The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 173: what you’re looking at

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

ee —————— - ee “WE 2 See eed ES” @& eo | hfe esti WHEN I WAS CZAR. 169 “On getting in or getting out?” .” “Both,” replied Marvyn, and they laughed. “This is a queer show,” said Siegel. “Denver was never conventional,” returned Marvyn with a shrug of the shoulders. “How do they tie them up over here? Greek Church?” queried Siegel. “Yes,” nodded Marvyn. “ Depends on the religion.” “Through soon?” and _ Siegel glanced at his watch. “I want a bath.” “A few minutes. By the way, Den- ver, to make the thing regular, I thought I’d better ask Hoskyns, the embassy chaplain, to come along.” “Thank you. I hadn’t thought of that,” I said. “Will you come to the chapel, mon- sieur?” asked a warder, entering at that moment. He led us through the corridors to the dimly lighted, gloomy chapel where Helga, in charge of a female warder, was waiting near the chaplain. “Odd looking Joshua,’ murmured Siegel, glancing at the priest’s quaint robes. Marvyn, who did things with official decorum, took no notice, and then we reached the altar rails and Siegel and Helga shook hands, and he said some- thing which made her smile. Then I introduced Marvin, who was obviously struck by her heauty. ‘* She’s very lovely,” he whispered to me as we took our places. “Yes, she’ll make ’em hustle around in New York,” added Siegel, who over- heard him. The ceremony was in Russian and very brief. The priest spoke in a kind of droning chant, and his deep voice rolled around the empty building and came back from the dark recesses be- hind the heavy pillars with a hollow echo more striking than cheerful. I knew enough of the ritual to do the right thing at the right moment, and when it all came to a rather abrupt and unexpected end I heard Siegel, whose modernity was quite unaffected by the weird strangeness of the scene, exclaim in a quite audible tone, “ First half,” as if it had been a football match. Marvyn saw to the completion of the legal formalities, and then Helga slipped her hand in my arm and [I led her away down the cold, gaunt aisle. I was too happy and proud to think of anything except my dear, beautiful wife until on passing one of the plain, sturdy pillars I felt her start, and, glancing round, saw Prince Kalkov step from its shadow. He did not speak to us, but joined the two men. ** He said he would be present—I had forgotten,” I whispered to Helga. “ It doesn’t matter.” “I wonder why he has hurried us so,” she said. “ But we shall soon know, I fancy.” When we reached the little room we found Mr. Hoskyns, the American chaplain, waiting for us, and Marvyn, who came in alone, introduced him. “ Where’s Siegel?” I asked. “Trying to interview Prince Kal-. kov,” he replied with a dry smile. Siegel came in time for the second ceremony, which was even shorter than that in the chapel, and when the sign- ing was finished and the others had congratulated us, Helga got ready to leave. “That should be a good double knot,” said Siegel. “Do you suppose I can go back to my cell? ” “T’ve engaged a room for you at the Imperial,” I told him. “You'll all come round with us?” But the chaplain excused himself, and Marvyn pleaded a pressing en- gagement. “I should like to come, Denver,” he said, drawing me aside. “I want a word with you very particularly. Come and see me first thing in the morning at the embassy, will you? It’s about those things.” | “ What about them?” “I want vou to take them away. And as you're all right now, I suppose it won't matter.” “Anything to do with Kalkov?” I whispered. He nodded. “Indirectly. Ill tell you in the morning. You needn’t worry,” he add- ed, noticing my look. I promised to see him in the morn- ing, and then Siegel, declaring he must COMRRIC LOO COL