The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 180: what you’re looking at

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

176 “It is false, monsieur, it is false. You are lying,” he exclaimed in a flame of passion, his eyes blazing. Then his rage seemed to burst out like a long smoldering volcano which, breaking at length through the thin re- straining crust, pours forth its flood of white-hot lava. “I know the truth. I have heard from your embassy. They were given to you to-day. I know where you have been since. I have watched you here, and I know they are upon your person now.” I started back, and, as if involun- tarily, put my hand to my breast pocket. He smiled cunningly. “ Yes, I under- stand that gesture. Come, monsieur, I have outplayed you; give them me and even now you can go.” “With your’ treacherous heart, prince, you should guard against such passion as this.” ‘“‘ Silence, monsieur,” he said, half be- side himself with anger. “ Give them to me, give them to me,” and he came to- ward me, his hand outstretched and trembling violently. He looked the very incarnation of triumphant and unbridled fury. “TI have told your highness I have not the papers,” I said, drawing back. I might as well have spoken to a whirlwind. He answered me with a wild storm of invective, cursing me for a liar and a villain and a hu‘dred other things, and ending with threats as unrestrained as his anathemas. : “Give them up and go. Go where you will, and take your wife with you. We have no room even in our jails for either American scum like you or Nihilist devils like her. Give them to me, I say. I waited and schemed for this triumph, and do you think I will let you rob me of it? Give them me, give them me.” His manner was so threatening that I half thought he would throw himself on me and attempt to drag the papers from me by force. “You are not yourself. You had better call vour men,” I said. Helga, pale and shrinking before his outbreak, drew behind me. “By Heaven, vou dare to lie to me ——— was THE ARGOSY. still!’ he exclaimed, and, hurrying to the door, brought in a couple of men. “Now, I give you a last chance. Will you give them up?” “T have told you I have nothing to give you.” The apparent obstinacy added fuel to his ungovernable rage. “Search the dog,” he said savagely between his set teeth; “ and if he resist, use force.” He watched me as the men ap- proached, his eyes scintillating with anger and his hands clenching and un- clenching with spasmodic tension. “TI shall not resist; I only protest, monsieur,” I said. “Search the dog,” he exclaimed again; and his voice choked with pas- sion. I made no resistance, of course; I had nothing to gain by doing so, and when the men took from my breast pocket the large envelope, the prince’s face lighted with triumph, and, rushing at the man who held it, he tore it from his grasp, and then fell back with it into a chair, as if exhausted with the effort. He gave one glance at the writing on the envelope and looked up at me. “ Liar! I knew it.” The growl of a beast, it was, gloating over its prey se- cured after infinite labor—but secured. While he was enjoying this moment of supposed triumph over us the men who had searched me stood hesitating and waiting for further orders. It was some moments before he could rally his reserved strength and master his rage sufficiently to speak to us again. “Even now I can be merciful. Will you go to America?” He Jooked at us both and tapped one of the packets. “No,” I answered firmly. “Choose, vou”—and he pointed a trembling hand at Helga—“ between the mines and abandoning this.” “T will go to the mines—if you can send me there,” she answered. Her quickness appeared to rekindle his rage. “This man and woman are under ar- rest,” he said to the men by me. “ Re- main outside the door.” COME OO YN Ss) COL