CHAPTER XXXIV

The orderly who searched the house found two shotguns. The Colonel who had quartered his staff for the night pointed to the two old men.

“Arrest them--you understand.”

Andrew Vassar knew what the brief clause with which the order ended meant. He crossed himself and breathed a prayer for the safety of his loved ones.

Zonia and Marya burst into tears. Virginia and her mother drew themselves erect and waited white and silent.

Holland faced the commander, erect, defiant.

“I am a soldier, sir,” he began with dignity. “I fought for my country through four bloody years in a hundred skirmishes and twenty-six great battles. I have the right to bear arms. I have won that right with my blood. I claim it before any court on earth over which a soldier presides.”

The commander fixed him with a stern look.

“You have disobeyed the proclamation of the Governor-General, the servant of my Imperial Master. You have therefore forfeited all rights.”

“I demand a trial by drum-head court martial!” Holland answered.

“You shall have it--you and your companion. Take them away.”

Between two soldiers they were marched across the fields.

The children burst into incontrollable weeping.

The Colonel spoke in sharp tones:

“Come, come, my children. It is nothing. I must respect the forms. Their lives are forfeited, but I spare them for your sakes. They will return, both, tomorrow--have no fear!”

Zonia seized the officer’s hand still sobbing:

“Thank you! Thank you!”

Marya in her joy kissed him.

The crisis passed, the Colonel turned to the ladies with a courtly bow.

“I am sorry to have to be so rude in your presence, madam,” he said, addressing Virginia’s mother. “We are soldiers. I must obey the orders of my superiors. I have no choice. We are sorry to put you to the trouble--but we are tired and hungry and we must dine. I will appreciate a good dinner and I shall see to it that your home is safe from intrusion on this unhappy evening.”

His heels clicked again and he resumed his seat.

“We will serve you dinner at once,” Virginia quickly replied before her mother could answer. “We are sorry that it will be so poor. We have had no market for the past two days--”

“Some good wine will go far to make up for what else you may lack,” a Lieutenant interrupted.

“By all means, some wine--“ the Colonel added.

The three men were bidden to enter the dining-room with a bow from Peter, the black butler.

“We dine alone?” the Colonel asked in surprise.

“De ladies is feelin’ very po’ly, sah--Dey axe to be ‘cused--”

“Say to the ladies,” was the stern answer, “that we cannot sit down without their presence. We await them. Ask them to come at once.”

The request was a command.

The women held a council of war.

“I’ll die first,” Mrs. Holland calmly answered.

“You will not,” Virginia firmly declared.

“We’ve something big to live for now. Our country needs us. We too are soldiers from tonight. We play the war game with our enemy--come all of you--”

Without delay she forced them to enter the dining-room. Virginia, Zonia and Marya took seats opposite the intruders, the mother, her accustomed place at the head of the table.

The dinner moved with quiet and orderly dignity until the officers’ faces began to flush with wine. The Lieutenant’s leering eye continually sought Zonia’s.

She avoided his gaze at every turn.

“Come, now, you little puss!” he cried at last. “Don’t freeze me with dark looks and averted gaze. I like you!”

Zonia blushed and dropped her head lower.

“I suggest, Lieutenant,” Mrs. Holland began, “that your remark is a little rude. I trust we are in the presence of gentlemen of culture and refinement.”

Virginia held her breath in painful suspense. She saw the Colonel give a wink aside to his subordinate.

The Lieutenant tossed off his glass of wine, rose, clicked his heels and bowed.

“I assure you, madam,” he said with a laugh, “you do me great injustice. I have been honestly smitten with admiration for the charming and beautiful young lady. We are enemies, but she has conquered. I acknowledge defeat. To show you my sincerity, I will apologize--”

With a quick swing, his sword clanking, he walked around the table and leaned close over Zonia’s shoulders, his reddened eyes searching her frightened face.

“You will forgive me, my dear!” he drawled.

His head touched the girl’s dark hair and she shrank with a little cry of horror.

“Please!”

“So! I’m not to be forgiven!” he growled.

“Please leave me!” Zonia breathed timidly.

“Come now--don’t be silly--“ he protested. “Am I a leper?”

The girl lifted her eyes to his flushed, lecherous face, sprang to her feet, rushed into the hall and up the stairs. The Lieutenant followed with a loud laugh and oath.

Virginia and her mother leaped from their chairs to follow. The Colonel stood in front barring the way.

“Enough of these high and mighty airs, if you please!” he commanded sternly. “We are the masters of this house. It is a woman’s place to obey. Sit down!”

“Colonel, I beg of you--“ Virginia pleaded. “I must protect this girl. She is under my care--”

“I will protect her! My officer means no harm. Your suspicions are an insult. He is only having his little fun with a foolish girl. It is the privilege of the conqueror--”

He seized Virginia’s arm and forced her into her seat. Marya was sobbing bitterly. Mrs. Holland sank helplessly into a chair where she stood.

The Colonel opened the front door and beckoned the guard.

The sentinel entered.

“Attend us. The ladies will not leave this room until our dinner has been properly served.”

The man saluted and took his place beside the door.

The noise of a struggle in the room above brought a moment of dead silence. The Colonel smiled. Marya screamed and Mrs. Holland fainted.

“Stop! Stop, I say!” Virginia heard the Lieutenant shout.

A vulgar oath rang through the house and Zonia’s swift feet were climbing the second flight of stairs, a man stumbling after her.

Virginia rushed instinctively to the rescue. The guard seized her arms and forced her into a chair.

“My dear young lady,” the Sublieutenant cried, approaching her with a leer. “It’s only a little fun! Not a hair of her precious head will be harmed. He only fired to frighten and bring her to terms.”

The Colonel continued to eat.

Virginia rushed to her mother’s aid with a glass of water as her limp form slipped to the floor.

The Colonel bent low over his cups and laughed at a joke the Sublieutenant whispered.

A shot rang out from the wall of the house.

A piercing scream echoed from the tower against the roof.

Something crashed through the vines and struck the stone walk with a dull thud.

“O my God!” Virginia moaned, covering her ears.

Virginia leaped from the floor and heard the quick familiar step of Billy passing the back door.

He was hiding on the lawn, heard Zonia’s first scream, and had killed the officer. Virginia saw it in a flash.

Their vengeance would be complete when they knew the truth. She must escape. There was work to be done for her country and she meant to do it. Life was too precious to be thrown away tonight.

She glided silently toward the door, reached the hall, seized Zonia’s hand, passed the guard and reached the lawn.

“Follow her!” the Colonel shouted. “Bring her back dead or alive--I’ll not be flouted by women!”

The man plunged after Virginia, and called once:

“Halt!”

He raised his rifle to fire as she rushed squarely into the arms of the sentry who held the gate.

She struggled fiercely to free herself from the hated uniform and felt his arms tighten with savage power.

Vassar spoke in low, tense whispers:

“Be still, my own!”

She lifted her eyes in joyous terror and saw the face of her lover tense with rage.

“God in heaven!” she cried.

“Sh, still now--on your knees,” he breathed.

“Oh, Uncy darling!” Zonia moaned.

Virginia’s body slowly dropped as if in prayer that her life be spared.

The sentinel from the house leisurely approached.

“Good work, old pal!” he called.

The Colonel and Sublieutenant rushed from the house, followed by Marya and Mrs. Holland who had revived. The commander blew his whistle and the entire guard who patrolled the grounds hurried to the spot.

Billy stepped from the shadows, and spoke in low tones to Vassar.

“It’s all up with me now. I shot the devil who was after Zonia.”

“Billy darling!” Virginia moaned.

“Keep still, sis--it’s all right!” he whispered.

The Colonel approached the group at his leisure, smoking a cigarette.

He merely glanced at Vassar and began in quick business-like tones:

“Who shot that man?”

Billy stepped forward.

“I did, sir--”

“So?”

“Virginia Holland’s my sister--”

The Colonel touched his mustache and looked the youngster over with admiration.

“A boy alone defies a victorious army. I like you. I want you in our ranks--”

He paused thoughtfully as Mrs. Holland and Marya crept close, clinging to each other in dumb misery. Zonia slipped close to Billy--

“My darling boy!” his mother moaned.

“It’s all right, mother,” he called cheerfully--“What’s the odds? They shot John Vassar’s father and mine an hour ago--”

A low moan came from Virginia’s lips.

The mother was silent. Her eyes were fixed on the rigid figure of her boy with hungry, desperate yearning.

The Colonel caught the look of anguish and felt for a moment the pull of its tragedy. He too had a mother.

He turned to her and spoke in friendly tones:

“Madam, your son is of the stuff that makes heroes. I’m going to spare his life--”

“Thank God--“ she sobbed.

“On one condition--I want him in the service of the Emperor. Frederick the Great called thousands of conquered foes to the colors--they made good. If he will take off his cap and give three cheers for the Emperor--I will place him on my staff and he shall live to find new paths of glory.”

Billy smiled.

His mother, Virginia, Marya and Zonia pressed close and pleaded that he yield.

His mother held him in her arms in a long, desperate embrace.

“O my baby, heart of my heart, you must--I command it. Your father is gone. You must live and care for your poor mother--”

“Do it, boy,” Virginia whispered, “and give them the slip--fight the devil with fire--you must.”

“Please, Billy!” Marya pleaded.

Zonia slipped her arms around his neck.

The boy looked into the wistful face of the girl--bent and kissed her.

“All right, Zonia,” he cried steadily.

“I’ll do it for your sake and mother’s--”

“Sensible boy!” the Colonel cried. “Now attention!”

He clicked his heels as the guard fell in line behind him. With quick wit John Vassar took his place with the others.

“The ladies by my side, please, in honor of the ceremony,” the Colonel called.

Virginia, Marya and the mother huddled in a group beside the commander.

“Now, sir,” he cried, “we’ll have three cheers for his Imperial Majesty, the Emperor!”

The boy’s face went white and his voice failed.

“Billy--“ his mother pleaded.

“Billy!” Virginia sternly commanded.

“Billy!” Zonia pleaded.

The youngster’s body suddenly stiffened and a smile overspread his face. The tense scene was unearthly in the pale moonlight. His voice was quick and rang in deep, manly tones.

“Hurrah for the President of the United States!--to hell with all emperors!”

The Colonel drew his pistol and shot him down before their agonized gaze.

The mother swooned, Marya fled in terror to the woods.

Zonia caught the crumpled figure in her arms.

Vassar with a single leap was by Virginia’s side, seized her and rushed toward the shadows of the hedge.

He shouted to the commander:

“She’s mine, Colonel--by right of conquest!”

To Virginia he whispered hoarsely:

“Shout, fight, scratch, scream to him for help--”

Quick to catch his ruse, she struck wildly with her hands, and called for help.

The Colonel laughed.

“I had reserved higher honors for you!” he shouted. “You’re not worth it--go with your man!”