Vierhaus began to chuckle.
“Is something funny?” Ludwig asked.
“I was just thinking, wouldn’t it be ironic if we have
“It isn’t possible to be overtrained,
“I congratulate you, Colonel,” Vierhaus said, shaking the tall man’s hand. “You are doing remarkable work here. So what is next?”
“A competition.”
“A competition?”
“Yes. I am going to pit Swan against Kraft on a very difficult climb and race.”
“Why?” -
Ludwig shrugged. “Just to see who comes in first. To see how they react in a challenge situation, under actual stress. There are some things even training can’t imitate. It should be quite revealing.”
“But dangerous, Colonel, if your training is as good as I suspect, they could be
“I agree,” Ludwig said with a smile. “But that is part of it, Professor, to test their judgment. It is not just winning, it is a test of their skill and their judgment. It will certainly be interesting, don’t you think?”
“A bit diabolical.”
“Oh yes.”
“Do they know about this contest yet?”
“They never know anything in advance, Professor. Surprise is part of the training.”
“I wonder if Swan suspects that Kraft is being trained as his backup.”
“God knows what he suspects—or thinks.”
Swan swept across the remaining half mile and cut sharply to a stop a foot in front of Vierhaus and Ludwig. His breath was even and unlabored as it curled from his lips. Ice caked the rims of his goggles and the collar of his jacket. He shoved the goggles up on his forehead and nodded. Vierhaus realized that he was seeing Swan, undisguised, for the first time. His straw-colored hair was long and uncut and he wore a full beard. His eyes were turquoise blue and as intense as a hawk’s. He wore no hat. Small knots of melting ice glistened from his long locks and his facial hair.
“And you, Colonel Swan,” Vierhaus answered, shaking his hand. “That was quite an impressive display.”
Ludwig looked at his stopwatch. “Actually 1.2 seconds,” he said and laughed. “If you go any faster, Swan, we’ll have to supply you with wings.”
“I thought perhaps we might have dinner tonight at my hotel, just the two of us,” Vierhaus suggested.
“I really must decline, Willie,” Swan replied. “The next day or two could be difficult ones and I must be in top form.”
“Oh? Why so?” Ludwig asked innocently.
“Time for the match between Kraft and me, isn’t it?” Swan answered. “I cannot afford distractions.” And laughing, he headed for the base cabin.
“How did he know that?” Vierhaus asked. “I thought it was to be a surprise.”
The cabin at the base of the mountain ‘was small, with two bedrooms, a kitchen and the large living room which was the planning and lecture center. One entire wall was covered with a six-foot-square detailed map of the local area.
Kraft was smaller than Swan but huskier, with a bull neck and bulging arms that swelled his cotton sweatshirt. He was clean shaven and his dark hair was trimmed close to the scalp. He sat at rigid attention, in sharp contrast to Swan who was slouched back in his chair. Kraft had given up a promising career as an Olympic skier to join the Six Foxes. He was a former honor student, fluent in English, French and Italian.
Swan ignored his adversary. Instead he stared with narrowed eyes at Ludwig, listening to every word his tutor said.
“This is the exercise,” Ludwig was saying. “You will climb the side of the Hummel, here.” He used a pointer to show where the exercise was to begin and its eventual course. “You will go up the west face, which is about thirty- five hundred feet, then cross here to the back side and ski down the reverse face. The objective is to retrieve this flag before your opponent.”
He held up a small red Nazi banner with a black swastika in its center.
“Will we be scored on anything other than speed?” Kraft asked.
“The object is to retrieve the flag,” Ludwig repeated. “You will have fifteen minutes to study the chart. That’s all.
