The Man Without a Memory Part 54

After we left the village behind us there were plenty of people, both men and women, all with their faces turned frontierwards. "What are all these doing?" I asked.

"Crumb-hunters, we call 'em." Descriptive enough, too; and he told me they were out in all weathers to pick up any trifles from the Dutch side, and that pa.s.ses were given to them for the purpose.

"And what about the Dutch guards?"

"Getting fat on it," replied Fischer, rubbing his palm and then putting a finger to the side of his nose. "Bleed us to a tune, too. Their people try to stop it; change the men often enough; but it only means that Peter gets a greasy palm instead of Paul. We turn off into the next lane on the right: it runs across the frontier; the Pike Wood's just there; but you'll have to stop a little short of it to turn the car."

We ran about half a mile along the lane to the spot where I turned and we all got out. He led the way across a field or two, and, as we were rather before our time--nine o'clock--he posted us at a point in the thicket from which we could see the guards at the gate which marked the boundary on the German side, and then left us.

I was beginning to get a little excited by that time, but Nessa seemed quite unmoved, except that she s.h.i.+vered once or twice, for the night air had a nip in it. Whether she persisted in her intention not to go without me, I could not say. She had heard me tell old Fischer that I wasn't going; but she maintained a sphinxlike silence all the time he was away.

He went up to the guards and I could just make out their figures as he stood talking to them; and presently he disappeared into the darkness through the gate. A minute or two later some shots were fired from the other side of the barrier; soon afterwards a loaded wagon came das.h.i.+ng from that side, the three horses galloping at full stretch, and a man I took to be Fischer jumped from it.

An exhibition of organization followed. A number of men sprang up from nowhere; the wagon was unloaded almost instantly; and they scuttled off into the night with cases and barrels and packages of all descriptions and sizes. It was done like a flash; and the wagon was galloped back across the frontier. It had just disappeared when an officer rode up, presumably to learn the cause of the firing. Just then Fischer rejoined us, out of breath, but hugely pleased.

"A near thing," he panted. "If that officer had been a minute earlier he'd have commandeered the lot. He's a swinehound. You must lie doggo till he's gone; but it's all right. Fritz will give you the tip. You're to go forward the moment you hear him whistling 'The Watch on the Rhine.' Don't lose a second. Give him a twenty-mark note; it's for his two pals. And now I can't stop with you, I must see to things. I'll wait for you at the car."

"What was that firing?" I asked as he turned away.

"To fool the Dutch officers," he said over his shoulder as he went.

Nessa's intention was still a riddle. She stood leaning against a tree, motionless as a statue and up to this point as silent. But the time had come when I must know what she meant to do.

"You're going, Nessa?" I whispered.

No answer; not even a shrug of the shoulders.

"Nessa, dear, you're going?"

"Are you?"

"No. I gave my word. Besides I've half a notion that this is a sort of test. Fischer has told the men that I am not, and even if they didn't shoot us both, I should be ruined with him. And you can see for yourself there isn't one chance in a hundred of our getting through."

She listened but made no reply.

"We shall have that signal in a moment. That officer is riding away."

A long tremulous sigh from her. "Do you wish me to go, Jack?"

"Yes, most certainly. It's the luckiest chance in the world."

"Is it?"

"You can see it for yourself, dearest." I tried to put my arm round her, but she drew away.

"Don't, Jack! After what you've just said."

There was a pause in which we could catch the guttural tones of the guards and hear them stamping their feet. Precious seconds were flying and I was getting into a positive fever of impatience and anxiety.

"I'm only thinking of you, Nessa. You know that. Do make up your mind to go. You must surely see that it's the one course for you. There's the road to England and your mother and----"

"And you're to stop here in all this danger alone."

My patience began to give out. "I know you're thinking of me, but I can get out of it all ever so much better alone. But there, if you won't, you won't, and there's an end of it."

"You promised to make an attempt together. Have you done it?"

"For Heaven's sake, Nessa, don't let us split hairs at a moment like this. Here's the chance of chances for you, and you may never have another. If you wish ever to see England again, or at all events until after the war's over, you'll take it."

"That shows what little chance you think you have of getting away," she retorted, and made me wish I'd said something else.

"I didn't mean anything of the sort, only that it will be infinitely easier for me alone."

She didn't answer, and in the pause the first bars of the "Watch on the Rhine" were whistled in a low cautious pitch.

"Come, dearest," I whispered and put my arm about her.

"Oh, I can't go, Jack. I--I can't be such a coward!" she whispered, trembling in her agitation.

"For Heaven's sake, dearest!"

The whistling had ceased, but she still hesitated.

After an interval, very short, the whistle came again, slightly louder.

There was only one last plea I could think of. "It may cost me my life if you don't go, Nessa."

I felt her shudder convulsively as she yielded, and clung to me for an instant. "I'll go. Oh, G.o.d!" she moaned piteously under her breath.

I hurried her across the intervening field, and as we reached the other side of it, the man at the gate called to us impatiently to hurry.

But Nessa stopped. "I've forgotten, Jack," she whispered. "I must have that money after all."

I had it ready, thrust it into her hand, and helped her over the field gate. In her agitation she fell and dropped the notes. It was as dark as pitch on the ground at that spot and I had to grope with my hands to find them.

The man called to me urgently to come at once, and I had just found them when we heard the sound of a horse galloping in our direction.

"Back to the wood," growled the man almost fiercely. "If the captain noses you, you'll be shot."

I lifted Nessa over the gate and we darted back to cover, as the officer rode up. We waited for some breathless anxious minutes for him to go, hoping that the signal could be repeated.

But he did not go; and soon afterwards the guard was changed.

The chance was gone and there was nothing for it but to return to the car.

The failure was bitterly disappointing, but Nessa was glad, and laughed. "Here's the money, Jack," she said as we left the wood.

I pocketed it in silence.