<h2><SPAN name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX</SPAN><br/> <small>THE FIGHT IN THE CAVERN</small></h2>
<p class="cap">Udo loomed against the light and the uniform he
wore seemed to give the projecting weapon
a new significance. He was not Udo, the
kinsman and companion who had so often shared this
refuge with Hammersley in the hunting days. He
was Germany. Hammersley could never remember the
time when the muzzle of a weapon had seemed so large.
It was much better to sit without moving, and Udo’s
quick instructions were not wasted.</p>
<p>“Don’t move, Cyril,” he said coolly in German. “Up
with your hands! So. Now get up, leaving your belt
where it is, and sit on the stool yonder. Quickly! I
will shoot—to kill.”</p>
<p>Hammersley read in his expression a determination
to put the threat into practice and, watching narrowly,
silently obeyed. Von Winden, still covering
him carefully, picked up the belt and transferred
Lindberg’s pistol to his own holster. He was a dead
shot with any firearm, as Hammersley knew, and his
own chances at three paces even in a rush were small.
It was decidedly a case for discretion.</p>
<p>“I suppose there’s nothing to be said,” Hammersley
muttered. “You outguessed me, Udo.” And then, to
gain a moment of time, “I thought that your memory
might be quite good enough to forget the Thorwald.”
Von Winden frowned down the barrel of the automatic.</p>
<p>“It is too much to expect even from me,” he said<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</SPAN></span>
crisply. “I am your kinsman but I am first of all—a
German. And not even for you will I be a traitor.”</p>
<p>“<i lang="de" xml:lang="de">Natürlich!</i>” smiled Cyril.</p>
<p>Udo von Winden’s look was grave, his voice sober,
and the muzzle of his automatic did not waver.</p>
<p>“I have already had a bad memory, my cousin.
This afternoon I forgot that Lindberg, who served
your meals, was a good friend of yours and mine and
that he might be counted on to help you out of your
difficulties. I also forgot that there was such a place
as the Cave of the Thorwald until I learned from Excellenz
last night, the price Germany was to pay for
my indifference. If you had failed to capture the
documents of His Majesty, I might have remained
silent. As you took them, there remained nothing but
to act. I came here, for I knew it would be the one
place where I should find you.” Hammersley bent his
head. “I understand.” And then quickly, “Would
you mind telling me if you have spoken—if you have
told what Lindberg—?”</p>
<p>“No,” von Winden broke in, “I have told nothing.
Lindberg is safe. I have come here alone——”</p>
<p>Hammersley gave a gasp of relief and leaned forward,
peering into the fire.</p>
<p>“I came for one purpose, Cyril,” Udo went on
quietly. “I have no personal desire for your death,
but I would kill you as you sit rather than see Germany
suffer the loss of the documents in your possession.
I came for them and I intend that you shall
give them to me.”</p>
<p>Hammersley looked up into his cousin’s face and
their eyes met. Von Winden’s tone was cool and his
manner as calm as on the days last year when they
were hunting together, but Hammersley knew that<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</SPAN></span>
when Udo von Winden was most calm he was also most
dangerous. So he slowly reached into the pocket of
his trousers and handed his cousin the papers he had
taken from the German messenger.</p>
<p>“<i lang="de" xml:lang="de">Danke</i>,” said Udo, backing to the light of the entrance
of the cave to examine them. “You are sure
they are all here?”</p>
<p>“My word on it, Udo,” said Hammersley frankly.
He watched his cousin examine the documents and
heard him give an exclamation of satisfaction, but
Hammersley saw that his eyes neglected no detail of
the cavern and was aware that the muzzle of the
weapon in Udo’s hand still bore directly upon him.
In the shadows Hammersley saw the face of Doris,
who was sitting up, pallid and dark-eyed as though
awakened from one nightmare into another. As Udo
saw her the muzzle of his weapon wavered and went
out of alignment, but Hammersley did not move or
even appear to notice the girl.</p>
<p>There was a note of embarrassment in the German’s
officer’s voice as he spoke again.</p>
<p>“I am sorry, my cousin, that your father’s blood
called you to be false to Germany. You had been suspected
by Excellenz, but I would have sworn that he
was mistaken. You owe me nothing, of course,
but——”</p>
<p>“It’s war, Udo,” said Hammersley quietly. “You
will remember that I did not seek duty in the Imperial
Secret Service. It was the Herr General who thought
it valuable to use our kinship for his own purposes.”</p>
<p>Udo shrugged. “Yes, I know,” he said quietly.
“You have done your duty—but you must now be
aware of the fact that you can ask no favors of
me.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>“I don’t. I am in your power. Shoot me if you
like.”</p>
<p>Udo smiled.</p>
<p>“I can hardly be expected to do that. I do not love
you now, my cousin. I cannot love anyone who is false
to my country, but I cannot forget that once, not a
year ago, we were brothers. No, I cannot shoot you,
Cyril, though perhaps that would be a better death
than that other—yonder.”</p>
<p>Hammersley shrugged. “It is the fortune of war.
From your point of view I deserve it. I can only thank
you again, for myself and for Miss Mather, for your
generosity.”</p>
<p>A sound from the girl and Udo acknowledged her
presence by a bow.</p>
<p>“Under other circumstances,” he said with stiff politeness,
“I should be glad to extend the hospitalities
of Winden Schloss. But, of course, as Miss Mather
can see, my mother and sisters are away and I——”</p>
<p>“Of course, Graf von Winden, it is understood,”
she said haltingly in German.</p>
<p>“I can do nothing, Fräulein. I am powerless—at
the orders of General von Stromberg, who arranges
the coming and the going of all at Windenberg.”</p>
<p>“The coming, Udo,” said Hammersley dryly. “Not
the going.”</p>
<p>“I am sorry, I have done what I could. You have
done well to give me the papers. I shall now go back
to Blaufelden and return them to Excellenz.”</p>
<p>Hammersley started up.</p>
<p>“You mean that you will leave us here?”</p>
<p>“<i lang="de" xml:lang="de">Natürlich.</i> I do not wish to see you killed against
the kitchen wall. It is not the death for the blood of
von Eppingen. Even if you are shot while escaping<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</SPAN></span>
it would be better.” He shrugged. “My position is
this. You can do Germany no further harm. I shall
tell a likely story. I have the papers—they are what
I came for. If you had not given them to me I would
have killed you, but now I shall go away alone as I
came.”</p>
<p>“Good old Udo!” said Hammersley impulsively, taking
a pace toward him, his hand outstretched.</p>
<p>But von Winden’s automatic came quickly into line
and Hammersley halted.</p>
<p>“One moment, my cousin,” said von Winden coolly.
“I am quite willing to accept your expressions of
gratitude from a distance. I may not wish to see you
killed by others, and I would regret the necessity of
killing you myself. I shall consider you my prisoner
until I go. After that”—and he shrugged expressively—“you
can go where you like.”</p>
<p>Hammersley folded his arms and frowned.</p>
<p>“Where I like!” he muttered. “With every village
in Hesse-Nassau on the lookout for me.” There was
a pause, after which von Winden spoke with quiet
earnestness. “Unfortunately I may not help you further.
Since there is food, to wait here is safer. Alone,
traveling by night, a man might reach Basel safely.
As for the Fräulein, if she will return to Blaufelden
and give herself up, imprisonment for a time is perhaps
the worst that she need fear.”</p>
<p>Doris had risen, the white light from the door of the
cavern searching her face pitilessly.</p>
<p>“It is what I would do,” she said haltingly. “What
I have pleaded with him to let me do. Cyril,” she implored
in English, “you must let me.”</p>
<p>“I will think about it,” he muttered. “You are
sure that no harm will come to her?” The muzzle of<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</SPAN></span>
the automatic had wavered out of line again and
Hammersley was carefully measuring with his eye the
distance that separated him from his cousin.</p>
<p>“The bark of Excellenz is much worse than his bite.
He will bluster and storm. But eventually he will return
Miss Mather to her own people.”</p>
<p>Hammersley was shaking his head in indecision.</p>
<p>“I am not so sure that I agree with you about the
bite of Excellenz. I shall think of what I will do.
I’m sure of one thing, Udo,” he said with sincerity,
“that I am deeply grateful for what you have done.
The war has made us enemies, and you have now prevented
the success of my great venture. But I bear
you no illwill. The debt is still mine on account of
your silence, back there—a debt made deeper by the
presence of Fräulein Mather.” He paused to give his
words effect. “I had not told you, Udo, for at Windenberg
one has no time to think of the gentler things of
life. But just before the war broke out Fräulein
Mather had promised me to become my wife.”</p>
<p>Hammersley watched von Winden as he turned toward
Doris with a smile, bowing deeply, his sense of
the situation lost for a second in the obligations of
civility, as he murmured a phrase of congratulations.
“I am much honored by your confidences,” he said formally,
“and I deeply regret——”</p>
<p>He got no further, for Hammersley had sprung in
suddenly toward him, risking Udo’s shot, which was
fired quickly, without aim.</p>
<p>A furious struggle followed. Hammersley caught
at von Winden’s wrist and his weight bore him back
against the rock, while both of them fought for the
possession of the weapon. The German officer was
smaller than his cousin but his wrists were good and<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</SPAN></span>
he was quicker than Hammersley. They bore only
friendship for each other but the incentive of each
was greater even than hatred could have been. They
struggled in silence, the thought of the possession of
the papers uppermost in the minds of both. The
struggle was not that of kinsman against kinsman, but
of England against Germany. Realizing the desperateness
of Hammersley’s attack and the purpose of
it, von Winden knew that a victory for Hammersley
meant the loss of the papers and so he was bent on
killing his cousin if he could, Hammersley on preventing
him from doing so. They swayed from side
to side, breathing hard, while Doris crouched against
the side of the cavern, dumb with terror. Twice she
saw the weapon in the German officer’s hand point
downward toward Cyril’s back and then, before it
could be used, saw Cyril’s arm quickly push it upward.
She knew that she was in danger, but she did not know
what to do. At one moment von Winden seemed to
have the advantage and in another Cyril. Udo’s back
was against the wall and one of Cyril’s arms was
around him, while their legs were intertwined as each
tried to get the other off his balance. Suddenly with
an effort Hammersley managed to wrench the pistol
from von Winden’s hand and he tossed it into the corner
of the cavern.</p>
<p>Von Winden had every ethical right to kill Hammersley
if he could, but after what his cousin had done
for him, Hammersley could not kill Udo. That was
impossible. He must succeed without that. This generosity
nearly proved fatal to him for the German
managed to reach Hammersley’s automatic in his own
holster and had almost disengaged it when Hammersley
caught his hand again, and the struggle was renewed.<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</SPAN></span>
But Doris, whose senses and initiative had
slowly returned to her, now crept around the walls of
the cave and when von Winden’s outstretched hand
came within her reach she seized his forearm in both
of her hands and clung to it desperately, keeping the
muzzle pointed away from Cyril. She was swayed to
and fro with the struggling men, who finally toppled
sideways and fell to the floor, dragging her with them,
but von Winden’s grasp of the weapon, never quite
secure, was loosened and, as they dropped, it went
flying under the table.</p>
<p>The fight was soon out of the German, for Hammersley’s
weight had fallen on him heavily, and in a
moment the officer was flat on his back and Hammersley
was sitting on him. Doris, who had meanwhile picked
up the pistol, now heard Hammersley gasping jerkily.</p>
<p>“Quick, Doris—something to tie with—your stay-strings!”</p>
<p>She understood and disappeared outside the cavern,
returning presently with the bonds, helping Cyril while
he made the wrists and ankles of von Winden fast.</p>
<p>“I might have killed you—but I didn’t,” Hammersley
was gasping. “You saw that, Udo, didn’t you?”</p>
<p>“You needn’t make apologies. I would have killed
you. I tried to. It’s too bad—too bad,” he panted.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” Hammersley repeated. “Those papers—they’re
England’s, Udo. They’re my property. I’ve
got to take them.”</p>
<p>And without further words he put his hand inside
the breast of the officer’s coat and took the papers
out.</p>
<p>“I wish it were anybody but you,” he said.</p>
<p>“I don’t think you can get away with them.”</p>
<p>“I’m going to try.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>“I’ll prevent you if I can.”</p>
<p>“How?”</p>
<p>“I’ll show you.” And with the remnants of his
breath he shouted lustily for help. Hammersley threw
him back, none too gently, and clapped a handkerchief
in his mouth, while he directed Doris to tear her under-skirt
and make bandages for a gag. They worked
quickly and in a moment the German officer was silent
and helpless. Then for a long moment Hammersley
sat by the prostrate man, slowly recovering his breath.
Doris, ash-gray with fear, crouched beside him, obedient
to his look and action. At last with a laugh he
got up.</p>
<p>“Close thing, that!” he said. “My word! He nearly
got me.” And then with a look at the prostrate man,
“Poor old Udo!”</p>
<p>In a moment, with a word to Doris, he went outside
the cave and listened intently. He peered cautiously
over the ridge of rocks. The road was deserted. The
sound of the shot, while it had seemed deafening, would
have been muffled at the entrance of the cavern and
could not have been heard from a distance. And when
Hammersley returned, he reassured Doris as to the
immediate danger of discovery.</p>
<p>“There is no hurry, Doris. I must think,” he said,
filling his pipe. He stood upright for a while, puffing
rapidly, peering down at the captive, his expression
struggling between a frown and a smile. Herr Graf
Udo von Winden looked so very much like a mummy!
The eyes of his cousin, the only visible part of his face,
followed Hammersley intently.</p>
<p>“I could have done for you, Udo,” Hammersley repeated.
“I want to be sure that you understand that.”</p>
<p>Von Winden’s head moved ever so slightly. Doris<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</SPAN></span>
had sunk upon the stool, her face buried in her hands.</p>
<p>“Oh, it’s cruel!” she murmured. “Let him go,
Cyril.”</p>
<p>“Hardly,” said Hammersley coolly. “He’d raise a
rumpus. Wouldn’t you, Udo?”</p>
<p>The officer’s head did not move.</p>
<p>“You see?” said Hammersley. “But I’m going to
make him as comfortable as possible.” And taking
him by the armpits he dragged his cousin over to the
corner and laid him gently on the bed of balsam, and
then stood beside the bed looking down at him thoughtfully,
addressing him impersonally in English, as
though thinking aloud.</p>
<p>“What’s to become of you, when we go, old chap—that’s
what’s bothering me now.”</p>
<p>The German’s shoulders moved slightly.</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s all very well, but I can’t leave you up
here to rot, my cousin. No one knows the way to the
Crag of the Thorwald. You might be here a thousand
years if Lindberg shouldn’t come.”</p>
<p>Von Winden made no sign. It was obvious that he
had no further intention of helping in the solution of
the difficulty.</p>
<p>“Let me stay here with him, Cyril,” Doris was
pleading again. “It can do me no harm, and when you
are well on your way, I will release him and go back
to Blaufelden.”</p>
<p>“I can’t take that chance. You’re going with me.”</p>
<p>“Where?”</p>
<p>“To England.”</p>
<p>“But how?”</p>
<p>“Leave that to me. At present we must have breakfast.
Do you know it’s almost ten o’clock?”</p>
<p>Bewildered, she watched him go to the large tin<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</SPAN></span>
box in the corner of the cavern, from which he brought
forth some dry salt biscuit and several pieces of chocolate.</p>
<p>“It isn’t much, but it’s the best I can do. There’s
tea, too, but I don’t dare light the fire.”</p>
<p>She ate, slowly at first, for the food seemed to choke
her, but she recalled the fact that except for two pieces
of toast and the chocolate of von Stromberg she had
eaten nothing since yesterday morning. Cyril, who
never seemed at a loss for anything, produced a metal
pitcher and going outside the cave for a moment
returned with it full of water.</p>
<p>“Lindberg’s,” he said in reply to her question. “His
food, too. Good old Lindberg.”</p>
<p>He frowned and then went over to the prisoner.</p>
<p>“You needn’t tell me if you don’t care to, Udo, but
I’d like to know how Lindberg is. Will you answer
me?”</p>
<p>Von Winden nodded.</p>
<p>“He is able to be about?”</p>
<p>He nodded again.</p>
<p>“Did His Excellency suspect?”</p>
<p>He shook his head.</p>
<p>“Thank God. Then Lindberg is at liberty?”</p>
<p>Udo replied in the affirmative.</p>
<p>Hammersley gave a gasp of relief.</p>
<p>“That is well. I need not worry. He will come
and release you.”</p>
<p>Von Winden only frowned.</p>
<p>“Listen, Udo,” went on Hammersley quickly,
“Fräulein Mather and I are going down from here,
leaving you alone. It can’t be helped. You’ve stumbled
up here and you’ve got to take your chance. In
time you may wear the strings through against a<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</SPAN></span>
rock. If you don’t return to Blaufelden by tomorrow,
Lindberg will find you.”</p>
<p>“But suppose anything happened to Lindberg,”
Doris was whispering. “Ah, Cyril, it would be terrible
to leave him here. I should dream of it every night
of my life.”</p>
<p>Udo’s eyes smiled at her.</p>
<p>“There is little danger. Graf von Winden is not a
man to be so easily beaten. He will get away by tonight.
But in the meanwhile we will have gone far
enough to be out of his reach.”</p>
<p>“Where are we going?”</p>
<p>“To England, child—in the Yellow Dove,” he
laughed.</p>
<p>Doris started away from him, her eyes suddenly
brilliant with excitement, and the prisoner, who had
lain without movement, showed sudden signs of activity,
his eyes frowning and his head wagging in anxiety.</p>
<p>“He wants to speak,” said Doris.</p>
<p>Hammersley bent over his cousin.</p>
<p>“Will you promise not to shout?”</p>
<p>Von Winden nodded quickly. So Hammersley untied
the bandages that held the handkerchief in the prisoner’s
mouth and helped him to a sitting posture.</p>
<p>“You must not go,” he stammered quickly in German.
“It is impossible. You will fail. I warn you.”</p>
<p>“Why do you think so?”</p>
<p>“The machines are guarded, and the spark-plugs of
your Taube have been removed and hidden.”</p>
<p>“H’m,” said Hammersley thoughtfully. “Excellenz
neglects nothing.”</p>
<p>“You would go to your death.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps. Thanks for the warning,” said Hammersley
bluntly. “I’m going just the same.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>Von Winden looked at him in amazement. “You do
not believe me?” he asked. “It is the truth, I tell
you.”</p>
<p>“I shall find a way.”</p>
<p>“But there is no way. You think that I am trying
to persuade you to escape by the mountains so that
you may be captured with the papers?”</p>
<p>“Yes. I could not escape that way now. You
know it.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps not, but what you plan is insane.”</p>
<p>“Fortune favors the fool. I’ve made up my mind.”</p>
<p>“Then you deserve to be shot,” said Udo. “In the
forest at least you would have a chance—<i lang="de" xml:lang="de">Ach</i>—!” He
gave a guttural exclamation and then: “Bind me and
leave me then—quickly. It’s good-by.”</p>
<p>“Good-by, Udo,” said Hammersley with a smile.
“We’ll meet again, when Hesse-Nassau is an English
province.”</p>
<p>“Bah, Cyril,” said von Winden. “I have always
said that you were a fool.”</p>
<p>Hammersley replaced the gag and bound it into
place with great care, smiling the while. Then he removed
the belt which contained his cousin’s supply of
cartridges and fastened it around his own body above
Lindberg’s, loading the two weapons with care and
placing them in their holsters.</p>
<p>Doris watched these preparations anxiously, but
Hammersley made her eat her fill of chocolate and biscuits
and when they had finished, he went to the corner
of the cavern and brought forth a large and heavy
parcel which he put on the table and opened. Doris
saw that Captain von Winden was straightening on
the couch trying to see what it contained. Hammersley
did not even glance in his direction. He seemed<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</SPAN></span>
to know by instinct that Udo’s curiosity had gotten
the better of his dignity. He opened the package deliberately
and spread the contents out upon the table.</p>
<p>“Spare parts of the Taube, Udo. I’ve had them
here for weeks. I’ll let you have a peep at ’em if you
like. A socket-wrench, spark-plugs, bolts, nuts and
wire—by Jove—we might have used that on Udo.”</p>
<p>“You are afraid that what he says is true,” whispered
Doris anxiously. “Von Stromberg is prepared
for you.”</p>
<p>“I wonder,” he said.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</SPAN></span></p>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />