CHAPTER VIII
THE SECRET CHAMBER
It was a vast apartment of stone, but the rugged walls were nearlycovered with the most rare and beautiful hangings--curtains, tapestriesand strange oriental rugs. Numerous paintings apparently of great valuealso hung about, or stood on the floor leaning against the wall. Thestone floor was deep with rugs and fine furs. A number of couches, wideand comfortable, were set here and there, and one corner of the room washidden by a great black and gold screen. From this corner came thecomforting odor of coffee.
Professor Morris sniffed it with joy.
In the center of the ceiling hung a simple drop light of great powerilluminating the place with almost the glare of sunlight. Beneath thelight stood a large table littered with magazines, papers and articlesof value. Beside it, in a deep easy chair, sat a woman. She was aboutforty years of age and beautiful. Her garments were very rich, and shesat listlessly leaning her head on her hand for she had been weeping. Ather side, evidently bent on comforting her mistress, knelt a woman inthe costume of a servant. A footman in livery stood at attention behindher chair. Even in that strange, sunless, underground place, everythingin sight, confused though it was, gave evidence of immense wealth andluxury.
After the dark, blank, twisted passages, and the horrors so latelyescaped in the room above them, the scene seemed unreal enough to be adream. As they appeared through the small square in the floor and stoodin a hesitating group the lady in the easy chair leaned forward andlooked at them earnestly.
Their guide, the young girl, pressed the spring that replaced theflagstone, and as soon as she was sure that it was adjusted, ran eagerlyacross the wide space and knelt at the lady's knee. She spoke rapidlyand excitedly in Polish. Evelyn could catch a word occasionally. Thenthe lady rose and advanced with a graceful gesture of welcome.
"You are indeed welcome," she said easily in English. "I cannot bethankful enough that my daughter overheard those brutal soldiers and wasable to rescue you. Come and tell me about it."
Professor Morris bowed low over the hand extended him. Then leading theway, the lady returned to the table where the footman drew chairs forthe group.
Professor Morris told his story of the arrest and imprisonment and theresult of the conference in the dining-room. The lady shuddered.
"You are safe now, at least," she assured him when the story wasfinished. "And we are happy to have you with us. It is a comfort to havesomeone with whom to share one's sorrows. One has no happiness to sharenow." She smiled sadly.
"I am the Princess Olga Nicholani; with my husband and children I havelived here all my life. The Prince is with his troops, living or dead Iknow not. Our son is with him. When the war separated us I, Modjeskahere and my baby girl, with a few of our old servants, remained inWarsaw.
"We were perfectly safe until the bombardment of the city commenced.Then we decided to escape, if possible. We clothed ourselves plainly,and under cover of darkness crept from the house the first night. Alllights were out, and we reached the corner safely. We had planned to godown to the river front, where we had a motor boat, in which we plannedto escape. But just as we turned into the river street, we were met by amaddened crowd of citizens all rushing to safety. They met us like agreat wave. Modjeska and the servants were crushed against a building,but I was thrown down and for a moment stunned. When the crowd hadpassed, my people assisted me to consciousness, but oh, my heart--myheart! How can I tell?"
She bid her face in her hands and shuddered. Modjeska clasped her inother in her arms, murmuring loving words of comfort.
In a moment the Princess looked up.
"You can imagine our agony, Professor Morris, when we found that ourbaby was gone. She had been torn from me in the crowd. We could not findher. We searched all night. Then they brought me home here by a secretpassage, and, the men hastened to bring down everything movable of valueor comfort. We have plenty of light because we have our own electriclight system, and this building was not struck by shell or bomb.
"The secret passage through which Modjeska brought you was revealed tome by my husband, the Prince. His father had taught him the way, and notlong before the war we carefully taught our two elder children thesecret springs and all the turnings. I do not know why Modjeska happenedto venture along those dark passages to the dining-room."
"I don't know either, mother," said Modjeska, shyly. "I had a strangefeeling that I had to go. Something seemed to drag me there."
"Did you hear the conversation?" asked Professor Morris.
"Part of it," answered Modjeska. "Enough to tell me that somethingterrible was going on. I was wild with fright. I did not know how Icould help you until I heard that dreadful man say that he and the otherofficer would go out for half an hour. And mother, he told them theycould not escape, because the windows were barred, and the door guarded.Then at first, when I pressed the spring, the panel would not open.Something had rusted. I worked and worked before it slid, back."
"A moment later would have been too late," said the Professor, shakinghis head.
"This room is absolutely safe," said the Princess. "There are seven oreight of these chambers, about fifty feet from the house, under thegarden. So compose yourselves and rest. I cannot leave--half the city issearching for my baby--I can do nothing but sit here in agony and prayfor her return. I know she is dead; I almost pray that she is, but howcan I ever rest until I know?" She bent her head and sobbed.
Professor Morris cleared his throat.
"I do not doubt that the infant is safe, Madame. No one woulddeliberately molest a helpless baby."
"She wasn't really a baby," said Modjeska. "Mother calls her thatbecause she was so tiny. She could walk, and talk a little too."
"Don't say was!" cried the Princess. "Don't talk as if she was dead!"
"No, mother darling, no!" soothed the girl.
"How old is she?" asked Evelyn.
The Princess again controlled herself. "Rika-"
She had no chance to continue--
"Rika?" cried Professor Morris, and Evelyn, and Jack, and again, "Rika?"
Evelyn reached inside her blouse, and pulled out a heavy gold chain hungwith a splendid diamond ornament.
"Is this yours?" she cried.
The Princess took one look, then seized Evelyn by the shoulders.
"Yes! Yes!" she cried, chokingly. "Tell me where is she? Have you seenmy baby? Tell me! Tell me!"
Evelyn said the thing quickest.
"She is with my sister, and I think they are safe," she cried.
The Princess gave a deep sigh and fainted quietly away.
It was a long time before she recovered, and then she wanted to be toldover and over all about little Rika. How she had looked, how she hadborne the separation, everything. The Morrises having been assured byIvan that Warren was on the track of the men who had kidnapped thechildren, and knowing the cleverness and determination that Warrenalways put into everything he ever did, were positive that Warren hadthe children safely in his possession. And Evelyn knew well that oncewith him, they would not get out of his sight again. All of this sheused to comfort the Princess who could scarcely contain herself for joy.
"Now it will all come out right!" she said. "When the men come back nexttime, we can set them to hunting up your son and Prince Ivan, and wewill soon be reunited."
She clapped her hands softly, and the footman approached.
"Luncheon, Michael!" she said, and the Professor watched with pleasurethe speed with which the Princess was obeyed. Soon they were eating adelicious and much needed meal. The Princess herself was so strengthenedby the tonic of hope and joy that she was able to enjoy the delicatefood. She could not hear enough about Rika and at every sound declaredthat the men must be returning, although Modjeska reminded her over andover that they were unlikely to return before dark.
The afternoon wore on, Professor Morris and Evelyn glad to rest afterthe recent shocks, and Jack playing games with Modjeska, while thePrincess walked restlessly a
bout the vast chamber, constantly looking ather watch. Finally she said joyfully:
"It must be growing dark now. The men will soon return, and we will sendthem to your house where the boys and your little daughter will bewaiting with my baby Rika. Oh, how can I ever be thankful enough to youfor your goodness to her?"
Professor Morris smiled. "Considering the fact that Miss Modjeska hassaved all our lives," he said, "I think that you need feel under noobligations to us. We were delighted to entertain the little Rika. I ampositive that my son will have them in safety somewhere, so you reallyneed not worry. I do not."
Evelyn suppressed a smile. She was quite sure her father did not worry.He was always ready to let someone else do the worrying for him.
Suddenly a silver knob fastened to the wall dropped from its place andswung back and forth on a thin chain.
"They have come!" cried the Princess. She rushed across the room, and asthe footman drew aside one of the heavy hangings, she pressed with allher might on a rough spot in the granite wall. As in the case of theflooring, the wall itself parted and slowly swung open. In the darkopening stood not one of the well-known house servants, but a slightfigure covered with dirt and grime. He was tattered and barefooted.Under the dirt his pallid face looked deathly, but fire blazed in thedark eyes, the fire of love.
"Mother!" he cried. "Don't you know me?"
The Princess gave a cry, and clasped her son in a passionate embrace.
"Ignace!" she cried; and "Ignace!" over and over, while she patted himand felt of him as though to assure herself that it was not a dream.
"Where is your father, Ignace?" she whispered finally, as a dreadfulthought pierced her.
"I come from him," said the young man wearily. "He is wounded, mother,and needs you, but be brave, because he will live. Let me sit while Itell you."
He sank wearily into a chair, still clinging to the hand of thePrincess. He paid no attention to the strangers, but closed his eyes.
"I thought I would never see you again, dear ones," he said huskily. "Isimply can't tell you now what we have been through. All I can say isthat in the final encounter, as the enemy passed Lodz, my dear fatherwas desperately wounded. I missed him, and searched for him. When Ifound him he was unconscious. Mother, I thought he was dead. But helived, and under cover of darkness we carried him to the house of ourAunt Francoise. She has turned it into a hospital, mother, and all theforty rooms are filled with soldiers. Well, father had good care then,for all the rush Aunt Francoise had him taken to the hidden chapel inthe east wall, and it is quiet and safe. But you must come and care forhim, mother, for there are not enough nurses by half, and the men sufferso."
"Where was he injured, Ignaee?" asked the Princess, shuddering. The boyhesitated.
"Mother dear, it is pretty bad, but I have see it so much worse. He haslost his left arm."
The Princess covered her eyes. "Oh, my dear, my dear!" she murmured."How can I bear this for you?"
"It might be far worse," said Ignace cheerily. "We must start back tohim tonight. Did you save any of the motor cars?" He turned to Michael.
"Two, your Excellency," said the man. "They are hidden in a haystackdown past the woods at the end of the estate. The large touring car, andyour racer."
"Good!" said Ignace; then suddenly, "Where is my little Rika?"
At once the Princess and Modjeska commenced the story of her loss, andall the other events leading up to the appearance of the Morrises andthe strange coincidence of their having found the little girl.
Ignace listened breathlessly.
Once more the silver knob fell. Someone else was coming.
The footman opened the stone portal, and three men entered. They bowedprofoundly to the Princess and greeted Ignace with deepest respect.
They had of course no news of Rika but the Princess was able to impartthe good news to them and to tell them that, after they had eaten, theycould go to the Morris house and fetch the two girls, Ivan and Warrenback.
"I am not sure that we can do so tonight, Excellency," one said. "Thereis great confusion in the house. A triple guard surrounds it. So far theguards are no nearer than our doorway, but if they spread their lines wewill not be able to get back. I heard a soldier say that two importantprisoners had slipped out from under the very eyes of the officers andcould not be found. They are in hiding somewhere, and every effort isbeing made to find them. They know they have not left the building."
He glanced suspiciously at the strangers.
"Yes, they are here," said the Princess. In a few words she explained.The man bowed low.
"By your leave, Excellency, I will take the others and go--at once," hesaid. "One may eat some other time perhaps. We are in danger even here,and I will not feel safe until we are on our way."
"Go then by all means," said Ignace. "He is quite right, mother, and thesooner we are out of this, the better."
"Go, and in the meantime we will prepare for the journey."
The men saluted and left silently, and the Princess with thewoman-servant and the two girls, collected dark cloaks and warm rugs. Abountiful lunch was prepared and packed.
Professor Morris, holding his manuscript, sat searching through onepocket after another with a mournful persistence. Finally Evelyn notedhim and asked what was the matter.
"I have lost my reading glasses," he said.
"Can't we find them for you?" asked Modjeska politely. She started tolook on the rugs.
"They are not here," said the Professor. "I heard the ease fall out ofmy pocket when we were coming through the passage."
"Then we will get them," said Modjeska. "It will only take a minute.Would you like to come with me, Evelyn?"
"Yes, I would!" said Evelyn, who was nervous and wanted to do something.
"Hurry!" said the Princess. "I know it is absolutely safe, but I can'tbear one of you out of my sight for a moment."
The passage was very cold and damp, and the girls each put on a heavy,dark cloak. They threaded their way through the rooms that lay betweenthe living-room and the passage, and went up the narrow hallway with theflashlight illuminating the stone floor. The case was found at last andthey were turning to go back, when the sound of an explosion reachedtheir ears and a dim light appeared at the end of the corridor. For amoment the girls stood motionless; then they turned, and ran swiftlydown the twisted way to the sliding stone, and found themselves oncemore in the room they had left, but it was in darkness.
The electric lights were out and the little flashlights made but a dimillumination in the room.
The men had returned, and all stood staring as the two girls raced intothe room and told their story.
"I think they are dynamiting the dining-room to find the prisoners. Wemust leave now," cried Ignace. "No one knows how they may guard thegrounds. They are bound to find their victims."
"'Where is Rika?" cried Modjeska.
"They could find no trace of any of them," said the Princess. "We canonly hope that the boys have taken the little girls either to theAmerican Consul's or away from Warsaw. We will have to trust to them andbelieve that they are all together, until we can get in touch with them.In the meantime there is but one course open. We must go to the Princeat Lodz."
"And at once, mother! I have a feeling that we are not safe even here.Have you your jewels?"
"I have them all," said the Princess. "All that I had placed on Rika,and which Miss Evelyn has returned, and the court jewels as well.
"Then let us go," said Ignace. "I'll lead the way, Jan. When we reachthe waterfall, go ahead and see if all is safe."
In perfect silence they left the room, slipping along a narrow, lowpassageway that at first seemed walled with stone, then gave forth amoldy, earthy odor.
Presently they heard the sound of gently falling water, and foundthemselves under a narrow waterfall. Again a clever spring was touchedby some hand in the darkness, and one by one they emerged so close tothe edge of the falling water that the spray wet them.
They were in the open air once more.
Ignace clasped Evelyn by the hand, and she could feel the nervous strainin his grasp. Noiseless as shadows, they slid from tree to tree throughthe great park, and down the grove of interlacing trees. It was a longwalk. As Evelyn was wondering if she could possibly go much further, adark, round shape appeared in the opening ahead.
It was the haystack.