CHAPTER XXVII
THE TRIAL OF VON BLITZ
The next morning found the weather unsettled. There had been a fiercestorm during the night and a nasty mist was blowing up from the sea.Deppingham kept to his room, although his cold was dissipated. For thefirst time in all those blistering, trying months, they felt a chill inthe air; raw, wet, unexpected.
Chase had been up nearly all of the night, fearful lest the islandersshould seize the opportunity to scale the walls under cover of thetempest. All through the night he had been possessed of a spirit of wildbravado, a glorious exaltation: he was keeping watch over her, standingbetween her and peril, guarding her while she slept. He thought of thatmass of Henner hair--he loved to think of her as a creation of thefanciful Henner--he thought of her asleep and dreaming in blissfulsecurity while he, with all the loyalty of an imaginative boy, wasstanding guard just as he had pictured himself in those heroic days whenhe substituted himself for the story-book knight who stood beneath thebattlements and defied the covetous ogre. His thoughts, however, did notcontemplate the Princess fair in a state of wretched insomnia, withhimself as the disturbing element.
He looked for her at breakfast time. They usually had their rolls andcoffee together. When she did not appear, he made more than one pretextto lengthen his own stay in the breakfast-room. "She's trying to forgetyesterday," he reflected. "What was it she said about always regretting?Oh, well, it's the way of women. I'll wait," he concluded with theutmost confidence in the powers of patience.
Selim came to him in the midst of his reflections, bearing a thick,rain-soaked envelope.
"It was found, excellency, inside the southern gate, and it is meant foryou," said Selim. Chase gingerly slashed open the envelope with hisfruit knife. He laughed ruefully as he read the simple but laboriousmessage from Jacob von Blitz.
"_Where are your warships all this time? They are not coming to youever. Good-bye. You got to die yet, too. Your friend, Jacob von Blitz.And my wives, too._"
Chase stuffed the blurred, sticky letter into his pocket and arose tostretch himself.
"There's something coming to you, Jacob," he said, much to the wonder ofSelim. "Selim, unless I miss my guess pretty badly, we'll be having amessage--not from Garcia--but from Rasula before long. You've neverheard of Garcia? Well, come along. I'll tell you something about him aswe take our morning stroll. How are my cigarettes holding out?"
"They run low, sahib. Neenah has given all of hers to me for you,excellency, and I have demanded those of the wives of Von Blitz."
"Selim, you must not forget that you are a gentleman. That was mostungallant. But I suppose you got them?"
"No, sahib. They refused to give them up. They are saving them for Mr.Britt," said Selim dejectedly.
"Ah, the ficklety of women!" he sighed. "There's a new word for you,Selim--ficklety. I like it better than fickleness, don't you? Soundslike frailty, too. Was there any shooting after I went to bed?" Hismanner changed suddenly from the frivolous to the serious.
"No, sahib."
"I don't understand their game," he mused, a perplexed frown on hisbrow. "They've quit popping away at us."
It was far past midday when he heard from Rasula. The disagreeableweather may have been more or less responsible for the ruffling ofChase's temper during those long, dreary hours of waiting. Be that as itmay, he was sorely tried by the feeling of loneliness that attacheditself to him. He had seen the Princess but once, and then she waswalking briskly, wrapped in a rain coat, followed by her shivering dogs,and her two Rapp-Thorberg soldiers! Somehow she failed to see Chase ashe sauntered hungrily, almost imploringly across the upper terrace, inplain view. Perhaps, after all, it was not the weather.
Rasula's messenger came to the gates and announced that he had a letterfor Mr. Chase. He was admitted to the grounds and conducted to the sickchamber of "the commandant." Hollingsworth Chase read the carefullyworded, diplomatic letter from the native lawyer, his listeners payingthe strictest attention. After the most courteous introductory, Rasulahad this to say:
"We have reason to suspect that you were right in your suspicions. Thegolden plate has been found this day in the cave below the chateau, justas you have said. This much of what you have charged against Jacob vonBlitz seems to be borne out by the evidence secured. Last night therewas an attempt to rob the vaults in the company's bank. Again I followedyour advice and laid a trap for the men engaged. They were slain in thestruggle which followed. This fact is much to be deplored. Your commandthat these men be given a fair trial cannot be obeyed. They diedfighting after we had driven them to the wall. I have to inform you,sir, that your charge against Jacob von Blitz does not hold good in thecase of the bank robbery. Therefore, I am impelled to believe that youmay have unjustly accused him of being implicated in the robbery of thetreasure chests. He was not among the bank thieves. There were but threeof them--the Boer foremen. Jacob von Blitz came up himself and joined usin the fight against the traitors. He was merciless in his anger againstthem. You have said that you will testify against him. Sir, I have takenit upon myself to place him under restraint, notwithstanding his actionsagainst the Boers. He shall have a fair trial. If it is proved that heis guilty, he shall pay the penalty. We are just people.
"Sir, we, the people of Japat, will take you at your word. We ask you toappear against the prisoner and give evidence in support of your charge.He shall be placed on trial to-morrow morning at ten o'clock. On myhonour as a man and a Believer, I assure safety to you while you areamong us on that occasion. You shall find that we are honourable--morehonourable than the people you now serve so dearly. I, Rasula, will meetyou at the gates and will conduct you back to them in safety. If you area true man, you will not evade the call. I beg to assure you that yourtestimony against Jacob von Blitz shall be weighed carefully and withoutprejudice by those who are to act as his judges. My messenger will carryyour reply to us. RASULA."
"Well, it looks as though Von Blitz has spiked your guns," saidDeppingham. "The dog turns against his confederates and saves his ownskin by killing them."
"In any event," said Browne, "you spoiled his little game. He loses thetreasure and he didn't get into the vaults. Rasula should take thosepoints into consideration."
"He won't forget them, rest assured. That's why I'm sure that he'll takemy word at the trial as against that of Von Blitz," said Chase.
"You--you don't mean to say, Mr. Chase, that you are going into thetown?" cried Lady Agnes, wide-eyed.
"Certainly, Lady Deppingham. They are expecting me."
"Don't be foolhardy, Chase. They will kill you like a rat," exclaimedDeppingham.
"Oh, no, they won't," said the other confidently. "They've given theirpromise through Rasula. Whatever else they may be, they hold a promisesacred. They know I'll come. If I don't, they'll know that I am acoward. You wouldn't have them think I _am_ a coward, would you, LadyDeppingham?" he said, turning to look into her distressed face with hismost winning smile.
The next morning he coolly set forth for the gates, scarcely thinkingenough of the adventure to warrant the matter-of-fact "good-byes" thathe bestowed upon those who were congregated to see him off. His heartwas sore as he strode rapidly down the drive. Genevra had not come downto say farewell.
"By heaven," he muttered, strangely vexed with her, "I fancy she meansit. She's bent on showing me my place. But she might have come down andwished me good luck. That was little enough for her to do. Ah, well," hesighed, putting it away from him.
As he turned into the tree-lined avenue near the gate, a slender youngwoman in a green and white gown arose from a seat in the shade andstepped a pace forward, opening her parasol quite leisurely as hequickened his steps. His eyes gleamed with the sudden rush of joy thatfilled his whole being. She stood there, waiting for him, under thetrees. There was an expression in her face that he had never seen therebefore. She was smiling, it is true, but there was something likedefiance--yes, it was the set, strained smile of resolution that greetedhis eager e
xclamation. Her eyes gleamed brightly and she was breathingas one who has run swiftly.
"You are determined to go down there among those men?" she demanded, thesmile suddenly giving way to a look of disapproval. She ignored hishand.
"Certainly," he said, after the moment of bewilderment. "Why not? I--Ithought you had made up your mind to let me go without a--a word forgood luck." She found great difficulty in meeting the wistful look inhis eyes. "You are good to come down here to say good-bye--and howdy do,for that matter. We're almost strangers again."
"I did not come down to say good-bye," she said, her lips trembling everso slightly.
"I don't understand," he said.
"I am going with you into the town--as a witness," she said, and herface went pale at the thought of it. He drew back in amazement, staringat her as though he had not heard aright.
"Genevra," he cried, "you--you would do _that_?"
"Why not, Mr. Chase?" She tried to speak calmly, but she was trembling.After all, she was a slender, helpless girl--not an Amazon! "I saw andheard everything. They won't believe you unsupported. They won't harmme. They will treat me as they treat you. I have as much right to beheard against him as you. If I swear to them that what you say is truethey----"
Her hand was on his arm now, trembling, eager, yet charged with fear atthe prospect ahead of her. He clasped the little hand in his and quicklylifted it to his lips.
"I'm happy again," he cried. "It's all right with me now." She withdrewher hand on the instant.
"No, no! It isn't that," she said, her eyes narrowing. "Don'tmisinterpret my coming here to say that I will go. It isn't because--no,it isn't that!"
He hesitated an instant, looking deep into the bewildered eyes that methis with all the honesty that dwelt in her soul. He saw that she trustedhim to be fair with her.
"I was unhappy because you had forsaken me," he said gently. "You arebrave--you are wonderful! But I can't take you down there. I know whatwill happen if they find him guilty. Good-bye, dear one. I'll comeback--surely I'll come back. Thank you for sending me away happy."
"Won't you let me go with you?" she asked, after a long, penetratinglook into his eyes.
"I would not take you among them for all the world. You forget. Neitherof us would come back."
"Neither of us?" she said slowly.
"I wouldn't come back without you," he said quietly, earnestly. Sheunderstood. "Good-bye! Don't worry about me. I am in no danger."
"Good-bye," she said, the princess once more. "I shall pray foryou--with all my soul." She gave him her hand. It was cold and lifeless.He pressed it warmly and went quickly away, leaving her standing therein the still shade of the satinwoods, looking after him with eyes thatgrew wider and wider with the tears that welled up from behind.
Hours went by--slow, tortuous hours in which the souls of those whowatched and waited for his return were tried to the utmost. A restless,uncanny feeling prevailed: as if they were prisoners waiting in deadsilence for the sickening news that the trap on the scaffold had beendropped with all that was living of a fellow-cellmate, whom they hadknown and pitied for weeks.
Once there came to the ears of the watchers on the mountainside thesound of distant shouts, later, the brief rattle of firearms. The bloodof every one turned cold with, apprehension; every voice was stilled,every eye wide with dread. Neenah screamed as she fled across theterrace toward the drawbridge, where Selim stood as motionless as astatue.
Luncheon-time passed, and again, as if drawn by a magnet, the entirehousehold made its way to the front of the chateau.
At last Selim uttered a shout of joy. He forgot the deference due hisbetters and unceremoniously dashed off toward the gates, followed byNeenah, who seemed possessed of wings.
Chase was returning!
They saw him coming up the drive, his hat in his hand, his whiteumbrella raised above his head. He drew nearer, sauntering as carelesslyas if nothing unusual lay behind him in the morning hours. The eager,joyous watchers saw him greet Selim and his fluttering wife; they sawSelim fall upon his knees, and they felt the tears rushing to their owneyes.
"Hurray!" shouted little Mr. Saunders in his excitement. Bowles and thethree clerks joined him in the exhibition. Then the Persians and theTurks and the Arabs began to chatter; the servants, always cold andmorose, revealed signs of unusual emotion; the white people laughed asif suddenly delivered from extreme pain. The Princess was conscious ofthe fact that at least five or six pairs of eyes were watching her face.She closed her lips and compelled her eyelids to obey the dictates of aresentful heart: she lowered them until they gave one the impression ofindolent curiosity, even indifference. All the while, herincomprehensible heart was thumping with a rapture that knew noallegiance to royal conventions.
A few minutes later he was among them, listening with his cool,half-satirical smile to their protestations of joy and relief, assailedby more questions than he could well answer in a day, his everyexpression a protest against their contention that he had done a braveand wonderful thing.
"Nonsense," he said in his most deprecating voice, taking a seat besidethe Princess on the railing and fanning himself lazily with his hat tothe mortification of his body-servant, who waved a huge palm leaf invigorous adulation. "It was nothing. Just being a witness, that's all.You'll find how easy it is when you get back to London and have totestify in the Skaggs will contest. Tell the truth, that's all." ThePrincess was now looking at his brown face with eyes over which she hadlost control. "Oh, by the by," he said, as if struck by a suddenthought. He turned toward the shady court below, where the eagerrefugees from Aratat were congregated. A deep, almost sepulchral tonecame into his voice as he addressed himself to the veiled wives of Jacobvon Blitz. "It is my painful duty to announce to the Mesdames von Blitzthat they are widows."
There was a dead silence. The three women stared up at him,uncomprehending.
"Yes," he went on solemnly, "Jacob is no more. He was found guilty byhis judges and executed with commendable haste and precision. I will saythis for your lamented husband: he met his fate like a man and aGerman--without a quiver. He took his medicine bravely--twelve leadenpills administered by as many skilful surgeons. It is perhaps just aswell for you that you are widows. If he had lived long enough he wouldhave made a widower of himself." The three wives of Von Blitz huggedthemselves and cried out in their joy! "But it is yet too early tocongratulate yourselves on your freedom. Rasula has promised to kill allof us, whether we deserve it or not, so I daresay we'd better postponethe celebration until we're entirely out of the woods."
"They shot him?" demanded Deppingham, when he had finished.
"Admirably. By Jove, those fellows _can_ shoot! They accepted my wordagainst his--which is most gratifying to my pride. One other mantestified against him--a chap who saw him with the Boers not ten minutesbefore the attempt was made to rob the vaults. Rasula appeared ascounsel for the defence. Merely a matter of form. He _knew_ that he wasguilty. There was no talk of a new trial; no appeal to the supremecourt, Britt; no expense to the community."
He was as unconcerned about it as if discussing the most trivialhappening of the day. Five ancient men had sat with the venerable Cadias judges in the market-place. There were no frills, no disputes, nosumming up of the case by state or defendant. The judges weighed theevidence; they used their own judgment as to the law and the penalty.They found him guilty. Von Blitz lived not ten minutes after sentencewas passed.
"As to their intentions toward us," said Chase, "they are firm in theirdetermination that no one shall leave the chateau alive. Rasula wasquite frank with me. He is a cool devil. He calmly notified me that wewill all be dead inside of two weeks. No ships will put in here so longas the plague exists. It has been cleverly managed. I asked him how wewere to die and he smiled as though he was holding something back as asurprise for us. He came as near to laughing as I've ever seen him whenI asked him if he'd forgotten my warships. 'Why don't you have themhere?' he asked. 'We're not ready,' said I. 'Th
e six months are not upfor nine days yet.' 'No one will come ashore for you,' he saidpointedly. I told him that he was making a great mistake in the attitudehe was taking toward the heirs, but he coolly informed me that it wasbest to eradicate all danger of the plague by destroying the germs, soto speak. He agreed with me that you have no chance in the courts, butmaintains that you'll keep up the fight as long as you live, so youmight just as well die to suit his convenience. I also made theinteresting discovery that suits have already been brought in England tobreak the will on the grounds of insanity."
"But what good will that do us if we are to die here?" exclaimed BobbyBrowne.
"None whatsoever," said Chase calmly. "You must admit, however, that youexhibited signs of hereditary insanity by coming here in the firstplace. I'm beginning to believe that there's a streak of it in myfamily, too."
"And you--you saw him killed?" asked the Princess in an awed voice, lowand full of horror.
"Yes. I could not avoid it."
"They killed him on your--on your--" she could not complete thesentence, but shuddered expressively.
"Yes. He deserved death, Princess. I am more or less like the Moslem inone respect. I might excuse a thief or a murderer, but I have no pityfor a traitor."
"You saw him killed," she said in the same awed voice, involuntarilydrawing away from him.
"Yes," he said, "and you would have seen him killed, too, if you hadgone down with me to appear against him."
She looked up quickly and then thanked him, almost in a whisper.