It is a remarkable fact that all this time Jim Braid had been sound
asleep. Once inside the trunk of the hollow, shattered tree, he had
found himself unable to overcome a feeling of drowsiness which by
degrees completely got the better of him. Klein, on the other hand, had
apparently received such a shock to his nervous system that in spite of
his extreme exhaustion he found it impossible to sleep. Also he had a
dread of being left alone. He implored Harry, who had led him some way
back into the forest, to remain at his side till dawn.
For the time being, they had nothing to fear from the German soldiers,
who were at the bottom of the ravine and unable to reach them. Still,
they could not continue their march, since without the guides they were
lost and would not know which way to go. But so long as they remained
where they were, there was always a chance that one, or both, of the
brothers would return.
"Tell me," asked Urquhart, "how is it that I find you a prisoner in the
hands of those who should be your friends?"
"It is a very simple story," said Peter Klein. "We left Dualla a few
weeks ago. The party consisted of Captain von Hardenberg, our guide—an
Arab sheikh—two native carriers, and myself. The Governor of Dualla
wished von Hardenberg to join the force which is to oppose the British.
Hardenberg was given an important command. But, since he had other
business to attend to—which he himself considered of greater
importance—in plain words, he deserted; and we endeavoured to penetrate
the bush.
"For some days we journeyed without event. Then we discovered that we
were tracked, and were obliged to fly for our lives.
"One night a shot was fired into our camp. And after that, day by day,
we were harassed and tormented, until two nights ago a raid was made
upon our bivouac. They came upon us from all sides at once. We were
outnumbered by twenty to one. No course lay open to us but flight. The
two natives went one way. They rushed into a large party of soldiers,
and there is every reason to believe they laid down their lives. Von
Hardenberg and the sheikh took to the hills, climbing the bare slope,
and I think they managed to escape. As for myself, I fled downhill with
a score of native soldiers at my heels.
"All yesterday I was pursued. I fled for my life across interminable
valleys, across the hills, striving to reach the bush, where I knew I
would be safe. Sometimes I found myself buried in the gloom of forests;
at others I stood upon the edge of precipices so deep that the clouds
were at my feet.
"Late last evening I was overtaken. They bound my hands behind my back
and scourged me with a whip. They gave me to understand they would
eventually put me to a traitor’s death; but they thought more of von
Hardenberg and Sheikh Bayram than they did of me. They were for ever
asking me which way he had gone—just as if I could tell them what I did
not know myself! When they brought me to the ravine, yonder, I was too
fatigued and too disturbed in mind to sleep. And then you saved me at
the eleventh hour. That is all my story."
Harry was silent for some moments.
"You have not told me," he said, "why you have come to this forsaken
part of the world, or why von Hardenberg—who is my cousin—deserted
from the Germans?"
Klein lowered his eyes. It seemed he was not incapable of feeling
ashamed.
"The Sunstone," said he, quite quietly.
"My cousin has the Sunstone in his possession?"
"I have seen it," answered Klein. "He carries it upon his person. He
never lets it out of his possession. He would not even let me touch it.
He has had a special pocket made for it in the inside of his coat, on
the left-hand side."
"You must be frank with me," said Harry.
"You saved my life," said the other.
"Then listen to the true story of the Sunstone. You doubtless know that
my cousin stole it from my uncle, but you are perhaps ignorant of the
fact that, to cover his own guilt, he wrongfully accused one who was
innocent. I presume my cousin went to you and explained that, once he
got to Maziriland with the Sunstone in his possession, he had acquired
riches beyond all dreams. I suppose you agreed to go with him, to share
and share alike? I suppose, also, that, in spite of the fact that our
nations are at war, you consider the Sunstone of far greater importance
than your Fatherland?"
"To my shame," said Peter Klein, "that is—or was—the truth. I sold my
honour for gold long ago. I would not say that in Europe, in London or
Berlin, but here we are in the very midst of death, and all things are
different—or perhaps, we see all things with very different eyes."
"At least," said Harry, "you are honest now."
"I am a coward," the man confessed.
"You must see," Urquhart went on, "that you have no moral right to this
money, even should the treasure be discovered. However, I have not come
here to recover the treasure, so much as to prevent it from falling into
the hands of the enemies of my country. I am determined to capture the
Sunstone, be the risk and danger what it may be."
Klein shook his head.
"He will not part with it," said he. "He is a desperate man."
"I will make him part with it," cried Harry, "once I run the rascal to
earth."
"He is a desperate man," repeated the other. "He dare not return to
Germany. He would be court-martialled, and probably shot. He will not
part with the Sunstone at a lesser price than his life."
"I am sorry for him," said Harry, "because he is doubly a traitor. When
the guest of the British nation he was to all intents and purposes a
spy; he swindled you; and now, in the midst of war, he proves himself a
traitor once again."
Peter Klein was silent, his thin fingers playing nervously. The strain
of the past few days had seriously affected his health; he was suffering
from a kind of St. Vitus’s dance. He was never still for a moment.
"It is strange," said he, "that you think so much of the Sunstone. Long
since I had forgotten all about it. I have now but one idea—to get
back to Europe, if I can. I dare not return to my home, which is in
Frankfort. I intend to end my days in Denmark."
It was then that somewhere in the forest, near at hand, a twig broke.
Both sprang instantly to their feet.
A dark figure came suddenly out of the thickets, and Urquhart, with his
finger upon the trigger of his revolver, was about to fire, when he was
arrested by a voice.
"Is that you, Mr. Harry?"
It was the voice of Jim Braid.
"What is it, Jim?"
Braid came forward in the darkness. The moon was now low in the
heavens. In the east, through the tree-tops, there was a steel-blue arc
of light, heralding the approach of day. It was as if even the abundant
vegetation of the jungle was itself awakening after sleep. When he was
quite close to Harry, Braid took him by the arm.
"I have news for you," said he. "There’s an uproar in the ravine. The
Germans have discovered their prisoner has escaped."
"Here he is," said Harry, making a motion of the hand towards Peter
Klein.
"Here! How did he get here?"
"There’s no time for explanations now," said Harry.
"You’re right, sir," answered Jim. "We’re in danger if we stay!"
"We would be in greater danger still," said the other, "if we
endeavoured to escape. After all, this is the last place they would
think of searching. It would never occur to them that the prisoner had
climbed up the side of the ravine."
There was the strongest common sense in this. Indeed, a few minutes
later they had ample proof that Harry was perfectly right. Klein
remained behind, whilst the two boys crawled back to the edge of the
gorge and thence looked down into the bivouac.
The daylight was growing apace. Step by step the dawn mounted in the
heavens, the shadows fled from the valleys, and the bush became alive
with the songs of thousands of birds.
And then they witnessed a tragedy such as neither ever wished to see
again. The native sentry, who had fallen asleep upon his post, was led
with trembling knees and shaking lips before the major in command, who,
after a few savage questions, hurled at the man like scraps of meat to a
dog, sentenced him to be shot. And then and there the sentence was
carried out before their eyes.
After that the major gathered his men together and divided them into two
parties, evidently with the idea of searching both ends of the ravine.
And now occurred one of the most strangely dramatic things of which we
have to tell.
The commanding officer was giving final instructions to his officers and
sergeants. He stood upon a large boulder. His subordinates were
listening to his words with silent respect. He spoke in a husky,
guttural voice, from time to time shivering as if he suffered from
fever. Suddenly, he flung both hands above his head and uttered a
piercing cry. Simultaneously, there came the sharp report of a rifle
from beyond the ravine, and the German major fell forward on his face.