CHAPTER XX
MORE GERMAN CRUELTY
True to Harding's prediction, there was no let-up in the work until twoo'clock that afternoon. At that hour the German guards passed the wordand the prisoners dropped their tools and wiped moist brows. Hal andChester found themselves beside Harding, the Englishman, and Mercer, theFrenchman, once more.
"Now what?" asked Chester.
"Back to our holes," replied Harding. "I mean," he added, catching thequestion in Chester's face, "back to the filthy little shacks where wesleep and spend our leisure hours."
Several cars now appeared along the little track in the mine and theprisoners clambered aboard. These then proceeded to the main shaft,where the men were carried aloft a few at a time.
Not for a moment did the German guards relax their vigilance. Rifleswere held ready for instant use. More than once they had been caughtunprepared and several times batches of prisoners had succeeded inmaking their escape. Some had been recaptured, but others had foundtheir way back to their own lines.
Hal and Chester were carried up in the car with Harding and Mercer andtwo other British prisoners. For some reason, both lads had decidedunconsciously to stick as close as possible to the big Englishman, andhe appeared glad of their company.
Under the guns of the guards, the prisoners were marched across the opento a row of shacks in the distance.
"Wonder where they'll put us, Chester?" said Hal.
"Don't know," replied Chester, "but I can't see that it makes anydifference."
"There is room for a couple of more in my shack," said Harding. "Youboys just walk in with me as though you belonged there. Maybe they'lllet you stay."
The lads acted on this advice and a few moments later were in the littlehovel that Harding called home. Hal took in his surroundings with acalculating eye.
There was only one window, through which the sun now streamed. There wasno door beside the one through which they had entered. Hal gave a startof surprise when he saw that the window was not barred.
"I thought of course they'd have bars there," he said, pointing. "Looksto me like a fellow might crawl out in the middle of the night."
"So you could," returned Harding, "but that wouldn't help anything.There are thousands of armed guards around this place. You wouldn't havemuch of a chance getting through."
"It's been tried, though, I suppose?" queried Chester.
"Yes; and there's a graveyard behind us that has more occupants as aresult. I believe that several men have succeeded in getting through,but I can't say positively. It's only talk among the prisoners."
"Haven't you ever thought of making a break for liberty, Harding?"demanded Hal.
The Englishman looked at the lad curiously. He was silent for somemoments.
"Let me tell you something," he said at last. "There isn't a prisoner inthis camp who is not thinking of escape every waking minute. Why, weeven dream about it. As a matter of fact, we scarcely think of anythingelse. Every now and then conditions become so intolerable that a man, ora batch of men, makes the attempt. Mostly, they have some plan in theirminds, but sometimes they simply act on the spur of the moment."
Harding mused a moment in silence. Hal and Chester did not interrupthim.
"I have in mind a man named Judson," continued Harding at last. "He hadbeen working in the mines for months. He was a big, husky chap--anEnglishman. One of the guards below found particular delight in annoyinghim. He was safe enough in this, for it was apparent that Judson couldnot thrash his tormentor and the other guards as well. For days Judsonbore the torment in silence and then he could stand it no longer."
"What did he do?" demanded Chester eagerly.
"Why," said Harding, "he simply diverted a blow of his pick to the guardand that settled the German. Then, before the remaining guards, who werestunned momentarily by the suddenness of the act, could even think,Judson was among them swinging his pick right and left. You know," hebroke off, "it's funny what a little thing will raise the hopes of everyprisoner in the camp. Every man sees in each little breach ofdiscipline--each little mutinous act--the opportunity for which hethinks he has been waiting. It was so in Judson's case.
"As the guards sprang in to seize Judson, every prisoner in sightentered the conflict. Picks and shovels and drills were our weapons. Fora moment we made headway, the attack was so sudden. But we didn't have achance. The guards turned their rifles on us and it only took a fewminutes to quell the disorder. Five prisoners were killed."
"And Judson, what happened to him?"
Again Harding was silent for a few moments. Then he said:
"Frankly, I'd rather not talk about that. But having heard so much ofthe story, I guess you are entitled to the rest. You see, Judson didconsiderable damage with that pick before he was overcome. Besides thefirst guard, he felled three more of the Germans before they couldsubdue him. They couldn't have done it then except that a guard closedin from behind and shot him through the head."
"And killed him?" asked Hal.
"No," said Harding, "the bullet didn't kill him, worse luck. It wouldhave been better if it had. Now comes the part I don't like to talkabout." The lads saw the Englishman's great hands clench and unclench ashe talked and they knew that a terrible anger was raging within him.
"What happened?" asked Hal in a low voice.
"Why," said Harding, "they took Judson to the surgeon, had his wounddressed and gave him some clean clothes. Then, the next day, right atthe mouth of the mine as the shafts changed and practically everyprisoner in the camp was there, they killed him."
Hal and Chester shuddered.
"How?" asked Hal softly.
"That's the horrible part of it," said Harding in a choking voice. "Theytied him to a post stuck in the ground for that purpose. Then a score ofguards drew off twenty paces and unslung their lances. These they thenbegan to use as spears, hurling them from that distance. It was plain,of course, that they did not mean to kill Judson instantly--from thatdistance there are few men who can launch a death throw--particularlywith a lance. The first weapon struck Judson a glancing blow in theside--he had been stripped to the waist--it was a terrible sight."Harding broke off again.
"Why did you stay?" demanded Hal, who was raging furiously within asHarding proceeded with his story.
"There was no help for it," the man replied. "We were herded there underthe guns of a hundred or more guards. Well, every lance thrown broughtcheers and jeers from the guards--but there came never so much as agroan from Judson. I don't know how long it lasted--it seemed likehours, though I suppose it was only a matter of minutes. Pierced inscores of places, Judson at last found eternal peace."
Harding dropped suddenly into a little chair and buried his face in hishands. For the moment, Hal and Chester were too greatly shocked by thistale of barbarism to utter a word. Chester's hand clutched Hal's arm.
"Isn't it terrible?" he whispered. "And to think that these men callthemselves Christians!"
Harding overheard the remark and looked up.
"Christians!" he echoed. "Let me tell you something. The atrocities ofthe Turks in Armenia that we have heard so much about pale intoinsignificance alongside the cruelties of the Germans. Not for nothinghave they won the name 'Hun.'
"Poor Judson!" he continued. "He was my pal. Never shall I forget thatsight. Sometimes in my dreams I see it now, and I awake with a scream.Now, my lads, do you wonder that while every prisoner here is thinkingof escape he hesitates to make the attempt?"
"I should say not!" declared Hal. "But the Huns must answer for allthis--their time of reckoning will come."
"Yes, but it will not be in proportion to the punishment they deserve,"said Harding, "and that is what makes it so hard to bear. Cruelties thatthey have inflicted upon their prisoners will not be repaid inkind--there is no such barbarism in the hearts of the Allied nations.But," and Harding brought his clenched fist into his left palm with aresounding smack, "the debt
should be paid in kind."
"No, no, Harding," said Chester quietly. "We cannot lower ourselves tothe level of these barbarians. Remember what the Good Book says:'Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.'"
Again Harding buried his face in his hands. When he again looked upthere was a more peaceful expression in his face--his eyes had losttheir hardness.
"You are right," he said quietly.
"Now," said Chester, turning the subject, "the question is what theywill do with us in view of the trouble we stirred up to-day?"
Harding shrugged.
"It's hard to tell," he answered. "It all depends on their mood. It maybe that they will prescribe a week or so of solitary confinement, thelash, or the matter may be overlooked. You never can tell."
"Great Scott!" said Hal. "We can't stand for solitary confinement. Imust tell you something, Harding. It is absolutely necessary that we getaway from here without delay--at least that we make the attempt."
Harding shook his head.
"Remember the story of Judson," he said slowly.
"Well, it can't be helped," declared Chester. "We'll have to risk it."
Harding looked at the lad sharply.
"You mean that you have some particular reason?" he asked.
Chester nodded affirmatively, and then, in a few words, explained themission with which they had been entrusted by General Pershing.
"I can realize the necessity of haste," declared Harding, a strangelight in his face, "and now I will tell you something. I have consideredthe situation from every angle and I believe that I have found a planthat promises success."
"You have?" exclaimed Chester eagerly.
"Yes," said Harding, "and now that the necessity has become so urgent weshall make the attempt to-morrow."
Hal and Chester stifled their joy in subdued exclamations of delight.