Who Goes There!

"You feel so deeply about this war?"

"Nothing on earth could stir me as deeply, Karen. Unless – America were in danger."

"I – I can't understand."

"Let me help you. My family was Belgian. For many years we have been good and loyal Americans. America means home. But, nevertheless, we inherit obligations toward the country of our origin which, so far, time has not extinguished… When I became of military age I went to Belgium and served my time in the Belgian army. Then I went – home. My father did it before me. My grandfather before him. My younger brother will do it, God willing. It is our custom to fulfill our obligations," he added with a faint smile, "even when those obligations seem to others a trifle fanciful and old-fashioned."

She bent her fair head in silence, considering for a space, her hand resting rather lifelessly in his. And, after a few moments: "But how does all this interfere with our friendship?" she asked innocently.

"It does not… Only I could not let you take those papers to Germany, Karen."

"But I've promised."

"You promised to do it if it were possible." He lifted her hand to his lips. "But – it has become impossible, Karen."

"Another ship may not interfere."

"No. But I must – interfere."

"You! Kervyn!"

"Dear – I must."

"Betray me?"

"Karen! Karen! What are you saying?"

"If you take my papers away you betray our friendship!"

"I have told you that there is a higher obligation than friendship. Even your friendship, Karen."

"You – you mean to take my papers from me?"

"Yes, dear."

"By – by violence?"

"Karen! Look at me!"

She gave him a white, breathless glance, wrenched her hand from his, stooped suddenly, seized the satchel, and, gathering it against her breast, clasped both arms around it. Then she looked him straight in the eyes.

"Yes," he said, "that is the only way. You must keep your word to the last and do your best. Only – remember that what I do now has no bearing whatever upon our friendship. I – I care for you – at this moment – more than I ever did. So – forgive me – Karen – "

"I never shall! Kervyn! Kervyn – think what you are doing! – "

He encircled her with his left arm, and with his right hand he gathered both of her slender wrists in his grasp and held them. The satchel rolled from her knees to the floor.

"Kervyn!" she cried, "think what you are doing!" She looked up into his set face where he held her crushed against his shoulder. "I am your friend. Think what you are doing! I – I care – so much – for you!"

"And I for you, Karen… Is that the key around your neck on that blue ribbon?"

"You shall not have it. Oh, Kervyn! Kervyn!" she gasped – "what are you doing to our friendship! What are you doing!"

The struggle was already over; with his left arm he held both of her arms pinned tightly to the supple body which lay panting against him, while with his other hand he untied the narrow blue bow-knot at her throat and freed the tiny key. Then he released her. They both were deadly pale. She dropped back among the pillows and lay there staring at him. There was in the white calm of her face an expression almost pleasant.

"So – you have done it," she said in a curiously altered voice, but her lips scarcely moved when she spoke.

He did not answer, but in her level eyes he saw blue lightning glimmer.

"You did your best," he said. "Your conscience is clear. Nobody can reproach you."

"Do you understand," she said in a low, expressionless voice, "that I am your enemy?"

"Do you reason that way, Karen?"

"Reason?"

"Yes. Reason it out, Karen, before you come to such a conclusion."

She said, very quietly: "A woman takes a shorter cut to her conclusions than by reasoning. As I did with you … when I gave you my friendship … unasked – " She turned her head swiftly, and sat for a moment while the starting tears dried in her eyes, unshed. They dried slowly while the battle raged within her – combat of mind and heart with every outraged instinct in arms, every emotion, every impulse. Pride, belief, faith, tenderness – all desperately wounded, fought blindly in the assault upon her heart, seeming to tear it to a thousand bleeding fragments.

Perhaps, like the fair body of Osiris, it was immortal – a deathless, imperishable thing – or that what had come into it had become indestructible. For, after her heart lay in burning fragments within her, she turned and looked at him, and in her eyes was all the tragedy of her sex – and all its never-ending mystery to men.

"I must end what I have begun," he said gently.

"Does it matter, now?"

"I don't know, Karen. I have no choice – even when your hatred threatens me… I suppose it will be that, when I unlock your satchel."

He picked it up and fitted the key to the lock. As he opened it, a faint fresh fragrance came from it, as though he was violating the delicate intimacy of this young girl herself.

But he set his jaws; she saw the cheek muscles tighten; and he drew from the satchel two flat envelopes. One contained the forged passports, and he placed these in his breast pocket, then looked steadily at her.

"Our friendship breaks with those seals," she said unsteadily.

"Karen – I cannot help it."

"Yes, you can help it… Kervyn!.. Wait! I will – will say – that it is more than friendship that breaks – " She caught her breath and her lip quivered – "I – I have the courage to say it – if it means anything to you – if it will help – "

His face reddened, then it grew pallid and expressionless.

"Even that," he said, "must stand aside… Karen, from the moment I saw you I have been – in love with you."

And, looking her steadily in the eyes, he broke the seals.

When the last seal broke she gave a little cry, turned and covered her eyes with both hands.

As for Guild, he stood with a sheet of paper in his hands, staring at the tracery which covered it and which meant absolutely nothing to him. Then he looked at the remaining sheets of paper. None had any significance to him. There were three sheets of thin translucent paper. These sheets were numbered from one to three.