill me as a spy."
"No," and I smiled as I answered, "they do not kill women."
~4~
During four brief days that remained until Capt. Grauble's vessel wasdue to depart my every hour was full of hurried preparations for mysurvey of the Arctic mines. Clothing for the rigours and rough labour ofthat fearful region had to be obtained and I had to get together thereports of previous surveys and the instruments for the ore analysesthat would be needed. Nor was I altogether faithless in thesepreparations for at times I felt that my first duty might be thus to aidin the further provisioning of the imprisoned race, for how was I toknow that I would be able to end the state of war that had prevailed inspite of the generations of pacifist efforts? At times I even doubtedthat this break for the outer world would ever be made. I doubted thatCapt. Grauble, though he solemnly assured us that he was ready for theventure, was acting in good faith. Could he, I asked, persuade his mento their part of the adventure? Would not our traitorous design bediscovered and we both be returned as prisoners to Berlin? Granted eventhat Grauble could carry out his part and that the submarine proceededas planned to rise to the surface or attempt to make some port, with thebest of intentions of surrendering to the World State authorities, mightnot we be destroyed before we could make clear our peaceful and friendlyintentions? Could I, coming out of Germany with Germans prove myidentity? Would my story be believed? Would I have believed such a storybefore the days of my sojourn among the Germans? Might I not beconsigned to languish in prison as a merely clever German spy, or beconsigned to an insanity ward?
At times I doubted even my own desire to escape from Berlin if it meantthe desertion of Marguerite, for there could be no joy in escape for mewithout her. Yet I found small relish in looking forward to life as amember of that futile clan of parasitical
Royalty. Had Germany been afree society where we might hope to live in peace and freedom perhaps Icould have looked forward to a marriage with Marguerite and consideredlife among the Germans a tolerable thing. But for such a life as we mustneeds live, albeit the most decent Berlin had to offer, I could find norelish--and the thought of escape and call of duty beyond the bomb proofwalls and poisoned soil called more strongly than could any thought oflove and domesticity within the accursed circle of fraudulent divinity.
There was also the danger that lurked for me in Holknecht's knowledge ofmy identity and the bitterness of his anger born of his insane andstupid jealousy.
Rather than remain longer in Berlin I would take any chance and risk anydanger if only Marguerite were not to be left behind. And yet she mustbe left behind, for such a thing as getting a woman aboard a submarineor even to the submarine docks had never been heard of. I thought of allthe usual tricks of disguising her as a man, of smuggling her as astowaway amidst the cargo, but Grauble's insistence upon theimpossibility of such plans had made it all too clear that any such wildattempt would lead to the undoing of us all.
If escape were possible with Marguerite--! But cold reason said thatescape was improbable enough for me alone. For a woman of the House ofHohenzollern the prison of Berlin had walls of granite and locksof steel.
The time of departure drew nearer. I had already been passed down by thestealthy guards and through the numerous locked and barred gates to thesubterranean docks where Grauble's vessel, the _Eitel 3_, rested on theheavy trucks that would bear her away through the tunnel to thepneumatic lock that would float her into the passage that led tothe open sea.
My supplies and apparatus were stored on board and the crew were makingready to be off. But three hours were left until the time of ourdeparture and these hours I had set aside for my final leave-taking ofMarguerite. I hastened back through the guarded gates to the elevatorand was quickly lifted to the Royal Level where Marguerite was to bewaiting for me.
With fast beating and rebellious heart I rang the bell of the Countess'apartment. I could scarcely believe I heard aright when the servantinformed me that the Princess Marguerite had gone out.
I demanded to see the Countess and was ushered into the reception-roomand suffered unbearably during the few minutes till she appeared. To myexcited question she replied with a teasing smile that Marguerite hadgone out a half hour before with Admiral von Kufner. "I warned you,"said the Countess as she saw the tortured expression of my face, "butyou would not believe me, when I told you the Admiral would prove adangerous man."
"But it is impossible," I cried. "I am leaving for the Arctic mines. Ihave only a couple of hours; surely you are hiding something. Did yousee her go? Did she leave no word? Do you know where they have gone orwhen they will return?"
The Countess shook her head. "I only know," she replied moresympathetically, "that Marguerite seemed very excited all morning. Shetalked with me of your leaving and seemed very wrought up over it, andthen but an hour or so ago she rushed into her room and telephoned--itmust have been to the Admiral, for he came shortly afterwards. Theytalked together for a little while and then, without a word to me theywent out, seeming to be in a great hurry. Perhaps she felt so upset overyour leaving that she thought it kinder not to risk a parting scene. Sheis so honest, poor child, that she probably did not wish to send youaway with any false hopes."
"But do you mean," I cried, "that you think she has gone out with vonKufner to avoid seeing me?"
"I am sorry," consoled the Countess, "but it looks that way. It wascruel of her, for she might have sent you away with hope to live on tillyour return, even if she felt she could not wait for you."
I strove not to show my anger to the Countess, for, considering herignorance of the true significance of the occasion, I could not expect afull understanding.
Miserably I waited for two hours as the Countess tried to entertain mewith her misplaced efforts at sympathy while I battled to keep my faithin Marguerite alive despite the damaging evidence that she had desertedme at the last hour.
I telephoned to von Kufner's office and to his residence but could getno word as to his whereabouts, and Marguerite did not return.
I dared not wait any longer--asking for envelope and paper, I penned ahasty note to Marguerite: "I shall go on to the Arctic and come back toyou. The salvation of Berlin must wait till you can go with me. Icannot, will not, lose you."
And then I tore myself away and hastened to the elevator and was droppedto a subterranean level and passed again through the locked andguarded gates.
~5~
As I came to the vessel no one was in sight but the regular guardspacing along the loading docks. I mounted the ladder to the deck. Thesecond officer stood by the open trap. "They are waiting for you," hesaid. "The Admiral himself is below. He came with his lady to seeyou off."
I hastened to descend and saw von Kufner and Marguerite chatting withCaptain Grauble.
"Why the delay?" asked von Kufner. "It is nearly the hour of departure,and I have brought the Princess to bid you farewell. We have beenshowing her the vessel."
"It is all very wonderful," said Marguerite with a calm voice, but hereyes spoke the feverish excitement of a great adventure.
"The Princess Marguerite," said von Kufner, "is the only woman who hasever seen a submarine since the open sea traffic was closed. But she hasseen it all and now we must take our leave for it is time that youshould be off."
As he finished speaking the Admiral politely stepped away to give meopportunity for a farewell word with Marguerite. Grauble followed himand, as he passed me, he gave me a look of gloating triumph and thenopened the door of his cabin, which the Admiral entered.
"I am going with you," whispered Marguerite. "Grauble understands."
There was the sound of a scuffle and a strangled oath. Grauble's headappeared at the cabin door. "Here, Armstadt; be quick, and keephim quiet."
I plunged into the cabin and saw von Kufner crumpled against the bunk;his hands were manacled behind him and his mouth stuffed with a cloth.
With an exulting joy I threw myself upon the man as he struggled torise. I easily held him down, and whipping out my own kerchief I boundit tightly across his mouth to more effectively gag him.
Then rolling him over I planted my knee on his back while I ripped asheet from the bunk and bound his feet.
From without I heard Grauble's voice in command: "Close the hatch." ThenI felt the vessel quiver with machinery in motion and I knew that wewere moving along the tunnel toward the sea.
Grauble appeared again in the door of the cabin. "The mate understands,"he said, "and the crew will obey. I told them that the Admiral was goingout with us to inspect the lock. But the presence of a woman aboard willpuzzle them. I have placed the Princess in the mate's cabin so no onecan molest her. We have other things to keep us occupied."
With Grauble's help I now bound von Kufner to the staunch metal leg ofthe bunk and we left him alone in the narrow room to ponder on themeaning of what he had heard.
Outside Grauble led me over to the instrument board where the mate wasstationed.
"Any unusual message?" asked Grauble.
"None," said the mate. "I think we will go through without interruptionat least until we reach the lock; if anything is suspicioned we will beheld up there for examination."
"Do you think the guards at the dock suspected anything?" questionedGrauble.
"It is not likely," replied the mate. "They saw him come aboard, but hespoke to none of them. They will presume he is going out to the lock.The presence of a woman will puzzle them; but, as she was with theAdmiral, they will not dare interfere or even report the fact."
"Then what do you think we have to fear?" asked Grauble.
"Only the chance that the Admiral's absence may be noted at his officeand inquiry be made."
"Of that the Princess could tell us something," said Grauble. "We willtalk with her."
Grauble now led me to the mate's
snug cabin, where we found Margueriteseated on the bunk, looking very pale and anxious.
"Everything is going nicely, so far," the Captain assured her. "We haveonly one thing to fear, and that is that inquiry from the AdministrationOffice for the Admiral may be addressed to the Commander of the Lock."
"But how will they know that he is with us?" asked Marguerite. "Will theguards report it?"
"I do not think so," said Grauble, "but does any one at his office knowthat he came to the docks?"
"I do not see how they could," replied Marguerite; "he was at hisapartment when I called him. He came to me at once, not knowing why Iwished to see him. I begged him to take me to see you off. I swore thatif he did not I should never speak to him again, and he agreed to do so.He seemed to think himself very generous and talked much of thedistinctive privilege he was conferring upon me by acceding to myrequest. But he told no one where we were going. He communicated with noone from the time he came to me until we arrived at the vessel. Theguards and gate-keepers let us pass without question."
"That is fine," cried Grauble; "von Kufner often stays away from hisoffice for days at a time. Unless some chance information leaks backfrom the guards, he will not be missed. Our chance of being passedspeedily out the lock is good--there is a vessel due to lock in thisvery day and we could not be held back to block the tunnel. That is whythe Admiral was impatient when Armstadt failed to appear; he knew ourdeparture ought not be delayed."
"And what," I asked, "do you propose to do with the Admiral?"
"I suppose we must take him with us as a prisoner," replied the Captain."Your World State Government would appreciate a prisoner of the House ofHohenzollern."
At this suggestion Marguerite shook her head emphatically. "I do notlike that," she said. "Is there not some way to leave him behind?"
"I do not like it either," said Grauble, "because I fear his presenceaboard may make trouble among my men. I do not think they will object todeserting with us to the free world. Their life in this service ishopeless enough and this is my fifth trip; they have a belief that theCaptain's fifth trip is an ill-fated one; not a man aboard but tremblesin the dire fear that he will never see Berlin again. They will welcomewith joy a proposal to escape with us, but to ask them to make theattempt with the Admiral himself on board as a prisoner is a differentthing. These men are cowed by authority and I know not what notions theymight have of their fate if they are to kidnap the Admiral."
"But," I questioned, "is there no possible way to leave him behind?"
Grauble sat thinking for a moment. "Yes," he said, "there is one way wemight do it. We could shave his beard and clip his hair, dress him in amachinist's garb and smear his hands and face with grease. Then I coulddrug him and we could carry him off at the lock and put him in a cell. Iwould report that one of my men had gone raving mad, and I had druggedhim to keep him from doing injury to himself and others. It would createno great surprise. Men in this service frequently go mad; and I amprovided with a sleep producing drug for just such emergencies."
"Then go ahead," I said.
"But you will lose the satisfaction of delivering him prisoner to yourgovernment," smiled Grauble.
"I have no love for the Admiral," I replied, "but I think his punishmentwill be more appropriately attended to in Berlin. When our escape isknown he will indeed have a rather difficult time explaining toHis Majesty."
This suggestion of the pompous Admiral's predicament if thus left behindseemed to amuse Grauble and he at once led the way back to hisown cabin.
Von Kufner was lying very quietly in his bonds and glared up at us witha weak and futile rage. Grauble smiled cynically at his prostrate chief."I had thought to take you along with us," he said, "but I am afraid theexcitement of the voyage would be unpleasant for you so I have decidedto leave you at the lock to take our farewell back to His Majesty."
Von Kufner, helpless and gagged was given no opportunity to reply, forGrauble, unlocking his medicine case took out a small hypodermic syringeand plunged the needle into the prisoner's thigh.
In a few minutes the Admiral was unconscious. The Captain now brought asuit of soiled mechanic's clothes and a clipper and razor, and in a halfhour the prim Admiral in his fancy uniform had been reduced to thelikeness of an oiler. His face roughly shaved, but pale and sallow, gavea very good simulation of illness of mind and body.
"He will remain like that for at least twelve hours," said Grauble. "Igave him a heavy dose."
Again we went out, locking the unconscious Admiral in the cabin. "Youmay go and keep the Princess company," said Grauble, "while I talk withmy men and give them an inkling of what we are planning. If there is anytrouble at the lock it is better that they comprehend that hope offreedom is in store for them."
Amid tears of joy Marguerite now told me of her belated conception ofthe desperate plan to induce von Kufner to bring her to the docks to seeus depart, and how she had pretended to disbelieve that I was reallygoing and bargained to marry him within sixty days if she could beassured by her own eyes that I had really departed for the Arctic.
As we waited feverishly for the first nerve-racking part of the journeyto be over, we spoke of the hopes and dangers of the great adventureupon which we were finally embarked. And so the hours passed.
At last we felt the rumble of the motors die and knew that the movementof the vessel had ceased.
~6~
The voice of the mate spoke at the door: "Remain quiet inside," he said,and a key turned and clicked the bolt of the lock. The tense minutespassed. Again the key turned in the door and the mate stuck his headinside. "Come quick," he said to me.
I followed him into Capt. Grauble's cabin, but saw Grauble nowhere.
"Remove your clothing," said the mate, as he seized a sponge and soapand began washing the blackened oil from the hands and face of theunconscious Admiral. "We must dress him in your uniform. The Commanderof the Lock has orders to take you off the vessel. We must pass theAdmiral off for you. He will never be recognized. The Commander hasnever seen you."
Obeying, without fully comprehending, I helped to quickly dress theunconscious man in my own clothing. We had barely finished when we heardvoices outside.
"Quick, under the bunk," whispered the mate. As I obediently crawledinto the hiding place, the mate kicked in after me the remainder of theoiler's clothing which I had been trying to put on and pulled thedisarranged bedding half off the bunk the better to hide me. Then heopened the door and several men entered.
"I had to drug him," said Grauble's voice, "because he was so violentwith fear when I had him manacled that I thought he might attempt tobeat out his brains."
"Let me see his papers," said a strange voice.
After a brief interval the same voice spoke again--"These are identicalwith the description given by His Majesty's secretary. There can be nodoubt that this is the man they want, but I do not see how an enemy spycould ever pass for a German, even if he had the clothing andidentification. He does not even look like the description in thefolder. The chemists must be very stupid to have accepted him as oneof them."
"It is strange," replied the voice of Capt. Grauble, "but this man wasvery clever."
"It is only that most men are very dull," replied the other voice. "NowI should have suspected at once that the man was not a German. But heshall answer for his cleverness. Let him be removed at once. We haveword from the vessel outside that they are short of oxygen, and you mustbe locked out and clear the passage."
With a shuffling of many feet the form of the third bearer of KarlArmstadt's pedigree was carried from the cabin, and the door waskicked shut.
I was still lying cramped in my hiding place when I felt the vesselmoving again. Then a sailor came, bringing a case from which I tookfresh clothing. As I was dressing I felt my ear drums pain from theincreased air pressure, and I heard, as from a great distance, the roarof the water being let into the lock. From the quiet swaying of thefloor beneath me I soon sensed that we were afloat. I wa
ited in thecabin until I felt the quiver of motors, now distinguished by the lesserthrob and smoother running, from the drive on the wheeled trucks throughthe tunnel.
I opened the cabin door and went out. Grauble was at the instrumentboard. The mate stood aft among the motor controls; all men were attheir posts, for we were navigating the difficult subterranean passagethat led to the open sea.
As I approached Grauble he spoke without lifting his eyes from hisinstruments. "Go bring the Princess out of her hiding; I want my men tosee her now. It will help to give them faith."
Marguerite came with me and stood trembling at my side as we watchedGrauble, whose eyes still riveted upon the many dials and indicatorsbefore him.
"Watch the chart," said Grauble. "The red hand shows our position."
The chart before him was slowly passing over rolls. For a time we couldonly see a straight line thereon bordered by many signs and figures.Then slowly over the topmost roll came the wavy outlines of a shore, andthe parallel lines marking the depths of the bordering sea. Tensely wewatched the chart roll slowly down till the end of the channel passedthe indicator.
Grauble breathed a great sigh of relief and for the first time turnedhis face towards us. "We are in the open sea," he said, "at a depth of160 metres. I shall turn north at once and parallel the coast. You hadbetter get some rest; for the present nothing can happen. It is nightabove now but in six more hours will be the dawn, then we shall rise andtake our bearings through the periscope."
I led Marguerite into the Captain's cabin and insisted that she lie downon the narrow berth. Seated in the only chair, I related what I knew ofthe affair at the locks. "It must have been," I concluded, after muchspeculation, "that Holknecht finally got the attention of the ChemicalStaff and related what he knew of the incident of the potash mines. Theyhad enough data about me to have arrived at the correct conclusion longago. It was a question of getting the facts together."
"It was that," said Marguerite, "or else I am to blame."
"And what do you mean?" I asked.
"I mean," she said, "that I took a great risk about which I must tellyou, for it troubles my conscience. After I had sent for the Admiral andhe had promised to come, I telephoned to Dr. Zimmern of my intention toget von Kufner to take me to the docks and my hope that I could comewith you. And it may be that some one listened in on our conversation."
"I do not see," I said, "how such a conversation should lead to thediscovery of my identity--the Holknecht theory is more reasonable--butyou did take a risk. Why did you do it?"
"I wanted to tell him good-bye," said Marguerite. "It was hard enoughthat I could not see him." And she turned her face to the pillow andbegan to weep.
"What is it, my dear?" I pleaded, as I knelt beside her. "It was allright, of course. Why are you crying--you do not think, do you, that Dr.Zimmern betrayed us?"
Marguerite raised herself upon her elbow and looked at me with hurtsurprise. "Do you think that?" she demanded, almost fiercely.
"By no means," I hastened to assure her, "but I do not understand yourgrief and I only thought that perhaps when you told him he wasangered--I never understood why he seemed so anxious not to have yougo with me."
"Oh, my dear," sobbed Marguerite. "Of course you never understood,because we too had a secret that has been kept from you, and you havebeen so apologetic because you feared so long to confide in me and Ihave been even slower to confide in you."
For a moment black rebellion rose in my heart, for though with myreasoning I had accepted the explanation that Zimmern had given for hisinterest in Marguerite, I had never quite accepted it in my unreasoningheart. And in the depths of me the battle between love and reason andthe dark forces of jealous unreason and suspicion had smouldered, tobreak out afresh on the least provocation.
I fought again to conquer these dark forces, for I had many timesforgiven her even the thing which suspicion charged. And as I strugglednow the sound of Marguerite's words came sweeping through my soul like agreat cleansing wind, for she said--"The secret that I have kept backfrom you and that I have wanted so often to tell you is that Dr. Zimmernis my father!"
~7~
In the early dawn of a foggy morning we beached the _Eitel 3_ on a sandystretch of Danish shore within a few kilometres of an airdome of theWorld Patrol. A native fisherman took Grauble, Marguerite and myself inhis hydroplane to the post, where we found the commander at hisbreakfast. He was a man of quick intelligence. Our strange garb wassufficient to prove us Germans, while a brief and accurate account ofthe attempted rescue of the mines of Stassfurt, given in perfectEnglish, sufficed to credit my reappearance in the affairs of the freeworld as a matter of grave and urgent importance.
A squad of men were sent at once to guard the vessel that had been leftin charge of the mate. Within a few hours we three were at the seat ofthe World Government at Geneva.
Grauble surrendered his charts of the secret passage and was made aformal prisoner of state, until the line of the passage could beexplored by borings and the reality of its existence verified.
I was in daily conference with the Council in regard to momentousactions that were set speedily a-going. The submarine tunnel was locatedand the passage blocked. A fleet of ice crushers and exploring planeswere sent to locate the protium mines of the Arctic. The proclamation ofthese calamities to the continued isolated existence of Germany and theterms of peace and amnesty were sent showering down through the cloudsto the roof of Berlin.
Marguerite and I had taken up our residence in a cottage on the lakeshore, and there as I slept late into the sunlit hours of a Julymorning, I heard the clatter of a telephone annunciator. I sat boltupright listening to the words of the instrument--
"Berlin has shut off the Ray generators of the defence mines--all overthe desert of German soil men are pouring forth from the ventilatingshafts--the roof of Berlin is a-swarm with a mass of men frolicking inthe sunlight--the planes of the World Patrol have alighted on the roofand have received and flashed back the news of the abdication of theEmperor and the capitulation of Berlin--the world armies of the minesare out and marching forth to police the city--"
The voice of the instrument ceased.
I looked about for Marguerite and saw her not. I was up and runningthrough the rooms of the cottage. I reached the outer door and saw herin the garden, robed in a gown of gossamer white, her hair streamingloose about her shoulders and gleaming golden brown in the quiveringlight. She was holding out her hands to the East, where o'er thefar-flung mountain craigs the God of Day beamed down upon hisworshipper.
In a frenzy of wild joy I called to her--"Babylon is fallen--is fallen!The black spot is erased from the map of the world!"
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends