The Argosy — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

Checkmate in Ten Moves. 73 when I got her into my bed-room, flung herself into the nearest seat with the air of exhaustion. I quietly locked the door. Mariette started to her feet. “Take care!” I said, in a low tone, “sit down again, and I will tell you everything. But remember, if you cannot control your nerves and feelings, it is all over with us.” ‘What is it?” gasped the poor girl. ‘‘ Have you heard of Aim ?” “Ves,” I said, ‘‘I have; but unless you can be cool and steady, I will not tell you a word. A precious life depends now, under God, on our courage and presence of mind. ‘Take a few minutes to col- lect your nerves, and do not speak till you are sure of yourself.” She remained motionless for a few minutes. I told her my tale, and pointed out the awkward difficulty that had just arisen. Whatever we did for Ulrich, must be done unknown to Eleanor; her honour was pledged to the Maire, and she must know nothing till all was over. My own idea was that the escape might be contrived in the evening, if we could only keep our dignified guest amused. To attempt escape by daylight, with the sentries patrolling in all directions, would be too great a risk. | “‘T will do my best,” I said, “‘to throw M. le Maire off his guard for an hour. I have a resource in reserve, and I will try it. You must take care that your sister is also engaged, so that she may not detect your arrangements ; and when I give you notice that it is time, you yourself must get Herr Ulrich out of the house. The guard will be raised when the Maire comes here; and then, or never, he must get away out of the town.” She clung round my neck as she had never done in her life before, and whispered that I was their guardian angel. But nota sob, or sign of a tear would she allow herself; agitation could not be afforded at such a crisis; she only begged to see him—he had risked so much for a meeting, surely I did not mean them not to meet? I certainly meant them to meet, and arming myself with hammer and chisel for the better performance of my role, I took her with me, as I distinctly said on the landing, “‘to see about unpacking those books.” Hammer and chisel did good service that day—they were heard below, and they gave me excuse for turning my back upon those two at the opposite end of the room. For Mariette’s sake, I was fain to stay, when I should have preferred leaving them alone; French pro- priety might have been seriously offended if my presence had not been a protection against all future censoriousness. So I hammered away at the lid of my box, and tumbled the books out all over the floor, and time passed—very quickly to them, I daresay. ‘To me it seemed as if the day would never end ; and the hardest part was still to come. At dinner-time, I sent down Mariette with an excuse, suggested by my recent illness, for my preferring to have my meal in my bed-room. I was quite tired enough to make this no subterfuge; and poor Ulrich made as short work with my dinner as he had with my luncheon. I cConniclbooolks (SO)