"Ah. Forgive me. I must give some orders."
He was about to turn away to the men in the boats, but Ruxton detained him.
"Before you give orders, I would suggest you send your vessel round to Dorby. Our dock-master is on the lookout for you. He is lying off the mouth of the river to pilot you in to a--_safe_--mooring. When you hail him, pa.s.s him one word: "Towers." My father is awaiting you at home. We have thought out a plan which may meet with your approval."
The tall figure moved a step nearer. Again his tenacious hand was thrust out.
"It is always the same--in Britain. I thank you."
He turned and gave orders in compliance with Ruxton"s instructions.
Then the two men stood side by side while they watched the launch slide back with the tide. Then, as it swung about, head on for the opening, they moved away up towards the cavern entrance in the cliff.
Throughout the pa.s.sage of the cave, and the long climb up the rough-hewn staircase to the mill above, no unnecessary word was spoken.
An occasional warning of trifling pitfalls ahead from Ruxton, on the lead, was the only sound beyond the clatter of feet upon the rough stone tread of the journey.
There was much to be said between them, but each felt that the dank atmosphere of this cavern was scarcely the place in which to pause for confidences. This was a meeting between these two full of profound significance, even of threat, for both knew that a challenge had been thrown out at a power for vengeance, the extent of which neither could as yet accurately estimate.
The silence between them was maintained until the outline of the old mill had fallen away well behind them, and the intricacies of the footpaths amongst the black gorse patches permitted of their walking abreast. Then it was Ruxton who opened the subject between them.
"I bought a newspaper almost by chance. It contained news of some action by the German fleet--in the Baltic. It was vague. But somehow it made me uneasy. Then Vita seemed to read it aright."
"Vita?"
"Ah, forgive me," Ruxton smiled. "The Princess interpreted it. We became convinced that it was something to warrant alarm for--your safety."
The tall, lean figure pressed nearer to its English friend. Ruxton felt the clasp of a hand upon his upper arm.
"And so you came--to the cove?"
There was a deep note of appreciation in the man"s voice.
"It was a friendly act," he added.
Ruxton shrugged.
"I promised you a welcome in England. It is nothing."
"No. It is nothing--to some people."
Ruxton dismissed the subject.
"They have discovered. Von Salzinger is in England."
"Yes, Vita has told me. But I knew it without the telling." Then the Prince laughed, and there was ironical inflection in his mirth. "Oh, yes. It was easy to watch--these things. I watched every move through the eyes of my few faithful friends. I saw how they kept me under surveillance, after--after they sent Von Salzinger to England. Then, when I began to feel that their interest in me was becoming threatening, when I received interrogations that were difficult to answer--easily--interrogations about the U-rays, then I said to myself that I must put to the test all those little plans I had prepared. I abandoned my works by sea."
"Then----"
"Oh, it was not all so simple. The story of it I will tell you some day. One thing I had not calculated upon was that my place was watched from the sea by our naval ships. They are shrewd, these people, but they are also blundering. These naval men!" His clasp on Ruxton"s arm tightened. A certain scorn crept into the vibrating tones. "You know them? Your people know them. They laugh at them--your people, I mean--as I laughed. The German Navy forgets. They forget that I am the master of the submarine. They think they know it all--all that I have in here." He touched the high forehead under his soft felt hat with a lean forefinger. "But they do not. They see my boat come out. They challenge me--as they challenge me at Borga. It is the same again. I laugh and I keep on my course. I do not heave-to. Then they open their guns at me to sink me, but I only submerge. They follow on my line. I come up. They fire again, and so it goes on. They make a great commotion and waste many sh.e.l.ls. Then comes night, and--I lose them."
He shrugged. Then after a pause he went on. "Now I come to England and I join my daughter in her home. Later on maybe I shall forget these people that have owned my body and brain, and used them for so long to outrage humanity. I never go back. Never, never!"
"No."
Ruxton shrank from the news he must convey. The doubt in his monosyllable, however, did not pa.s.s the other by. The Pole"s big eyes turned full upon his companion"s face, and enquiry rang in his echo of the monosyllable.
"No?"
"You cannot go to your daughter"s place. Von Salzinger has discovered it. It will be watched."
"Ah!"
"It is an added reason for my meeting you."
"It is an added complication. So, so."
"But not beyond--straightening out."
"No?"
"My father is awaiting you. There is Dorby."
They walked on in silence. The old man moved with surprising vigor. He was thinking rapidly. The new situation involved a readjustment of plans. He was seeking solution with a fertility of imagination which might have astonished the Englishman had he known.
Ruxton went on.
"Our works are under protection from our naval authority. They should be safe. My father thinks the shelter of our home should serve for the present."
Von Hertzwohl seemed to pa.s.s the offer by, dwelling only upon the safety of the works.
"That is good, the works protected," he said abruptly, his luminous eyes shining. "You are clever. You take no chance. And the work? It goes on? Good! Ah! I must see it all." He rubbed his hands. "There is no hitch? Nothing? The vessels grow--grow while you look. Ah, yes, I know you British. There will be no more submarine danger; no more ma.s.sacre of women and children at sea. It gives me the greatest joy."
The old man"s enthusiasm was beyond all thought of self. It was so simple, so intense. It was the enthusiasm of a child for his new toy, and Ruxton marvelled at the odd mixture which went to make up his strange character.
"The completion of the work is as inevitable as that your Government means to--hunt you down."
Ruxton thought to impress the Pole with the precariousness of his position. But the man brushed it aside.
"Ach!" he cried, with a gesture of recklessness. "Yes, they hunt me down. That is it. That is why I do not burden your father with my safeguard. It is good to think of. This generous man--your father. It is good that his son comes to--help me. I feel it all here." He pressed one hand over his heart. "But no. I know these people. I do not fear them. They hunt me down. They kill me. It is not so much. It is so small a thing I do not think of it. No. But they do not hunt me down,"
he went on, with a smile of quiet confidence. "I will go with you to Dorby. I will talk with your great father--and then--I go. It will be good to befool them--and I will befool them."
He laughed a fearless, heart-whole laugh which left the younger man marvelling.
CHAPTER XIX
THE TIGER SPRINGS