An Imperial Marriage

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 35, 10 February 1909, Page 10

An Imperial Marriage

Arthxir W. Marehmpnt

OT.VPTErJx." % Z, j LS THE HANDSijOF THE.POIICE. I had been afraid to - shift my position lest the change should rouse any suspicions on the part of the "doctor," and his first attempt was to drag mc out -while he remained butside. He seized my left arm, arid tried to pull nic forwardj "but-1 had hitched my feet under a hoard -of the flooring, and the attempt failed. • -,' ■ "Come . here, 131 .-hand him out to you'jThe'said, turjungj his head for a mojnterit. 'Ttfejs gotjeaught up* in something or , other;" "j "I can't leave the wheel."'. "Stop the launch a.-minute then." - "It's yoirr. own«job; dd it yourself/ was the surly" r.epjy/. . . ' / T Muttering a*'oath at his companion' 3 cowardice-, the "doctor" stooped down, and, first pushing mc roughly to one side out of his way, began to crawl head first into.the forecastle. "Curse the darkness," he murmured. But my eyes had grown accustomed 1 to it, and it-helped mc although it hindered him.- I could -watch him -easily. Tlie litter in the place hampered him also, and he stumbled and "fell on his knees, and. sw.p.re__agam-.volubly,, ~ Taking" ~ advantage of .the noise he made, I slipped two, and gripped my weapon in readiness. "Where the devil i 3 he?" he muttered, and began to feel about fox. mc. Itjwas 'crouching, in ajftorije'r waiting , for a favourable chance"to 'strike, andhe could not see mc; —-• r^ TKe chance came an instant later, as he jsiaff'stooping"downiirhis'"Hunt for mc. Raising my hand, I struck him two blows on;-the head" with*a3l;my and at the same instant slammed, the Jiateh- to. .-■-• ~.--. - ■ ~ ■- "What's the matter?"'shouteoTMarten, hearing the.noise of the bloW3 and coming forward quickly. The."doctor" lay as still as a log. .1 had stunned him or killed him, and at the moment I did not much care which. I kept my hands on him, and if there had been the slightest movement. I should have struck, him again. I was fighting for my life. When I was satisfied, .that he; wbuld give mc no more trouble, I ran my hands quickly over him in the hope that he would have a revolver; hufr;l could feel nothing sort-j •and, as- Marlen was fingering ffie 'hatch-$o gel? it open, ■I drew bacls-info-myHCorher again. ?-' H he eame._in_.ta._see ; what.-had.Jaap; pened, would* serve" him as ITiad served the "doctor." I hoped he would with all my heart. *~ He got the hatch open after :soma fumbling, and peered' in. "Doctor!" he ■- called, -2and '-pausei "Eoctor!" A little louder_tMs.-iime.----'-What have you done? sToii "naven't killed him, have you? Doctor!" He put his head in a little way, but, not far enough for mc to make sure of disabling, him,-v and then w itagain. '"14."-** -1* ''', - * I' , - •""-"'.. T "WBat the" d':vil does it mean?" He was evidently very frightened. After a few seconds', pause, he ran to tie after-part of the launch, and stopped her. He waited until- the way ■was off. her, and then came forward once more, and called to his companion. "The place is as dark as h. ,* he muttered, and went off, as I guessed, to get a light. I used the time to make another search for a revolver in the stunned man's pockets, and, failing to find one, I three some of the litter over the head and shoulders, and went hack to my corner and lay down as if still uncon6dous. hut in such a position that I could spring on Marlen the instant he entered. This time he brought rijjj; only a lanlittle of tfo- other rffellow 'I'-Boon Eiiw.. and- lie. brought .because he, "feared ithe. '.'doctor" thai fronijaily §nspid_on;ihatXwas tnetcaiiisa!: of the mysterious trouble. fool's game are you flaying, doe? , ?. Be- said..- -IJon^t*try^-aßy-pranks witn mc. What have you done to the man?" He thrust in the lantern, and peered all about him. I saw him take a long look at mc, and the scrutiny apparently satisfied him that I was still of no account; and then he turned from mc to the prostrate form of his companion. He looked long .him, end shook his head;, '/pie must.ljave' had some sort of fit, if he hasn't got some devil's game on. Doctor!" He appeared to be afraid to trust himself inside the place, and for some minjites remained in stolid thought. Next he levelled the revolver at the other. "I'm. covering you, doe. Get lip or JE- shaU : fire.'v-He shook his -ieadsgaih'.in'dire perplexif;y--,-wheii he reeerW ed length;jnadVofp hissnind.3& riSfc e3setjng.-r tX | the. lantern down, fortunateivJ on the side farther from mc, and stepped to in still form ef the Tinconscious man. At that moment I changed my plan. I would have that revolver if it were in any way possible. I let him enter, therefore, and crawl to the side of the "doctor." He moved very elowly and -with intense caution, jfeeling the body as he approached I thej head. Then he pulled off the covering of the face and started violently. For the instant he was entirely oS his guard in his consternation, and I took advantage of that moment: 'rSprang forward, wrested the ..fevoLverr iroia his grasp, thrust Mm violently down, seized the lantern and started out on to the deck, sliding to the hatch and shootin* home the bolt. ° I was now master of the situation, and with a profound sigh of relief and.thankv fulness I sank down on the deck. I was still very shaky, and the reac= tion from the strain and suspense of my time in the forecastle tried mc severely. My nerves were all to pieces, and when Marlen began hammering with his fists at the hatch, I started as if it were some fresh peril to be faced. I let hJ*n hammer. So far as I was concerned he might have hammered all J the skin off his knuckles before I -would-! take any notice; and after my first start j of alarmed surprise, I just lay still anii-i----rested until I had"-f ecovered strength and | composure. '*:■-- J He; grew tired of "presently, .j , and began to while.ic mc to let him Sat I ■f2a3e?oSs : sresppnse. He -was in"ai very ugly mess indeed, and a "taste of the suspense I had had to undergo -would do him good. Hβ could spend the interval in thinking out some planslble explanation of his exceedingly Mmpromieing situation, . : ; . '' ' aieaa'jrbil'? I had to thhlk -what I ttrs to do. X did cot xmderttacd Qμ-arorkins I

Author of "By Bight of Sword," "When I was Czar," etc.

j of'the launch, Vsrhicb was drifting at the will of the stream.; and there appeared to be nothing 't or it but to let her drift until we met a boat,' and I could get assistance. But it then occurred to mc that l mv=elf might have-a-nasty task to give an account of nrgself ~ My clothes were in a filthy resule. of my; crawling" Hunt' iii "the- dirty -.-forecastle and when I' examined; them by the light of the lantern I'fqund some ugly-blood-stains on ;my sleeves;- -- -_ \ "V,.-.. i gpt far*£tp; jet nip the presumption tha-fer'f -was-resoonsible for the-wound to the "doctor , ;: and as I was now outside and -annetf with a revolver and -the two men.were-my -prisoners,' the German police a ;lot of persuasion,thatr.l__was the innocent and they the" guilty parties. ,_ ,_■■;•;"•:. Any investigation -would most certainly occupy a long tinie,-moreover; and as my chief desire was to get back to Berlin with the least possible delay, I resolved not to run the risk of waiting for the police or any one else to come' to my assistance. ( -_ . , There was only one way to accomplish this:"l must swim ashore. I found much to .my relief that my pockets had not been rifled, and that I had sufficient money fora ticket to Berlin. But I could not travel in a blood-stained coat, so I hunted through the boat and came aerossT.a rough reefer's' jacket -in >.the which I annexed. I then tore out-the blood-stained- portions of my own coat, undressed and -made a bundle of my clothes, putting the discarded coat on'the outside, and managed to "fasten it on my head. '. 'Then- I waited until the launch had drifted pretty close to the bank on the side.-where the. rail way ran, when I let myself carefully over the side and struck out. . ■ Jusi as I was pushing off I heard Marlen start shouting and hammering again at the hatch, and the muffled sounds reached mc across the water until I reached the shore. They ceased as " finished dressing myself and.started out to ascertain where I.was,and which was the nearest station to'make for. The swim in the coid water had chilled mc, but I set off at a brisk pace.und soon blood-circulating again.. i> I hart not an idea .where I^was, ex.cepfc .that I knew my way lay up*stream; .§9.-,J..Struck, across .country, until, I came to a road leading in the direction I had tojjo, and .1. s_et, off to walk until I couM ascertain; where to find a station. £ I'lknew, I should ihave to be very cauitious abo'jit asking any question. German" police methods were very different Jrum iEggHghpgnd" a man garbed as I was, without any papers of identification and carrying a loaded revolver, was -pretty sure to be an object of suspicion. It would he exceedingly difficult for mc So. give any-AJaccept&ble "account of. myself without telling all -that , curred, and that would certainly mean ■that I should be detained, and probably 'left" to tool my ■ heels -in a police-cell wfiHe the cumbersome wheels of the law were put in motion to investigate my story. I plodded along for an hour or two, keeping my ears at full strain for any footsteps ahead of. mc, and taking the greatest care to make as little noise in walking as possible. In my weakened state. I found this extremely fatiguing, and more than once I had to sit down and rest. Eager as I was to reach the capital, I rgrudged every second of these intervals of inaction. I -was on fire with impatience to as-,-ceriain -what had happened <to~-AltKea'an How "long I had been'away tfroin'hQme I could Bot./teTl; jsnd 'I;.tor- !- ---'ittfed Synself with 1C hufldred; r f "jhe£ accjmnt. ~ .*" , £'.; not Ihenp. to-'-lbse a minute in getting to work, as soon as (he-knew I was,out of the way; and of his creature, Dragen, w-oiild have' told him at once of the success of the attempt to kidnap mc. TTntil I had left the launch, the consideration for my own safety and the ■weighing of the chances of escape had kept mc from fretting about matters in Berlin; but now that I was free and on ■the way .back, every minute seemed to be of vital, consequence,, and the thought that I'might be.stopped; by the police harassed and worried mc into a positive fever of dread. Fortune did mc a good turn, however. I heard the rumble of a train as X was .'sitting iby the roadside, land presently I £aw it rush rapidly past a few hundred jyards above the road where I was. '~ ;, ' •_: ;. . - !£hi3 did-.more to-revive my-strength: sfchanfajiytliMig else could nave done, and; Ja momenfrlater I was striding across-Che Sntervening Jfielde* to reach the--'line. I knew I should not meet any one there, "tEfltt -3-h.ad--yet~.feit.*'- -•—■ - - - - - - - — Soon afterwards the gloom began to lift, and the sky grew grey in the east. Dawn was near; and as the light grew stronger, I satv a station not far ahead. If all went well an hour or two would see mc out of my fix and speeding toward Berlin.- But everything depended ■upoii'the "if/ I was already committing an. offence in walking on the line; and I knew that my greatest difficulties might at the_station itself. ; ,1 left *he line; therefore, while still at a, considerable - distance from the •station,- and made my way back to fche road again. In doing -this I stumbled into a rather ibroad ditch and made myself in a pretty mess. Under ordinary circumstances I should have laughed at this, but as co much might -turn • on my appearance, already dishevelled enough, it irritated mc and promised ,to prove an additional handicap, when tie time came for questions to be asked. I looked very much like a tramp, and tEe German law is not kindly disposed toward tramps at any time, and certainly not when they are found wandering i about armed in .the early dawn.- Still, I J had to" make the best of things, so 1 j plodded along until I reached tie sta- ! tion.^ J'■■.'But":the door was locked, and" "although ' j. some/one must ihave been^.attending 1 to i, tie; signals, I could not see any 'one [The name on the end ofr.the building [was WiMen; but that did-not-, help mc • ! much', as I had never heard of" the piace!' x was debating what to do when n very sleepy-looking official came lounging Tip to the door, unlocked it, and entered; eyeing mc ".vith glances full of suspicion the vhile. "When is «ie next train to Berlin?" j I aske4 him. j Her-lbokßd'me ■&£ and down carefully

and tnen grinned.' "Do you want a Srat-elass-tiek«tf-'i>-^-—?-s-;.—,...^ ; ....".,, .-,1,. : >.I/took his impertiaenee lightly. "You needn't judge by "mc appearance," I said ivith a laiigh. "I have money to pay for any; ticket I want," and;l repeated the question. - :. "Where did-yftu get it from?. And ■*ha,t'are; you doing hanging about here at tnii'time in-the morning?" £ "I'm going to wait for the next train (to Berlin." '.' "Well, you won't wait in here"; and •with that he slammed the door in my face. -- It is very little use to argue -svith a •man 'who is on the right side of a lock"cd door, 50,;.1 ..turned lajvay' arid -walked;, a little distance along the road by which •I had come, and sat down under a tree ■to wait. i. I -was cold, intensely weaTy, and famished with hunger; and; I Sought against sleep, .nature would not ;be denied, and I was -soon 0ff.25 The thunder of a train woke mey•ing up, I saw a. train running into the "station. «**oW ,:. .'..1..--; ,; 1 hurried back to the station, and the man I had seen before met meat the entrance. "Hullo, you again, is it?" he cried. '*■■ "I want a ticket for Berlin." ». "That train 'doesn't go to Berlin, you'll hare time to go and wash yourself first,"- and he deliberately blocked -my way. .- As all railway. officials were Government servants, I had to he cautious in dealing with him. "Where does that train go, then?" I asked very civilly. He sneered. "Ah, I thought as much. Anywhere, eh, to get away from this place? But you're not going by it, my friend." *.. It was getting difficult to keep Tay temper, but I replied quietly: "You are evidently making a great mistake about mc." "Oh, no, I'm not," he laughed, with a knowing shake of the head. "Where did you sleep last night? And who are you?" - "I am going to Berlin," I said. But, as the train started at that moment, there 'was nothing to be gained by continuing to wrangle with the man, so I turned away. •'-' Then he said in a less surly tone: "There's no train for two hours. You can wait in the' station." ■' .-■' I was glad enough to have the chance, and, sitting down on one of the benches in the waiting-room, was soon fast asleep again. When I woke I saw the reason for his apparent concession. A police officer •was with him, and had Toused mc. I blinked at him corfusedly. ' "Come along with mc," he ordered curtly. ."I want to go to Berlin. I must get there without delay." *■ "'Come with mc, I tell- you," he repeated very sharply. "We must know something about you first." ?i With a shrug I rose, and he walked mc off to the Police Station, the rail- ; way official accompanying us. I concealed my bitter irritation as best I could, and tried to think of the best story to tell. The railwayman said what he knew, and' the officer in charge of the station questioned mc. "Who are you?" .;. "There has been a great mistake made by this gentleman. I am an Englishman, Paul Bistable, 78, Miedenstrasse, Berlin, a newspaper correspondent. I have been away in search, of. information about some events I cannot tell you, and must return to Berlin at once." "Where have come from?" "I am not at liberty to tell you; but you can send some one with mc to Berlin if you wish, and I can satisfy him of the truth about mc." . "Have you searched him?" he asked the man, who had taken mc there. "He did''it at once without any ceremony, and together they examined the ctfritgnts of my pockets. When they loobed-next at -mc, -it was - vri th obvious suspicion, -and the constable turned back the collar of the reefer packet at "the back, and then nodded to his superior. "Paul Bastable, English, are you? Then how come you to have the papers of; Johann Spaekmann, engineer, with you, and to *bewearing his coat?" What a stroke of ill-luck! I had seen the man take a.'- paper from the inside pocket of the jacket. I had annexed* from the launch. I hesitated, and then forced a laugh. "I suppose you know that newspaper men have to be somebody else at times. I have told you the truth. Send some one with mc to Berlin." ■ "I knew there was something wrong about him," put in the railwayman. "But I must be off; the Berlin train is due." j "For Heaven's sake don't let jhe miss that train," I cried earnestly.. ; ', A stolid stare and a shake of the head ! was the only reply. j "But I tell you I must get oii at once." ' "You will remain here while we make inquiries about you." My heart sank. "Well, let mc tele- ; graph to my people, and they will send some one out , to identify mc. Or wire the message yourself"; and I gave Bassett's name and the address of my for- • mer office. , ; j. f ': "Well, goodvmorning, , ' said the railway man; and- as K'e left, the, station, ■I was led away and;placet! in a cell. r (To be continued On Saturday T.

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