The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 176: what you’re looking at

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

172 movements very easily, and lead the prince to believe that what he sought would be found with us in the hotel. I was to call first at the foreign em- bassy to arrange matters there; then to see Marvyn; and on leaving him to drive round to various stores to pur- chase -what I needed for the journey; and to do everything as though I had not a suspicion of treachery. I was on the point of starting when it occurred to me that Marvyn might prove very reluctant to adopt Siegel’s suggestion. In his official capacity he might be placed in a very awkward and embar- rassing position, and would very prob- ably shrink from having any more off- cial dealings with documents about which these representations had been made. I had no desire to get him into trouble, and I therefore resolved to mislead him. Accordingly, I made up a dummy set of papers closely resembling those I had left with him, and I took them with me in readiness. It turned out to be a very fortunate precaution. Before anything was said on the sub- ject I opened my fire. “This jaunt to Siberia is a pretty big thing, Marvin, and as one never knows what is going to happen, I think I ought to send some papers I have with me home to my father. They are very important—some of them; and as my relations with the authorities here have been peculiar, and letters have a knack of getting opened, I want you to send them over. under official cover. I sup- pose there'll be no difficulty.” “You don’t mean the—those I have.” “TI mean these,” I said, and took them out of my pocket. “ Oh, that will be all right,” he an- swered in a tone of relief, and held out ' his hand for them. “They can go at once, if you like. It happens we’re send- ing off a special despatch to Washing- ton about the China crisis. We’ve had a messenger out with important de- spatches from the President, and he’s going back with our reply to-day. Give them to me and [’ll see to it.” “T have a line or two to add to my THE ARGOSY. father first. And now about the im- portant papers. I want you to keep them till I get back from this journey.” “Don’t ask me, Denver. As I told you, I’d do anything in my power for you, but this is really impossible. Ex- actly what has happened I don’t know and was told not to ask; but I have to give my word that I’ve returned the things to you.” I assumed a little indignation, of course, and argued the point, urging my father’s position and the extreme inconvenience to me in having to take such documents to Siberia; and then very reluctantly gave way and took the packets from him. He left me then to finish the sup- posed letter to my father, and all I had to do was to change the envelopes, aad I slipped the dummies into envelopes, I had brought with me, endorsed pre- cisely like the genuine ones, and I put the genuine ones into an envelope ad- dressed to my father. “I wish you could have sent these as well,” I said in a rueful tone to Marvyn when he brought me an official wrap- ping, and pointed to the two carefully addressed dummies. “I wish I could, but you'll under- stand how it 1s.” oe “It’s very awkward,” I replied, and put them in my pocket. “ By the way, things being as they are, it’s not worth While to speak of this.” “ My dear Denver, silence is the very A. B. C. of our work,” he answered. There was nothing more to do, and after a word or two about our journey I pleaded the many preparations I had to make, thanked him for all he had done, and bade him good-by. As I left the building I looked reund for the prince’s agents, speculating when the arrest which Helga had proph- esied would be made. CHAPTER XXX. THE PRINCE SHOWS HIS HAND. Ir Helga was right, I might expect to be stopped very soon,.and I was rather surprised that I was allowed even to reach the carriage without interrup- tion. (CO) TMICOOO (COL