They Used Dark Forces by Dennis Wheatley Read Free Book Online

settled himself in the lounge with his book to await Frau von Altern’s telephone call.
    She did not ring up till past five, but what she said was entirely satisfactory. ‘My father is quite angry with me for not having asked you out here at once. He says it is unthinkable that we should leave an old friend of my husband’s at an hotel and that you must spend as much of your leave with us as you would care to. Later we will make plans for you to get some fishing. Please be ready with your servant at half past six and I will come in to Grimmen to pick you up.’
    Gregory politely protested that he did not wish to be a bother to them but accepted for a night or two anyway; then rang off. Kuporovitch was summoned and they went upstairs to pack. Now that they had a third suitcase Kuporovitch was able to put his few things in one while Gregory retained the other and that which contained the wireless transmitter. By twenty past six Gregory had paid their bill and they were standing on the steps of the hotel with the suitcases beside them.
    They were not kept waiting long. As Frau von Altern brought the farm truck to a halt Gregory stepped forward, saluted, bowed and, indicating Kuporovitch with a negligent wave of his hand, said, ‘This is my servant, Janos Sabinov. He is a Ruthenian, but speaks enough German to make himself understood.’
    The Russian made an awkward bow, murmured, ‘
Küss die hand, gnädige Frau,
’ put the suitcases into the back of the truck and scrambled in after them. Gregory climbed in beside the driver and they set off.
    As soon as they were clear of the town and had entered a winding lane that ran between broad, flat fields, his companion said to him, ‘I must now tell you something more about us. My husband’s cousin, Willi von Altern, who ran the estate before the war, returned in the autumn of 1940. During the invasion of France he was blown up by a shell and seriously injured. He lost a leg and, although he was fitted with a false one, so can now get about quite well, he is no longer capable of running the place because his mind was also affected. We make use of him for simple tasks, but his memory is quite unreliable. He was never particularly well disposed towards me and my father and if his brain were still capable of taking in our sentiments I think he would betray us. But, fortunately, there is little danger of that.’
    â€˜All the same, I will say nothing of our business in front of him, just in case he might repeat it,’ Gregory commented.
    â€˜Such caution is wise,’ she replied. ‘We, too, observe it. We are also careful in front of the farm hands and servants. They are peasants and I believe all of them to be loyal to the family. But, like most Germans, they still look on Hitler as a god; so to criticise him in front of them would be dangerous. I am thinking now more of your companion than yourself, as he will have to mix with them.’
    â€˜You may rest easy about him. Janos and I have done this sort of thing before, and both of us know that by failing to guard our tongues we would risk our necks.’
    â€˜It is a great comfort to me that you should be so experienced,’ she sighed. Then, after a slight hesitation, she went on, ‘Lastly, there is Herr Hermann Hauff. He does not livewith us but he comes frequently to the Manor. On his own account he farms one of the largest properties on the estate, but he also acts as our bailiff and handles matters for me that I would find difficulty in dealing with myself. He is shrewd and ambitious. He was among the first in this part of the country to join the
Partei
; so has for long been the chairman of the local Committee in Sassen and holds the rank of Sturmbahnführer in the S.S. He is also a member of the area committee at Greifswald. Most of these Nazi officials make their Party work a full-time job, but to produce as much food as possible has been so important since