Page 1 (1/2)

DECEMBER 12, 1934

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN

ABOVE THE SNOW LINE, THE GERMAN ALPS TORE AT THE SKY like the jaws of an ancient flesh eater Stored rock appeared to , both strong, watched fro anticipation

Hans Grandzau was a guide whose weathered face was as craggy as thethe wintery slopes Last night, he had promised that the ould shift east Bitter Siberian cold would whirl wet air fro snow

The man to whom Hans had promised snoas a tall Aed with silver He wore a tweed Norfolk suit, a warm fedora on his head, and a Yale University scarf adorned with the shield of Branford College His dress was typical of a well-to-do tourist who had come to the Alps for winter sport But his eyes were fastened with a glacial-blue intensity on an isolated stone castle ten ed valley

The castle had dolen for a thousand years It was nearly buried by the winter snows and mostly hidden by the shadow of the peaks that soared above it Miles below the castle, too long and steep a clie The American watched a pillar of smoke creep toward it He was too far away to see the loco it, but he knew that it marked the route of the railroad that crossed the border to Innsbruck Full circle, he thought grio, the criht it would end, one way or another, by a railroad in the mountains

“Are you sure you are up to this?” asked the guide “The ascents are steep The ill cut like a saber”

“I’m fit as you are, old man”

To assure Hans, he explained that he had prepared by bivouack ing for a ed informal attachment to a United States Army unit dispatched to hone the skills of mountain warfare

“I was not aware that American troops exercise in Norway,” the German said stiffly

The Ahtly violet with the hint of a shten out another war”

Hans returned an opaque grin The American kneas a proud veteran of the Alpenkorps, Germany’s elite mountain division formed by Kaiser Wilhelm in the 1914-1918 World War But he was no friend of the Nazis, who had recently seized control of the Gere Europe into another war

The American looked around to be sure they were alone An elderly cha a carpet sweeper down the hall behind the balcony doors He waited until she had moved away, then palold coins in his big hand and slipped it to the guide

“Full payment in advance The deal is, if I can’t keep up, leave et the skis I’ll meet you at the rope tow”

He hurried to his luxurious wood-paneled roo fire made the scene beyond thelook even colder Quickly, he changed into water-repellent gabardine trousers, which he tucked into thick wool socks, laced boots, two light wool sweaters, a windproof leather vest, and a hip-length gabardine jacket, which he left unzipped

Jeffrey Dennis knocked and entered He was a s the Tyrolean hat that tourists bought Jeffrey was bright, eager, and organized But he was no outdoorsman

“Still no snow?”

“Give everyone the go-ahead,” the older man told him “In one hour, you won’t see your hand in front of your face”

Dennis handed hie’ The train will cross into Austria at ht You’ll be ood until tomorrow”

The older man looked out theat the distant castle “My wife?”

“Safe in Paris At the George V”

“What e?”

The young man offered an envelope

“Read it”

Dennis read in a , for the best twenty-fifth anniversary iinable”’

The older man relaxed visibly That was the code she had chosen with a wink the day before yesterday She had provided cover, a ronized him and asked whether he was here on business Now she was safely away The ti He took the envelope and held it to the flames in the fireplace He inspected the passport, visas, and border permits carefully