The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 171: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

WHEN I WAS CZAR. 167 averted, and then turned and put her hands in mine, her face smiling and her eyes dashed with tears. “Tt is all so strange,” she said. “We Americans are never sticklers for forms. We'll go with a laugh, dear, whatever we are destined to find there.” “You are so good and 80 strong,” she whispered. “No, I am just discovering how much better and stronger I shall be with—with my wife, Helga,” I whis- pered back. | She came to me then with a sigh and a laugh, and lots of blushes, which she hid on my shoulder from my eyes as well as from the musty, dingy old pris- on walls. Musty and dingy? Well, no. They will never be that in my memory. For the sake of that minute they will al- ways have a halo in my thoughts, for, after all, it was the prison which did so much to hasten our happiness. And so it was settled; and for the time we just lost ourselves, and babbled and laughed and sighed and held hands and kissed and laughed again—for love will have his way, even in a prison with . all sorts of vague troubles gibbering and pranking from the other side of the bars. | And when I glanced at my watch I found we had used up the whole hour save some ten minutes. The problem which the prince had left us was a big one to solve in ten minutes; but we only smiled at it, for Helga had come round to my view—to meet everything with a laugh. And in that spirit we faced the prospect of the long journey to Siberia. When the prince came back I had no answer ready for him, of course. Helga was to be my wife; and I could get no further than that. I was cer- tainly in no fit mood to cope with him. I suppose he saw the chaotic state of my mind; he must have been very blind if he did not; for the thought of Helga as my wife got in my way and tripped me up every moment, so that my an- swers to his first questions were given almost at random. “You have my word of honor that the moment we find matters are as you say in regard to Prince Lavalski in ‘Siberia, the whole of these papers will be returned to you. | suppose that will satisfy you.” “A personal guarantee is at best un- substantial,” he returned rudely. “Does it seem so to a Russian? It is not to an American.” | “TI have no choice, it seems. When will vou start?” he asked. “As soon as we are married.” “That can be at once—to-night or to-morrow.” “To-morrow!” exclaimed Helga, in dismay at the suddenness of the thing. “T suppose we must wait till then if we can’t manage it to-night,” I said; and she laughed at me. “Tt will not be an elaborate cere- mony,” said the prince dryly. “ A pris- on does not lend itself to scenic effect.” “A prison?” said I, surprised in my. turn. “* Mademoiselle can only leave here as your wife, monsieur.” “Then I think we'll try and manage it to-night.” “No, no, to-morrow,” declared Helga quickly. “ Better to-night—we can spend to- morrow in the preparations for the long journey,” I answered. “‘ One can’t go to Siberia without clothes, even on a honeymoon, you see. We could start on the following day.” “ But ” her face was wrinkled in dismay. “No ‘ buts,’ only smiles, Helga.” “T will give the necessary instruc- tions,” said the prince, perceiving that I should carry the point. “We must have witnesses. Mr. Siegel will be one of them,” I said. “You have the order for his release,” replied the prince. “I will wait for you, monsieur,” he added, and very consid- erately took himself off. He had to wait, for Helga still had scruples which I had to combat. And before I had overcome them his pa- tience was exhausted, and he sent a messenger in quest of me. “Thank God youw’ll be out of here in an hour or two, dearest.” c¢ But——~_” I stopped the protest on her lips. Any lover knows how that has to be done. She laughed at my eagerness. GORMIGOOO (COL