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.It had no handle nor, so far as I could see, a keyhole.But I noticed, as Iturned my torch on the ground, that from the clamp which I had shattered abrass rod sunk in the floor led to one of the doorposts.Obviously the thingworked by a spring and was connected with the mechanism of the rack.A wild thought entered my mind and brought me to my feet.I pushed the doorand it swung slowly open.The bullet which freed me had released the springwhich controlled it.Then for the first time, against all my maxims of discretion, I began to hope.I took off my hat and felt my forehead burning, so that I rested it for amoment on the cool wall.Perhaps my luck still held.With a rush camethoughts of Mary and Blenkiron and Peter and everything we had laboured for,and I was mad to win.I had no notion of the interior of the house or where lay the main door to theouter world.My torch showed me a long passage with something like a door atthe far end, but I clicked it off, for I did not dare to use it now.The placewas deadly quiet.As I listened I seemed to hear a door open far away, andthen silence fell again.I groped my way down the passage till I had my hands on the far door.I hopedit might open on the hall, where I could escape by a window or a balcony, forI judged the outer door would be locked.I listened, and there came no soundfrom within.It was no use lingering, so very stealthily I turned the handleand opened it a crack.Page 136 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlIt creaked and I waited with beating heart on discovery, for inside I saw theglow of light.But there was no movement, so it must be empty.I poked my headin and then followed with my body.It was a large room, with logs burning in a stove, and the floor thick withrugs.It was lined with books, and on a table in the centre a readinglamp wasburning.Several dispatchboxes stood on the table, and there was a little pileof papers.A man had been here a minute before, for a halfsmoked cigar wasburning on the edge of the inkstand.At that moment I recovered complete use of my wits and all my selfpossession.More, there returned to me some of the old devil maycareness which before hadserved me well.Ivery had gone, but this was his sanctum.just as on the roofsof Erzerum I had burned to get at Stumm's papers, so now it was borne in on methat at all costs I must look at that pile.I advanced to the table and picked up the topmost paper.It was a littletypewritten blue slip with the lettering in italics, and in a corner acurious, involved stamp in red ink.On it I read:'__Die Wildvogel missen _beimkehren.'At the same moment I heard steps and the door opened on the far side, Istepped back towards the stove, and fingered the pistol in my pocket.Mr.StandfastMr.Standfast131A man entered, a man with a scholar's stoop, an unkempt beard, and largesleepy dark eyes.At the sight of me he pulled up and his whole body grewtaut.It was the Portuguese Jew, whose back I had last seen at the smithy doorin Skye, and who by the mercy of God had never seen my face.I stopped fingering my pistol, for I had an inspiration.Before he could uttera word I got in first.'__Die Vogelein schwei igem im _Walde,' I said.His face broke into a pleasant smile, and he replied:'_Warte nur, balde rubest du _auch.''Ach,' he said in German, holding out his hand, 'you have come this way, whenwe thought you would go byModane.I welcome you, for I know your exploits.You are Conradi, who did sonobly in Italy?'I bowed.'Yes, I am Conradi,' I said.CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.The Col of the SwallowsHe pointed to the slip on the table.'You have seen the orders?'I nodded.'The long day's work is over.You must rejoice, for your part has been thehardest, I think.Some day you will tell me about it?'The man's face was honest and kindly, rather like that of the engineerGaudian, whom two years before I had met in Germany.But his eyes fascinatedme, for they were the eyes of the dreamer and fanatic, who would not desistfrom his quest while life lasted.I thought that Ivery had chosen well in hiscolleague.'My task is not done yet,' I said.'I came here to see Chelius.''He will be back tomorrow evening.''Too late.I must see him at once.He has gone to Italy, and I must overtakehim.''You know your duty best,' he said gravely.'But you must help me.I must catch him at Santa Chiara, for it is a businessof life and death.Is there a car to be had?''There is mine.But there is no chauffeur.Chelius took him.''I can drive myself and I know the road.But I have no pass to cross thefrontier.''That is easily supplied,' he said, smiling.Page 137 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlin one bookcase there was a shelf of dummy books.He unlocked this andrevealed a small cupboard, whence he took a tin dispatch box.From some papershe selected one, which seemed to be already signed.Mr.StandfastMr.Standfast132'Name?' he asked.'Call me Hans Gruber of Brieg,' I said.'I travel to pick up my master, who isin the timber trade.''And your return?''I will come back by my old road,' I said mysteriously; and if he knew what Imeant it was more than I did myself.He completed the paper and handed it to me.'This will take you through thefrontier posts.And now for the car.The servants will be in bed, for theyhave been preparing for a long journey, but I will myself show it you.Thereis enough petrol on board to take you to Rome
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