The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 187: what you’re looking at

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

WHEN I WAS CZAR. life and liberty. Besides, you didn’t | have a wife concerned.” “T shall never forget your help, Mr. Marvyn,” said Helga sweetly as she gave him her hand. | “TI would take the risk again for such a smile, Mrs. Denver.” ‘“ Now you’re talking,” said I. ‘It’s very pretty of you, but I hope we shan’t have to ask for it; although we may still need the embassy’s protection, if the emperor carries out his threats.” ‘‘ How's that? ” “He seems to contemplate putting an end to Mrs. Denver.” “ Harper!” cried Helga. “It’s true—as true as it is stagger- ing.” ‘““ No spoke in the wheels, I hope?” This from Marvyn. ‘He threatens,” I said, looking very grave. “Then why are your eyes laughing, Harper?” cried Helga. “It’ll be no laughing matter if -we find our marriage annulled.” “ That’s only putting the riddle a different way;”’ and Helga slipped her arm into mine and clasped her hands on it. : “What is it?” asked Marvyn seri- ously. : I had before observed his keen scent for trouble from afar. The serious side of things always appealed first to him. “He threatens,” I repeated. “ Haven’t we had enough problems lately?” and Helga wrinkled her brows in half comical perplexity. “ But I can wait quite calmly.” ‘He wants to make out that, as the daughter of a prince and his friend, you ought to be considered a kind of imperial ward, to whose marriage his consent was necessary; so that ” Helga interrupted me with a laugh. ‘““T knew it was nonsense.” “IT don’t see that under the circum- stances such a claim could be main- tained,” declared Marvin gravely. “ And further, that Helga cannot be Mrs. Denver.” “Who am I then?” “He talks about making reparation ‘for everything and giving you your father’s title.” - “ But I can’t be a prince, surely!” her away.” 183 “ You would, of course, be princess,” said Marvyn in the same dry, official manner. “Mr. Denver's princess! odd mixture.” — “I think it would be rather the princess’ Mr. Denver,” said I. “And what did you say, Harper? ” “Oh, that as to the material com- pensation we would take it, but that about the title we’d go back to the hotel and discuss it. Will you come with us, Marvyn? ” _ He excused himself on the plea of business, and left us, and Helga and I were just going when Colonel Vilda came to summon her to an audience with the emperor. She was to go alone. “I congratulate you, Mr. Denver,”’ the colonel said to me when hé returned from ushering her into the emperor’: presence. “Pve been doing that to myself verv heartily, colonel, I can assure you.” “The princess will make a brilliant figure in the court.” “Which princess, colonel, and which court ? ” “The Princess Layalski,” he an- swered, smiling. “We have no court in the States, colonel.” ‘But you will not take her from us in the very moment of our finding her again?” “You've managed to get along pretty well without her so far, I fancy.” “But, my dear monsieur, she’s so charming, so beautiful, so wealthy—the world will be at her feet!” “It7ll have to be the western hemis- phere of it then, I think.” “ Ah, but 1t would be a crime to take What an “TI shan’t take her away, colonel— but somehow [ have an idea she won't much care to stop.” “ But it is too bad;” and he laughed and spread his hands. | There came a little commotion at the door then, and when it was opened Prince Kalkov was carried in, seated in a chair. “Det bis majesty know that I crave an immediate audience with him, Colonel Vilda, on urgent matters of state,” he said. GORMIGOOO YN S) (COL