The Legion of the Lost by John Creasey

Author:John Creasey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: House of Stratus

Chapter Twenty

A Remarkable Fact

When the little chemist was half way up the stairs, Palfrey could contain himself no longer.

‘What is it?’ he called down. ‘What’s the news from Trenborg?’ His lips were stiff, articulation was difficult. It was not only that he was on edge for news from the fjord-side village; so much depended on what von Lichner had done, or tried to do. As Dross looked up at him a dozen thoughts ran through Palfrey’s mind, the most vivid of them that he had been an utter fool to place the slightest reliance in the German’s words.

Then Dross smiled.

Palfrey drew back a step in amazement. On the chemist’s lips was a smile of ineffable delight, a radiance which spread from his eyes and closed about Palfrey with a warm, exhilarating glow.

‘I hurried as much as I could,’ said Dross, ‘but my visitor was so excited with his good news that he could not get it all out quickly. All is well at Trenborg!’

‘Ah!’ said Palfrey. It was an anti-climax; he felt that he wanted to stand and grin inanely at the chemist. Then Dross reached the landing and Palfrey stirred himself, pushing open the door of the larger room.

Conroy, Brian and Stefan were seated at a small table, drinking passable coffee. Drusilla was standing by a tiny window and looking over the countryside. All of them looked at the newcomers, their conversation fading abruptly, their suspense obvious. But Dross’s smile and the expression on Palfrey’s face signified reassurance enough. Conroy pushed his chair back and jumped to his feet.

Palfrey glanced at Drusilla; her lips were parted and she looked breathless. Palfrey raised a hand towards her as Dross said softly: ‘Very good, my friends. It is a most remarkable thing, a miracle! And there are those who do not believe in the hand of the Lord!’ There was deep scorn in his voice, Palfrey was suddenly reminded of Brian and his Methodist parson. ‘All the men and boys in Trenborg were arrested,’ went on Dross, ‘and all the women between twenty-one and forty. They were to be taken into Fredericia for questioning—we all know what that means. And then—’ he paused and raised a hand towards the ceiling, his eyes glowed with the fervour of an apostle – ‘and then they were all released! No explanation was given, no explanation at all! One moment they were herded together in a small room, helpless and facing unknown horrors, the next they were free and on their way to their homes and families. There is much rejoicing in Trenborg, and rightly so. The Lord be praised!’ he cried. His voice rang through the long, low-ceilinged room and brought to them all a consciousness of his deep faith. ‘But I have neglected my guest downstairs. I must return to him. You see that you have good reasons for feeling secure here?’ He smiled at them again before going out and closing the door gently.

Palfrey said: ‘Von Lichner, of course. There isn’t any reasonable doubt.

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