“Could you meet me alone anywhere outside at that time?”

“There is a quarry outside a village called Quellenburg ... it is on the edge of our preserves ... just off the road.  We ought to be as far as that by twelve.  If it is necessary, I will try and give them the slip and hide in one of the caves there.  Then, when you came, if you whistled I could come out.”

“Good.  That will do excellently.  We will arrange it so.  Now, another question ... how many soldiers have you here?”

“Sixteen.”

“Are they all going beating?”

“Oh, no!  Only ten of them.  The other six and the sergeant remain behind.”

“Have you a car here?”

“No, but Grundt has one.”

“How many servants will there be in the house to-morrow?”

“Only Johann, the butler, and the maids ... a woman cook and two girls.”

“Can you contrive to have Johann out of the house between 10 and 12:30 to-morrow morning?”

“Yes, I can send him to Cleves with a note.”

“The maids too?”

“Yes, the maids too.”

“Good.  Now will you do one thing more—­the hardest of all?  I want you to send a message to Desmond.  Can you arrange it?”

“Tell me what your message is, and I may be able to answer you.”

“I want you to tell him that he must at all costs contrive to keep Grundt from going to that shoot to-morrow ... at any rate between ten and twelve.  He must manage to let Grundt believe that he is going to tell him where Grundt may find what he is after ... but he must keep him in suspense during those hours.”

“And after?”

“There will be no after,” I said.

“I will see that Des gets your message,” Monica replied, “for I will take it myself.”

“No, Monica,” I said, “I don’t want...”

“Francis,” ...she spoke almost in a whisper ... “my life in this country is over,” ... and she touched her widow’s weeds....  “Karl was killed at Predeal three weeks ago....  You know as well as I do that I am involved in this affair as much as you and Des ... and I will share the risk if only you will take me away with you ... that is if you ...”  She faltered.

I heard the chairs scrape in the corner of the hall where the dinner-party was breaking up.

“The Frau Graefin has only to command,” I said.  “The Frau Graefin knows I have been waiting for years....”

Clubfoot was crossing towards the open door.

“...  I never expected to find the Frau Graefin so gracious....  I had never hoped that the Frau Graefin would be willing to do so much for me ... the Frau Graefin has made me very happy.”

Clubfoot stood on the threshold and listened to my halting speech.

“You can bring your things in when you come to-morrow ...”  Monica said.  “The keeper will tell you what time you must be here.”

Then she dismissed me, but as I went I heard her say: