SNIPERS
Dinner was ended. Darrel lay on a lounge in the sitting-room, a victim
against his will to romance. Beside him on a low footstool sat
Valentine, reading aloud to him when she thought he ought to be read to,
fussing with his pillows when she chose to fuss, taking his cigarette
from his lips and inserting a thermometer at intervals, and always
calmly indifferent to his protests or to her mother's laughter.
For she had heard somewhere that a wild boar's teeth poisoned like a
lion's mauling; and the sudden revelation of a hero under the shattered
shell of modesty and self-depreciation which so long obscured the
romantic qualities in this young man determined her to make him continue
to play a rôle which every girl adores--the rôle of the stricken brave.
Never again could Darrel explain to her how timidity, caution, and a
native and unfeigned stupidity invariably characterized his behaviour at
psychological moments.
For Guild had told her all about this young man's cool resourcefulness
and almost nerveless courage during those hair-raising days in Sonora
when the great Yo Espero ranch was besieged, and every American prisoner
taken was always reported "Shot in attempting to escape."
She had never even known that Darrel had been in Mexico until Guild told
her about their joint mining enterprise and how, under a spineless
Administration, disaster had wiped out their property, and had nearly
done the same for them.
"Mother," said the girl, "I think I'll look at his shin again."
"Nonsense!" protested Darrel, struggling to sit up, and being checked by
a soft but firm little hand flat against his chest.
"I don't want to have my shin looked at," he repeated helplessly.
"Mother, I am going to change the dressing. Will you help?"
"For the love of Mike----"
"Be quiet, Harry!"
"Then make Guild go out of the room! He's laughing at me now!"
Karen was laughing, too, and now she turned to Guild: "Come," she said,
smilingly; "we are not welcome here. Also I do want you to see the rose
garden by star-light." And to Mrs. Courland, naïvely: "May we please be
excused to see your lovely garden?"
The pretty young matron smiled and nodded, busy with the box of
first-aid bandages for which Valentine was now waiting.
So Karen and Guild went out together into the star-light, across the
terrace and lawns and down along a dim avenue of beeches.
The night was aromatic with the clean sweet odour of the forest; a few
leaves had fallen, merely a tracery of delicate burnt-gold under foot.
Karen turned to the right between tall clipped hedges.
Mossy steps of stone terminated the alley and led down into an old
sunken garden with wall and pool and ghostly benches of stone, and its
thousands of roses perfuming the still air.
They were all there, the heavenly company, dimly tinted in crimson,
pink, and gold--Rose de Provence, Gloire de Dijon, Damask, Turkish,
Cloth of Gold--exquisite ghosts of their ardent selves--immobile
phantoms, mystic, celestial, under the high lustre of the stars.
Mirror-dark, the round pool's glass reflected a silvery inlay of the
constellations; tall trees bordered the wall, solemn, unstirring, as
though ranged there for some midnight rite. The thin and throbbing
repetition of hidden insects were the only sounds in that still and
scented place.
They leaned upon the balustrade of stone and looked down into the garden
for a while. She stirred first, turning a little way toward him. And
together they descended the steps and walked to the pool's rim.
Once, while they stood there, she moved away from his side and strolled
away among the roses, roaming at random, pausing here and there to bend
and touch with her face some newly opened bud.
Slender and shadowy she lingered among the unclosing miracles of rose
and gold, straying, loitering, wandering on, until again she found
herself beside the pool of mirror black--and beside her lover.
"Your magic garden is all you promised," he said in a low voice--"very
wonderful, very youthful in its ancient setting of tree and silvered
stone. And now the young enchantress is here among her own; and the
spell of her fills all the world."
"Do you mean me?"
"You, Karen, matchless enchantress, sorceress incomparable who has
touched with her wand the old-familiar world and made of it a paradise."
"Because I said I loved you--a little--has it become a paradise? You
know I only said '_a little_.'"
"I remember."
"Of course," she added with a slight sigh, "it has become more, now,
since I first said that to you. I shouldn't call it 'a little,' now; I
should call it----" She hesitated.
"Much?"
She seemed doubtful. "Yes, I think it is becoming 'much'--little by
little."
"May I kiss--your hand?"
"Yes, please."
"And clasp your waist--very lightly--_this_ way?"
"In sign of betrothal?"
"Yes."
She looked up at him out of the stillest, purest eyes he had ever
beheld.
"You know best, Kervyn, what we may do."
"I know," he said, drawing her nearer.
After a moment she rested her cheek against his shoulder.
Standing so beside the pool, breathing the incense of the roses, she
thought of the dream, and the gay challenge, "Who goes there?" She was
beginning to suspect the answer, now. It was Love who had halted her on
that flower-set frontier; the password, which she had not known then,
was "Love." Love had laughed at her but had granted her right of way
across that border into the Land of Dreams. And now, unchallenged, save
by her own heart, she had come once more to the borderland of flowers.
[Illustration: "Standing so beside the pool, breathing the incense of
the roses, she thought of the dream"]
"Halt!" said her heart, alert; "who goes there?"
"It is I, Karen, wearing the strange, new name of Love----"
She lifted her head, drew one hand swiftly across her eyes as though to
clear them, then stepped free from the arm that encircled her.
"Karen----"
"Yes, I--I do love you," she stammered--"with all--all my heart----"
"_Halt!_" rang out a voice like a pistol shot from the darkness.
The girl stood rigid; Guild sprang to her side. "Qui vive!" cried the
voice.
"Belgium!" said Guild coolly.
"Then who goes there!--you!--below there in that garden?"
"Friends to Belgium," replied Guild in a quiet and very grave voice.
"Don't move, dearest," he whispered.
"What is happening?"
"I don't know, yet."
Presently, nearer the balustrade above them, the voice came again: "Is
it Monsieur Guild?"
"Yes. Who are you?"
"Pardon. Will Monsieur come up to the terrace? I am watching the wall
beyond the pool."
They ascended the stone steps; Karen moving lightly beside him. In the
shadow of the clipped yews a dark form stirred.
"Pardon. I did not recognize Monsieur Guild nor Mademoiselle. There is
trouble."
It was Schultz the herdsman; his rifle was in his hand and he wore two
cartridge-belts crossed over his smock en bandoulière.
He touched his hat to Karen, but turned immediately toward the star-lit
sky-line where the dark coping of the wall cut it.
"What is the trouble?" asked Guild with a sinking heart.
"God knows how it happened, Monsieur Guild--but there was bad blood
tonight and hot heads full of it. Then, very far in the forest, a shot
was fired."
"I heard it. What happened?"
"Listen, Monsieur! The Moresnet man and the boy, Jean Pascal, put their
heads together. I don't know how it was, but even after what you said to
us, and after Michaud told us to remain prudent and calm, somehow after
we heard that shot we all, one by one, took down our guns; and after a
little while we found ourselves together in the carrefour.
"And from there we went, without saying a word, to the Calvary on the
hill pasture road. It was as though each of us understood without
telling each other--without even hinting at a plan.
"And by and by we went down by the rivulet at the foot of the hill
pastures, and there, as we expected, were two of the Yslemont refugees.
They had their guns. And one of them had a _spiked helmet_."
"Go on," said Guild, compressing his lips.
"He had taken it near Trois Fontaines, not below the hill. We all
examined it. We saw red, Monsieur. Then a calf which had escaped the
Grey Wolves moved in the bushes near us. The Moresnet man caught it, and
he and the shepherd, little Jean Pascal, took the dumb beast and tied it
to a sapling near the road. On _our_ side of the boundary! But we all
knew what might happen."
There was a silence; then Schultz said in a low, hoarse voice: "It was
fated to be. We took both sides of the road in the long grasses of the
ditches. And the calf bawled for company.
"The company came after a while--two Grey Wolves. First we heard the
clink-clink of their horses' feet; then we saw their lances against the
sky.
"They came on, picking their way. And of a sudden the electric
breast-torch on one of them breaks out like a blinding star, plays over
the road, then lights up the calf which is terrified and backs into the
hedge.
"He drives his lance-butt into the sod and gets out of his saddle. His
comrade sits the other horse, pistol lifted, elbow on thigh. And there
comes then another Uhlan, walking and leading his horse--three of the
dirty brigands, Monsieur, across the border and on our side!"
"Go on."
"Eh bien--we bled them!"
"You killed them?"
"Yes, Monsieur--two there by the hedge in the grassy ditch; the other
hung to his horse for a while--but came off sideways. One spur caught
and his horse took him back that way--across the border."
"Go on."
"We took their schapskas. Jean Pascal wished to go across the border
after more Wolves. He was crazy. And the blood made us all a little
drunk. And then we found that the Moresnet man had gone. That chilled
us."
He wiped his face with his sleeve, never taking his eyes from the wall
across the garden.
"After that," he said, "we lay very still, watching. And in a little
while an Uhlan crossed the hill pasture walking his horse slowly against
the stars. Then there were others moving across the sky up there, and we
also heard others on the road. So we have been quietly falling back into
the forest where, if they follow, they shall not go back, please God!"
"Where is Michaud?"
"He was very angry, but, since the affair has really begun, he is with
us, of course."
"Where is he?"
"He went to the house to find you an hour ago."
Guild bit his lip in silence. The stupidity of what had been done, the
utter hopelessness of the situation sickened him.
The slow, groping peasant mind, occupied always with the moment's
problem only, solving it by impulse and instinct alone--what could be
done with such a mind--what could be hoped from it except under
patiently inculcated military discipline.
Loosened from that, and defending its property from actual or threatened
aggression, it became a furtive, fierce and quickened mind, alternately
cunning and patiently ferocious. But of reason, or of logic, it reckons
nothing, knows nothing.
Trouble had begun--trouble was abroad already in the star-light--moving,
menacing.
"What is your word?" he asked bluntly.
"Yslemont."
He turned to Karen, who stood quietly beside him: "The ladies must leave
this house tonight. There is no time at all to waste. There is going to
be real trouble here by morning. And I am going to ask you if you will
give these American ladies shelter tonight at Quellenheim. Will you,
Karen?"
"Of course."
"From there they can go to the city of Luxembourg tomorrow, and so into
Holland. But they ought to go now."
"And you, Kervyn?"
"I shall be very busy," he said. "Come back to the house, now."
They walked away together, moving quickly along the beech-woods; she
with that youthful, buoyant step as lithe as a young boy's; he beside
her with grave, preoccupied face and ears alert for the slightest sound.
"Kervyn?"
"Yes."
"Will you come back to Quellenheim, too?"
"I can't do that, dearest."
"May I ask you what you are going to do?"
"Dear, I don't know yet. I haven't formed any plan at all."
"Is it not very dangerous for you to remain here?"
"No, I think not.... That is--I shall see how this matter threatens to
develop."
He felt her hand lightly on his arm, looked around, halted. She came to
him, laid her cheek against his breast in silence.
"You must not be afraid for me, Karen."
"I shall try--to remember."
He lifted one of her hands. It was cold and delicately fragrant. He
kissed it.
"The Bank at Diekirch is my address. I shall try to write you. I shall
come back some day and marry you. Do you love me, Karen?"
"With all--all my--soul."
"And you will marry me?"
"Yes, Kervyn."
She looked up, her eyes brilliant as wet stars. And very gently, almost
timidly, they exchanged their betrothal, lip to lip.
He drew her to him a little closer--held her so a moment, scarcely in
contact. Then they turned again to the grassy ride and moved swiftly
forward toward the drive.
Every light in the house had been lit, apparently. The automobile stood
before the door; three forest waggons with their big fine horses were in
line behind; and servants were loading them with American trunks,
suitcases, and luggage of every description, under the active direction
of Darrel.
When he saw Guild and Karen coming he called out: "Your luggage is
packed! Mrs. Courland and Valentine and their two maids are filling
hampers with bed linen and knick-knacks. You've heard what's happened,
of course?"
"Yes," said Guild. "I don't think you had better waste any more time
packing. Let the ladies get into the car and start. Michaud and I can
gather up what's left of their effects and send it after them in the
last waggon! Where is Michaud?"
"Talking to Mrs. Courland inside. Here he comes, now!----"
The white-haired forester came out behind Mrs. Courland, caught sight of
Guild, and made a slight gesture expressing infinite despair.
"I know," said Guild. "I'll talk it over with you after the household
leaves." And to Mrs. Courland, who appeared calm but a trifle dazed:
"Miss Girard offers you Quellenheim for the night, and for longer if you
desire."
"Please," said Karen, coming forward--"it would be very gracious of you
to come. Will you, Mrs. Courland?"
"Thank you, dear--yes--it will be the greatest convenience. I don't know
when we should arrive at Luxembourg if we started now." She took one of
Karen's hands and turned to Guild: "What a terrible thing our people
have done! Michaud came to tell us; Harry started everybody packing up.
You will come with us, of course?"
"Perhaps later, thank you." He turned to Valentine who was coming out in
hat and coat, followed by a pale-faced maid carrying both arms full of
wraps.
"Please don't lose any time," said Guild, selecting wraps for Mrs.
Courland and for Karen. "Are your servants ready?"
"Nobody is ready," said Valentine, "but everybody is here or in the
hall, I think."
Guild gave his arm to Mrs. Courland and helped that active young matron
spring into the touring car. Karen went next. Valentine and two maids
followed; Guild slammed the door.
"All right!" he said curtly to the chauffeur, then, hat in hand, he said
gaily: "Au revoir! A happy reunion for us all!"
As the car rolled out into the shining path of its own lamps Karen
turned and looked back at him. And as long as he could see her she was
looking back.
After the car followed two of the forest waggons, one filled with
servants, the other loaded with luggage. Darrel came out of the house
with the last odds and ends of property belonging to the Courlands and
flung it pell-mell into the last waggon.
"Come on," he said briskly to Guild.
"No, go ahead, Harry. I'm stopping to talk with Michaud----"
"Well how are you going to get to Quellenheim?"
"When I'm ready to go I'll get there."
"You're not coming?"
"Not now."
Darrel came over and said, dropping his voice: "After this murdering
business it won't do for _you_ to be caught here."
"I don't mean to be caught here. Don't worry--and get a move on!"
"What are you intending to do?"
"I don't know yet. Come, Harry, start that waggon!"
Darrel shrugged his shoulders, mounted the seat beside the driver, and
the forest waggon rolled away into the darkness.
Guild was still looking after it, listening to Michaud's report of the
sniping affair near Trois Fontaines, when he saw the figure of a man
walking back from the direction the waggon had taken. The man walked
with a visible limp.
"You idiot!" said Guild sharply as Darrel strolled up, his features
blandly defiant.
"Go on with what you were saying to Michaud," insisted Darrel, unruffled
by his reception.
"Come, Harry--this is downright damn foolishness. If you've let the
waggon go on, you'll have to foot it to Quellenheim. You can't stay
here!"
"Why?"
"Because, you infernal butter-in, you'll get mixed up in a particularly
nasty mess. And it doesn't concern Yankees, this mess we're in, Michaud
and I."
"Oh hell!" said Darrel; "go on and talk, Michaud!"
"Are you going to poke your nose into this?" demanded Guild.
"It's in now."
"See here, Harry! Your sticking by me is gratuitously silly and it
annoys me. You don't have to. This isn't any of your business, this
mess."
Darrel lighted a cigarette and sat down on the terrace steps. Guild
glared at him.
"Will you go to the devil!" he snapped out.
"No, I won't."
Michaud, perplexed, had remained silent.
"If things go wrong they'll make a clean sweep of us all, I tell you,"
said Guild. "Once more, Harry, will you mind your own business?"
"No," said Darrel, blandly.
Guild turned to Michaud: "What were you saying?"
The forester, controlling his anger and emotion, continued the story of
the sniper near Trois Fontaines. Then he outlined the miserable affair
of the hill pasture.
"There remains for us now only two courses," he ended. "Either we turn
franc-tireur and make our bivouac yonder in the forest, or we gather our
people at The Pulpit, lie there tonight, and at daylight strike out for
the Dutch frontier."
Guild nodded.
"There is a little hole in the rocks at The Pulpit--scarce large enough
to be called a cave. Since the war came upon us, foreseeing necessity,
my men have carried arms and provisions to The Pulpit--well hidden,
Monsieur. I think, now, that it is a better refuge than this house."
The three men looked up at the house. Michaud made a hopeless gesture:
"I suppose _they_ will destroy it, now. God knows. But if Monsieur
Paillard be truly dead as we now believe, and his poor body lies rotting
under the ruins of Wiltz-la-Vallée, then there is nobody to mourn this
house excepting the old forester, Michaud.... And I think he has lived
on earth too long."
He went slowly toward the house, entered it. One by one all the lighted
windows grew dark. Presently he reappeared drawing the door-key from his
pocket. Very deliberately he locked the door from the outside, looked in
silence at the darkened house, and, facing it, quietly removed his hat.
The silent salute lasted but a moment; he put on his grey hat with the
pheasant's feather sticking up behind, picked up his fowling-piece and
hung it over one shoulder, his big, weather-browned hand resting on the
sling.
"Eh bien, Messieurs?" he inquired calmly.
"Bring in your men, Michaud," said Guild. "I know where The Pulpit is,
but I couldn't find it at night. I'll wait at the carrefour for you."
And, to Darrel: "What did you do with my luggage?"
"Sent it to Quellenheim."
"_That rücksack, too?_"
"Yes."
"Damnation," said Guild very calmly; "it had papers in it which are
enough to hang anybody!"
"You'd better go and get it, then."
"I'll have to, that's all."
They walked across the lawn and out along the dark drive in silence.
Where the ride crossed at the carrefour they halted. There was a
dilapidated shrine there to Our Lady of Lesse. They seated themselves on
the stone base.
"Harry," said Guild, "how long do you intend to follow me about in this
absurd way?"
"I'd like to see you safe across the Dutch frontier."
"Thanks," said Guild drily.
"Don't mention it. I really can reconcile myself to your having your
bally head knocked off in uniform, but this sort of thing seems rather
ghastly."
"It is. Won't you go on to Quellenheim to oblige me?"
"I'll wait till tomorrow morning," replied Darrel pleasantly.
Guild was silent. They sat there for an hour or more scarcely exchanging
a word. Then somebody whistled, cautiously, very near them, and another
carefully modulated whistle answered.
"Who goes there!" came a challenging voice.
"Yslemont!"
"Our men," said Guild, rising.
Michaud came up in the darkness. "The shepherd, Jean Pascal, and
Schultz, and the men of Yslemont are out there yet. Nothing I say
affects them. They say that they need another Uhlan to bleed.
Imbeciles!"
"Won't they obey you?"
"No, by God! The two sheep dogs of Jean are there, grave and wise as two
big-eared devils squatting. And the half-crazed lad is teaching them to
track Uhlans--making them sniff the bloody schapskas like a hunter who
trains pups with a dead hare!"
He looked around at the dozen shadowy figures gathering in the
carrefour; the star-light sparkled on guns and belts and slings, and
here and there on the vizor of a casquette-de-chasse.
"The Grey Wolves," said Michaud, "can never find us in The Pulpit. If
Monsieur is ready?"
"Quite ready," said Guild. And the shadowy file, led by Michaud, moved
straight into the woods.