CHAPTER VA STRANGE MESSAGE
The days passed. Captain Mortimer sat with bowed head and heavy brow, resisting Valerie’s archest smiles and brightest sallies. The fine appetite he had displayed on the occasion of the first breakfast had deserted him and Valerie’s choicest dishes went back practically untouched. Was there anything she could get for him? No; nothing. Was there anything special he would like prepared? No; absolutely nothing. To all her questions only the same brief, though polite, negatives. Valerie was in despair.
Alone with Dean, the one topic was escape. They had again carefully examined the cabin. There were two portholes on each side—too small to permit of the egress of even a boy’s body—and the floors, walls and ceilings were certainly too strongly constructed to be open to successful attack by men whose only tools were two pocket knives and a sword. Evidently their only possible chance was by the door.
To the door, then, they turned their attention. It was too strong to give way to any sudden onslaught and any extended work upon it would certainly be heard by the sentinel outside. Besides, the Professor pointed out, even if they did succeed in breaking through and getting past the sentry, they would doubtless be quickly surrounded and overpowered by the other men of the camp.
“It’s probably true,” Mortimer replied. “But Iintend to make an attempt at all hazards. It’s better to die in the valley outside, after a good hot fight, than to perish heart-broken, cooped up here.”
Then began a search for methods by which they could get past the door and reach the sentinel outside.
“Why not lie in wait at the door,” suggested the Professor, “and when the food is brought in we can make one spirited dash?”
“No, that won’t do,” Mortimer said. “It is Valerie who brings the food; we can’t treat her so.”
They discussed a plan whereby one of them was to feign illness and ask for a doctor, or other medical assistance; but it was repugnant to them both to seek advantage in any form over one who came on an ostensible errand of mercy.
They at last hit upon the much simpler expedient of sending a message demanding to see the man in command. Henry, with his brutal directness, would probably jump at the conclusion that they sought some concession, or had some terms to propose. With him they would have no scruples.
Accordingly, when Valerie brought in the dinner on the fourth day following the visit of the High President, the Professor broached the subject.
“My dear Miss Robert—” he began.
“Call me Valerie. Everybody does here. It’s so much simpler,” said the girl, as she busied herself with the table.
“Ah, yes; certainly. My dear Miss Valerie—”
“Simply Valerie; or you may say ‘dear Valerie,’ if you like,” replied the girl, archly.
“Well—ah—Valerie, then!” stammered the Professor, “would you mind conveying a message for us, or, to speak more accurately, I should say causing a message to be conveyed for us, since we wouldprefer—and you will no doubt know how to manage this—that such message should not come from either yourself or your father. Perhaps, I might suggest, you could so contrive as to enable us to send it by one of the sentinels outside this door?”
The girl glanced at the Professor curiously.
“What is the message?” she asked.
“That we demand to see the person in command here—Colonel Henry, I believe.”
“Oh! won’t father do?”
“No, no; not at all! We want to see the one in chief command.”
“Any complaint as to the cooking or the service?” asked the girl pertly.
“Really, Miss——”
“Valerie!”
“You embarrass me.”
“I love to do that!”
“But you will grant what we ask?”
“I’ll see about it and let you know to-morrow,” she replied, as she started for the door.
The following morning at breakfast they again questioned her. She had not yet had an opportunity to attend to the matter. At mid-day the same answer, but a promise that they should have word at the next meal.
The next meal came and with it Valerie. The captives felt their hearts sink at her first words. Colonel Henry would not see them.
“What was it he said when our message was given him?” asked Mortimer, “and by whom was it given?”
Valerie hesitated in a manner very unusual to her before replying. Then she broke out impetuously:
“He did not say anything, because the message wasn’t carried. It would have been useless. Papatells me that the High President gave imperative orders that Colonel Henry was not to deal in any way with you. You are held subject to the orders of the High President himself.”
“Why didn’t you send the message anyhow?” demanded Mortimer, a bit impatiently. “Colonel Henry might decide to see us—you can’t tell. You don’t realize how important it is that we see him.”
She did not answer these reproaches for some moments. Then suddenly she turned upon Mortimer.
“Even if the High President hadn’t given such orders, do you think I would bring you and ‘Black Hawk’ Henry face to face after what has happened? Colonel Henry is furious. You throttled him before his men and on top of that he was severely reprimanded by the High President for his treatment of prisoners.”
“How about the insult to me—the cause of it all?” Mortimer asked.
“I don’t know anything about that,” she answered, “but I’m not so foolish as to bring burning oil and gunpowder together! Won’t father do as well?” she asked in conclusion.
“No!” Mortimer hastened to answer.
“Will anybody else?”
“Oh, yes; anybody else will do, if he doesn’t come direct from Captain Robert,” Mortimer assured her.
“I don’t see how it can be managed,” she said.
For a moment they were both in despair. Then Mortimer spoke up.
“You’ve been very kind to us,” he began, “and we’re indebted to you for many favors. Believe me, we both of us appreciate and are grateful to you from the bottom of our hearts.”
A deepening tinge of color crept into the girl’sface, as she looked up at him with smiling eyes, her white teeth showing between her full, red lips.
“We have one more favor to ask of you,” he continued, “a rather peculiar favor and one which, I trust, you won’t misunderstand. Should you decide to grant it, you must do so blindly, without asking a single question as to the why or wherefore.”
“What is it?” asked the girl eagerly.
“Just this: that to-morrow one of our meals shall not be brought by you and that you will let us know in advance which of those meals it is to be.”
The girl’s head dropped and the color paled from her face. For a moment she said nothing. Then she looked up.
“The dinner is ready,” she said. “Why don’t you eat?”
“I can’t eat to-night,” answered Mortimer impatiently.
“It’s horrible to see you pining away in this fashion,” said the girl. “You’ll die if this keeps up.”
“Men don’t die so easily,” replied Mortimer, with a short laugh. “But you haven’t answered what I asked you.”
She hesitated for a moment.
“Do nothing—make no attempt of any kind to-day,” she cried with sudden vehemence. “Wait until to-morrow! To-morrow I’ll bring you good news!”
And with these words she turned quickly and fled up the steps.
At breakfast time next morning she lingered in the cabin longer than usual. To Mortimer’s questioning glance, she returned for answer the single word: “Wait!”
At mid-day she appeared, bearing her tray as usual,but when she began to unload it they noticed skilfully concealed among the dishes, two small coils of rope. Her cheeks were flushed and here was an unwonted agitation in her manner.
“You wouldn’t eat my food,” she said, “so I’ve brought you something which will be more welcome.” And she touched one of the coils of rope lightly with her finger.
“Won’t you speak more plainly?” exclaimed the Professor, with evident excitement.
“My meaning!” retorted the girl, with impatience. “What do you suppose I mean except—your escape. Do you think I am both blind and stupid! Do you think I haven’t seen how you,” and she glanced toward Mortimer, “have been eating your hearts out here? Do you imagine I didn’t guess your meaning when you wanted the ‘Black Hawk’ to come to you, or when you wanted me to keep away? Valerie was bright enough to understand the meaning of that!”
“We certainly didn’t mean to reflect upon your intelligence,” replied the Professor. “We only hoped you would close your eyes sufficiently to aid us in our plans.”
“There’s a big move of some kind about to take place here,” said Valerie, “and it wouldn’t astonish me if father were ordered away at any moment. Now, I’m not going to take any chance of leaving you here at the mercy of the ‘Black Hawk.’ He’d kill you at the first chance—he’s quite capable of it. So I’ll help you in any way to get off.”
“We thank you heartily,” answered the Professor. “But what’s your plan?”
“Listen!” said Valerie. “All the men in camp here have gone off to Minden Plains, which are back of Pedisgill Hill, to practise some special manœuver—allexcept the man at the door here, and five men who are at work in Big Bear Gap, which is almost at the other end of the valley. They are at work on some air-ships there and the ‘Black Hawk’ is keeping an eye over them.”
“Yes, yes,” assented the Professor, “but how are we going to get out of here?”
“When I next return,” said Valerie, “you will seize and bind me securely with one of these cords, which for all anybody will know you found by ransacking the cabin.”
“But how shall we deal with the sentry outside?” questioned the Professor.
“Oh, that will be simple enough,” replied Valerie. “Jack is on guard and Jack will do anything I say, even though it were to send a bullet through the ‘Black Hawk’ himself. After you have secured me, you will give three light taps upon the door. Jack won’t be very much surprised when he opens the door if you suddenly pounce upon him and secure him in the same way that you do me. You are two to one and his capture need not create suspicion. He will struggle, of course, just to keep up appearances, but don’t hurt the poor boy, since he is really our friend.”
“I don’t like the plan,” broke in Mortimer, speaking for the first time, “since it involves violence—or rather the appearance of violence—to you. I would much rather you were not mixed up in this—much rather that it were managed by that fellow Henry coming here, or someone else.”
“Don’t be silly!” exclaimed Valerie. “It’s the kindest thing you can do for me, since it will serve to divert suspicion far more than any other plan.”
“Still, I don’t like it,” retorted Mortimer obstinately. “I would give almost anything I possessto escape from here, but I don’t like your being involved.”
“I’m bound,” said Valerie, determinedly, “that you shall not remain behind at the mercy of the ‘Black Hawk.’ You’ve got to escape. But,” she added, her manner softening, “you’ll promise me that after you are safely away, you will never bring anything here that will do injury to me or mine—to the men of this camp?”
“Should I ever succeed in escaping,” answered Mortimer solemnly, “I’ll promise never to disclose the situation of this valley, or to lead, or direct, any attacking force here. More than this I can’t promise.”
“It is enough,” said Valerie. “And you?” she asked, turning to Dean.
“I hold myself bound by the same promise as that given by Captain Mortimer,” he replied.
“Very well. Now listen carefully,” she continued. “Your air-ship has been moved from where you last saw it. It’s no longer in this inlet. When you pass the door, keep straight out into the main valley. The moment you reach the valley you will notice, a short distance away, two inlets to the right. Keep on to the second inlet and there, among several others, you will find your air-ship. If you are seen at all, it won’t be until after you have risen well over the mountain tops, and long before any of the men can get back to the air-ships, you will be well out of sight and beyond any chance of pursuit. Besides, I don’t believe they will attempt any chase as they have never taken any chance of the air-ships being seen by going above the mountain tops in daylight. How the ‘Black Hawk’ will carry on when he finds you have got away! I owe him a grudge or two and it will be great fun to see him stormand rage. You have now the whole plan. Are you sure you understand it?”
“Quite!” replied the Professor.
“Keep it well in mind, then,” said Valerie. “In half an hour I shall be back and the time for you will have come.”
She ran up the steps and tapped three times lightly on the door. As it opened they caught a glimpse of the big, good-natured face of the sentry, as he beamed joyously upon the departing Valerie.
When the door closed after her, Mortimer began striding up and down the cabin, strongly agitated by conflicting emotions. On the one hand was his strong desire to escape from confinement, so maddening under existing circumstances; on the other hand was his dislike for the means to be adopted.
“Is it right?” he asked the Professor, “to let this girl mix herself up in this? We ought not to let her run risks in our behalf. How do we know what may be the consequences to her? If she’s suspected, this devil, Henry, would stop at nothing.”
“Oh! you’re hypersensitive,” responded the Professor. “Valerie can be trusted to find her way out of any entanglement. The best thing for us is to accept the chance she offers and get away.”
Mortimer listened, but shook his head moodily and seemed by no means satisfied.
Thus the half-hour quickly sped by and, punctually at its expiration, the door opened and Valerie reappeared.
“All ready?” she exclaimed, in rapid tones.
Mortimer raised his head slowly.
“I shall not go,” he said.
“Not go! and why?”
“For the reasons I’ve explained. Don’t think,though, that I am insensible to your great kindness—that I thank you the less.”
“Keep your thanks till some other time,” exclaimed Valerie, with flushed cheeks; “now is the time to act. You won’t go, eh? We’ll see about that. When I make up my mind to something, that something generally comes off, as you shall see!”
With these words she sprang up the steps and tapped on the door. It was immediately opened.
“Jack, come here!”
Jack, grinning broadly, promptly descended into the cabin. Valerie dropped into a seat and pointed to one of the little coils of rope.
“Tie me, Jack.”
Jack’s eyes opened wide in astonishment and he hesitated.
“Tie me, Jack. Since when did you begin to disobey my orders? Hurry, I say.”
Thus admonished, Jack seized the rope and, with a few skilful turns, bound her fast.
“Now,” she cried triumphantly, turning her head toward Mortimer, “now will you go, or will you remain here until someone comes and finds us and we all get into trouble for nothing?”
“Yes; hurry up and do something,” cried Jack impatiently. “Either I must be choked dumb and tied up, or I must get back to my post. What are you making so much fuss about anyway? Don’t you want to go back home to fight? You look like a pretty niftily set up sort of a man,” he continued, addressing Mortimer, “but the other doesn’t look as if he would count for much. Come, hurry up! You’ve wasted too much time already!”
“You’re right!” exclaimed the Professor, and, rope in hand, he fell upon Jack and quickly secured him.
As for Mortimer, Jack’s reference to going home to fight aroused him. Rapidly there flashed through his mind the vision of a strangely-fought and bloody struggle in progress, his regiment attacked and he absent from his men and from his duty.
He glanced at the Professor now rapidly completing the work of securing Jack. Then he crossed to where Valerie sat.
“You win,” he said with emotion; “I accept your sacrifice and will go. But remember, should you find yourself in peril as the result of this, one word sent to me at the palace and I’m at all times ready to return and surrender myself.”
“Include me in that proposition,” interjected Dean.
“Pull tighter round the ankles!” called out Jack, and the Professor again bent to his task. A couple more turns of the rope, a few sharp tugs and he stood up, his work completed.
“Go!” whispered Valerie, with pleading lips and eyes upturned to Mortimer. “Go, before it is too late.”
He lingered yet a moment.
“Don’t forget my offer,” he said, “should you find yourself in peril. I hold myself your debtor for life. You will remember?”
“Ah! But will you remember something?” returned Valerie hastily. “You are going into a greater danger than will surround me. In these awful days that are to come it is you that most likely will need help. Will you remember you have a friend among your—enemies? If I can help you, remember I—I—Oh! Go, go quickly!”
“Come, it’s time we were off,” exclaimed the Professor, touching Mortimer lightly upon the arm. The Captain started. Stooping, he kissed Valerie’shand and tried to murmur his gratitude to the girl, before he turned to follow the Professor. Tears were in her eyes; her lips trembled slightly.
They reached the head of the steps and were outside the door. Mortimer turned and waved a farewell. Then Dean banged to the door and shot the bolts.
Rapidly they traversed the gully, reached the main valley and peered out. No one was in sight. To the right were the two gullies, just as Valerie had described. Skirting closely the base of the mountain to keep as much as possible out of sight, they reached the entrance to the first gully and peered in.
They saw several air-ships, but nothing else. On they kept and, a few moments later, had reached the second gully. Air-ships here, too, and, joyful sight, their own air-ship away back at the end there. The coast was evidently clear and they would reach it in a few minutes and be on board. How fresh and sweet the air smelled! How good it was to be free!
They pushed on over the intervening space and had proceeded some fifty yards when around the stern of one of the air-ships before them a man came into sight. One glance at the burly figure and black beard was sufficient. It was the “Black Hawk.”
They recognized him and, with an astonished shout, he as quickly recognized them.
Instantly he advanced toward them.
They were in a species of small clearing, with air-ships on all four sides. Mortimer halted. All his moodiness had disappeared. There was a strange light in his eyes and a smile upon his lips. He cast a rapid glance around him. There were no others in sight. Ah, God was good! There was the blue sky above their heads and the green grass beneaththeir feet and he and the “Black Hawk” were face to face.
An instant more and he confronted them. A sword hung at his side and upon his left shoulder there glittered the gold star of an officer of the Army of the New Republic.
“So,” he said, his black beard bristling, his eyes snapping with hatred, “so you dogs have escaped from your kennel, eh?”
From Mortimer there came no reply. He stood gazing upon his enemy, the same peculiar light in his eyes and smile upon his lips.
“But you’ll quickly march back again,” he continued, with a malignant snarl. “At least one of you. As for you, Mr. Fine Feathers, I am glad to see you are armed, for no blame can then be put upon me. Later, too, I’ll find out how all this happened. I suspect that heifer, Valerie, had a hand in this!”
The words sealed his fate. For Valerie’s sake, the thought flashed through Mortimer’s mind, this man must not escape him.
“Let me first pay my debt!” he exclaimed, and his long, sinuous arm shot out and struck Henry, with open palm, full in the face.
The blow was so sharp and so sudden that Henry reeled. In an instant, however, he had recovered himself and his hand flew to his sword. Mortimer drew with equal celerity.
They sprang together and their swords crossed.
Henry was an expert swordsman and was regarded among the men of the camp as an invincible champion with this weapon. He attacked with all the confidence of one who holds victory certain. He little dreamed, however, of the skill against which he was now matched—a skill which in bygone days had held wild Kurd horsemen and fiery Cossacks alikesuccessfully at bay and had given its owner the reputation of the crack swordsman of the American ranks. Mortimer fenced smartly, as one on parade, and the smile still hovered about his lips as he parried his opponent’s fierce attacks.
It was soon over. There was a quick parry, a sharp feint and Mortimer’s arm shot out in a lightning-like lunge. Back reeled Henry and dropped heavily to earth. Mortimer’s sword had passed beneath his opponent’s black beard and had penetrated deep into the throat. He lay gasping—dying; choked with the blood which ebbed from the great wound and gushed in a gory tide over his neck and breast.
Mortimer shook the blood from his sword.
“That’s what the swordsmen of the French school call ‘le coup de cochon,’” he said. “It’s a very neat stroke—when properly delivered.” And he turned coolly toward Dean.
But the latter stood leaning for support against the side of one of the air-ships, looking with strained eyes and blanched face at the form upon the ground.
“Ah, I forgot,” exclaimed Mortimer, “you’re not accustomed to scenes of this kind. It’s astonishing, though, how soon one does get used to them in war.”
“Can we lend him no aid,” asked Dean and, overcoming his feelings, he advanced and knelt beside the wounded man.
“He’s beyond human assistance, I assure you,” said Mortimer. “I have never known a recovery from that stroke.”
And he was right, for as Dean bent down he saw a great shiver pass over the frame of the prostrate man and a moment later all was over; the “Black Hawk” lay dead.
“Come; there is no time to lose!” exclaimedMortimer, and seizing Dean under the arm he half led, half carried him to where their air-ship lay. A hasty scramble on board; an equally hasty inspection of the apparatus to ascertain that all was in order; a quick working of the levers by the Professor and they were away.
Steadily and gracefully they rose until they were above the mountain tops and the country lay well beneath them. Away in the distance they perceived a number of men, apparently engaged in the execution of certain manœuvers. These were evidently the men referred to by Valerie as drilling on Minden Plain. From a sudden commotion among the men it was evident the air-ship had been seen.
“We seem to be creating some excitement!” exclaimed Mortimer, referring to this circumstance. “I wonder if they will attempt a pursuit.”
“It will be a very useless effort if they do,” replied Dean.
“Well,” remarked Mortimer, “you know their craft is a good deal faster than ours.”
“Yes, I know,” answered Dean, “but long before they can even reach their ships, we will have disappeared from view. We are at least fast enough for that and don’t forget that we leave no trail behind us.”
Up and up they rose until they were invisible to anything upon the surface of the earth. Onward they sped, and no pursuing form appearing behind them, they realized that they had indeed escaped. For an hour or more they held on thus and at last Dean spoke.
“I have been keeping entirely away from our proper course,” he said, “as in that manner I thought we should be less likely to be in the line of pursuit, if indeed a pursuit be attempted at all. I feel thatwe are quite safe from that now and I had best lay the course for the palace, I suppose?”
“I should think that would be the right thing to do,” assented Mortimer.
“But first,” said Dean, “in case of any possible further mishap, I think it would be well for us to open up communication with Kearns and send him a message. Don’t you think it is time that he had one?”
“Decidedly,” answered Mortimer. “An excellent idea. But can you do it? Remember the instrument is in his room in the Chancellerie and the windows of that room face South, while we are now due North.”
“Quite so,” answered Dean, “but the instrument in that room is connected with one on the roof of the Palace, so that at this altitude I can operate from all four points of the compass.”
Dean brought the air-ship to a standstill and allowed it to drift in the air currents. Then he applied himself to the aërestograph.
Silently Mortimer sat awaiting results. Presently Dean laid aside the instrument and turned to Mortimer.
“He does not make any response,” he said. “He is probably away from the instrument. We must try again later.”
Dean again started the air-ship and for half an hour they kept on their course. Then Dean again stopped and gave the aërestograph a further trial.
“Ah!” he exclaimed immediately, a pleased expression coming into his face; “now we have him!”
Dean operated the instrument for a minute or more and then was occupied for quite some time in the reception of the reply. Kearns, thought Mortimer, was evidently either not a very rapid or very accurateoperator, or else the reply must be of some length. At last it was over and Dean sent back a brief answer.
“Very curious!” he muttered, laying aside the instrument.
“What is very curious?” questioned Mortimer.
“The reply to our message.”
“What was it?”
“First let me give you what I sent,” said Dean. “It was this: ‘We have been prisoners, but have escaped. We are returning with big news and fullest information.’”
“Yes, yes,” replied Mortimer; “that would seem to cover the ground very nicely. And the answer?”
“This,” replied the Professor, “is the somewhat curious answer I’ve received: ‘Strange happenings since you left. Do not return direct to palace, but time arrival until after dark and manage unseen descent at some quiet spot. Will meet you in park at northern end Queen’s Walk at midnight.’”
“That’s certainly a rather strange message,” said Mortimer.
“I should call it very strange!” replied Dean thoughtfully. And, with his hand upon the lever, he again started on through space.