The Sea-girt Fortress: A Story of Heligoland Page 6

  CHAPTER VI

  Von Wittelsbach's Plan

  GENERAL HEINRICH VON WITTELSBACH, the commandant of the garrison ofHeligoland, was a man of fifty-five years of age, of medium height,corpulent and choleric. His iron-grey hair, growing low on hisforehead, literally bristled; the ends of his bushy eyebrowswell-nigh touched the tips of his upturned moustache, which as theresult of years of training outvied those of his Imperial master.

  Von Wittelsbach was a pronounced Anglophobe, and on that account wasa great favourite with the German Crown Prince. On the other hand,his hot-headed outbursts against everything British werediscountenanced by the Kaiser, who took a more level view of things.The time was not yet ripe for Germany to measure steel with thenation that in the Teutonic mind formed the sole barrier to colonialexpansion, and for the present it was considered advisable to removeVon Wittelsbach to a more remote sphere, where his activities couldbe prosecuted in secret and with an energy that suited the oldveteran's ideas to a nicety. So the general was placed in command ofthe important military and naval station of Heligoland.

  Like most German officers Von Wittelsbach was badly attacked by theespionage mania. In his eyes every man not in German uniform was aspy. In one or two instances he had burned his fingers rather badly,for, having caused supposed spies to be arrested and sent to theSupreme Court at Leipzig for trial, he failed to make good his case.A section of the German Press, loath to miss a chance of revenge uponthe autocratic Von Wittelsbach, held him up to ridicule. The generalvowed that the next time there would be no mistake, and took theprecaution of obtaining authority to try supposed spies summarily,instead of sending them to the Saxon town.

  Still attended by their armed guards, Hamerton and Detroit foundthemselves in the room where the preliminary examination was to beheld. It was to be a trial behind closed doors, for in addition tothe prisoners and the file of stolid marines the only persons presentwere General Heinrich von Wittelsbach, Major Karl von Schloss,Naval-Lieutenant Schwalbe--the officer who had effected thearrest--and a military secretary.

  The room was a large one, simply furnished as an office, the onlyattempt at ornamentation being the presence of a large bust of theKaiser set in a niche above the mantelpiece. At one end of the roomstood a table about twenty feet in length and fifteen in width, thetop being carefully covered with a green baize cloth. Had thatcovering been removed, Hamerton would have been able to see a chartof the North Sea, the land being shown in relief. On this, frominformation supplied by trustworthy agents, the position of everyunit of the British fleet was recorded as quickly as reports came tohand. Every battery, aircraft station, regimental depot, and railwaycommunication was carefully shown, so that a reliable and up-to-dateplan lay ready to hand when "The Day" came.

  The President made no attempt to address the prisoners in German.Schwalbe had already acquainted him with the fact that one of theaccused spoke that language fairly well, but Von Wittelsbach told himthat he would not listen to a vile smattering of the language of theFatherland by one of these rascally Englishmen. So all communicationbetween the President and the prisoners was to be made through themedium of the former's secretary.

  "You are accused of unlawfully committing acts of espionage againstthe imperial defences of Heligoland," announced the secretary."Accused, what have you to say?"

  "Not guilty," replied Hamerton and Detroit firmly.

  There was a few moments' silence, broken only by the scratching of apen as the secretary recorded the replies.

  "What is your name?"

  "John Ambrose Hamerton."

  "Your profession, other than that of a spy."

  "I am not a spy," declared the Sub forcibly.

  "Your occupation, then?"

  "Sub-Lieutenant of His Britannic Majesty's Navy."

  "Ach!" ejaculated Von Wittelsbach, rubbing his hands. "Good! Look uphis record, Herr Schwalbe."

  The lieutenant took down a leather-bound volume, and Hamerton wassomewhat surprised to hear the record of his various appointmentsread out.

  A shade of disappointment flitted over the commandant's face when heheard that the whole of the prisoner's sea time had been spent ontropical stations. He had hoped that this English officer belonged toone of the ships of the Home Fleet.

  "And your name?" demanded Von Wittelsbach through his secretary,addressing the American.

  "Oswald P. Detroit, aged nineteen, American citizen, native ofRichmond, Virginia, U.S.A. Say, my man, any further information youmay require will be trotted out with the utmost celerity."

  The secretary stared, unable to grasp the full meaning of theverbosity of the accused. Lieutenant Schwalbe turned and whisperedinto the President's ear.

  "An American?" repeated Von Wittelsbach, hardly able to master hissurprise. "Are you certain?"

  Receiving an affirmative reply, the President leant back in hisarmchair and reflectively stroked his moustache. Here was a newphase, one that he had not bargained for.

  It did not take him long to make up his mind.

  "Remove the accused," he ordered. "The evidence for the prosecutionis not yet complete. Inform them that they must be kept inconfinement till Friday next."

  "I presume we will be given an opportunity of communicating with ourfriends?" asked Hamerton.

  For the first time Von Wittelsbach replied to the prisoner direct.

  "No," he replied; "spies are not entitled to any consideration ofthat description. What news we think fit to give to your friends inEngland--and America--will be imparted in due course. Marines, removethe accused."

  General Heinrich von Wittelsbach waited till the sound of theretiring file of marines had ceased. He was still pondering over thescheme that had suddenly suggested itself. His subordinates, knowinghis fiery disposition, stood motionless, waiting for their commandantto speak.

  "Schwalbe," he exclaimed at length, "has the yacht been carefullyexamined?"

  "Lieutenant Dort is still on board, sir."

  "Have a signal made for him to come ashore immediately."

  "Very good, sir," replied the lieutenant, showing remarkable energyas he made for the door.

  "Now, Von Schloss," continued the commandant, as soon as Schwalbe hadtaken his departure. "We will discuss this matter. I may as wellmention that I had no idea that one of the prisoners was an Americansubject. You think his statement is correct?"

  "It may not be, sir."

  "'SPIES ARE NOT ENTITLED TO ANY CONSIDERATION OF THATDESCRIPTION'"]

  "The best thing we can do is to proceed with the case against bothprisoners. To release one would be prejudicial to the interest of theFatherland, even though he be an American--which I doubt."

  "What, then, sir, do you propose to do to satisfy any enquiries onthe part of the United States Ambassador at Berlin? There is bound tobe an outcry; these Americans are so upset over little trifles."

  "There I agree, Herr Major. You say that the prisoners have not giventheir names to anyone belonging to the garrison before appearinghere? No? Ach! I have it. Of course they are spies?"

  "Undoubtedly, sir. The mere fact that they came in under cover ofnight, evaded our patrol boats, and brought up close to our latestsubmarines is suspicious. Add to that the fact that they hoisted noensign and made no attempt to communicate with the harbour officials,and the case is as clear as daylight."

  "Rutter," said the general, addressing his secretary, "what names didthe accused give?"

  "John Ambrose Hamerton and Oswald P. Detroit, sir."

  "That is a mistake. Cross the names from your notebook. Now tell me acommon English name."

  "Smith, sir."

  "Then enter the names of the prisoners as John and Wilhelm Smith,brothers, of London."

  "John and William Smith, sir," corrected the secretary, and withoutevincing the faintest surprise he made the alterations according tothe commandant's directions.

  "But the yacht, sir?" expostulated Major Von Schloss, who wasbeginning to see the drift of his superior's plan.

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bsp; "That I have not overlooked, Herr Major. Wait until LieutenantSchwalbe returns. Meanwhile, Rutter, let me have those papers forsignature."

  The secretary handed his chief a bundle of documents, and stood readywith a blotter. Von Wittelsbach did not shirk his work. Unlike manyhighly-paid British Government officials, who perfunctorily placetheir signatures to documents while hardly condescending to acquaintthemselves with the nature of their contents, the commandantcarefully read every paper before putting his signature to it.

  At the same time he was no blind devotee of red-tapism. Amongst thatpile of papers there was not one that could be regarded as purelyformal; every one had some direct bearing upon the vast establishmentunder his command.

  Before this particular task was completed Lieutenant Schwalbereturned, accompanied by Lieutenant Dort, the officer who had beenleft in charge of the _Diomeda_. Seeing their superior engaged, theydrew themselves up and stood stiffly at attention till the lastsignature had been written and the documents handed back to thesecretary.

  "Well, Herr Dort, any evidence?"

  "I have had the yacht ransacked, sir, and nothing incriminating hasbeen found."

  "Nothing, sir?" said the commandant meaningly.

  "Unless I except the charts--they're useless as far as the defencesof the island are concerned--a telescope, and a camera."

  "Camera? Any plates or films exposed?"

  "There were four films out of the twelve exposed, sir."

  "Have you had them developed?"

  "Yes, sir, they will be dry in less than half an hour; but the viewsare only of some English and Dutch fishing boats."

  "And, Herr Dort, another matter. Have all traces of your search onboard the yacht removed, and make all snug. Directly it becomes nightdetail a torpedo boat to tow this craft towards Norderney Gat. Whenwithin a league or so of the lightship cut the yacht adrift."

  "And scuttle her, sir?"

  "No," replied the commandant after a moment's reflection. "No; onlycast her adrift with all sail set. Report to me in the morning. Now,Major, you see what I am aiming at, and what I mean to carry out?"

  "Yes, sir," replied Von Schloss.

  "Then draw up a report to the effect that two Englishmen, John andWilliam Smith, were detected in the act of spying upon thefortifications of Heligoland. Give a description as different aspossible of the prisoners, and any other details that may tend toremove suspicion as to their actual identity. Have the reporttelegraphed to Berlin, and say I propose to deal with the accused byvirtue of the power vested in me by the recent Imperial decree. Senda similar dispatch to Reuter's agent, and the news will be all overthe world in less than half an hour from its receipt. I think thisplan will suit admirably; do not you, Herr Major?"

  "But the prisoners, sir?" asked Von Schloss, who, although the taskwas repugnant to him, had no option but to obey orders. "How long doyou propose to keep them in detention?"

  "A matter of two years. Ere then will come 'The Day'. After that itmatters little whether this John Hamerton be John Smith or otherwise.Now, gentlemen, you know your orders; above all, impress upon everyman in this affair the utmost importance of secrecy and reticence.Tell them to spread the report that the two Englishmen are to bereleased to-night and taken clear of the island in their yacht by oneof our torpedo boats. Decide upon the details between yourselves, butin any case report to me early to-morrow morning."