An Imperial Marriage
by unknown · English · Gutenberg #40800 · 521,305 chars · public domain (US)
The Project Gutenberg eBook of An Imperial Marriage
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online
at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States,
you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located
before using this eBook.
Title: An Imperial Marriage
Creator: Arthur W. Marchmont
Illustrator: A. Forestier
Release date: September 18, 2012 [eBook #40800]
Language: English
Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/40800
Credits: Produced by Al Haines
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN IMPERIAL MARRIAGE ***
Produced by Al Haines.
[Illustration: Cover]
AN
IMPERIAL MARRIAGE
BY
ARTHUR W. MARCHMONT
AUTHOR OF
"BY RIGHT OF SWORD," "WHEN I WAS CZAR," ETC.
_ILLUSTRATED_
WARD, LOCK & CO., LIMITED
LONDON, MELBOURNE AND TORONTO
1909
CONTENTS
CHAP.
I. The "Imperial Marriage"
II. Complications
III. Chalice
IV. Ephraim Ziegler
V. Althea's Story
VI. A Stroke of Luck
VII. Preliminary Steps
VIII. Trapped
IX. A Perilous Crisis
X. In the Hands of the Police
XI. My Return
XII. Murder
XIII. In the House of Death
XIV. The Murderer
XV. Baron von Ringheim
XVI. My Role as a Conspirator
XVII. "W. Mischen's" Warehouse
XVIII. The Luck Turns
XIX. Von Felsen Gains his End
XX. A Bride Elect
XXI. Like a Dog at Heel
XXII. In Search of the Baron
XXIII. In the Grip of an Enemy
XXIV. From Peril to Peril
XXV. An Awkward Plight, indeed
XXVI. A Charge of Murder
XXVII. Once Again in the Toils
XXVIII. Dragen Again
XXIX. Just in Time
XXX. The End
CHAPTER I
THE "IMPERIAL MARRIAGE"
When the Kaiser planned the marriage between his kinswoman, the Princess
von Altenvelt, and his handsome favourite, the Prince von Graven--the
"Imperial Marriage," as the Court gossips styled it--there did not
appear to be even the remotest possibility that it could ever be any
concern of mine.
The news was almost the last I sent through to my paper, the _London
Newsletter_, for I heard of it just before I resigned my position as
Berlin Special Correspondent, on succeeding to my uncle's fortune. I
had remained on in the capital, ostensibly to give a lift to my
successor, my old Varsity chum, Gerald Bassett, but in reality for a
reason which no one knew, except my sister, Bessie. And she only
guessed it was on Althea's account.
Sisters have a knack of ferreting out these secrets, and I gathered that
she had guessed mine because she had dropped more than one hint that
Althea, being a great friend of hers, would be very welcome as a
sister-in-law.
That was the position when, at a dance one night, Hugo von Felsen told
me with a grin on his thin long malicious face that the Imperial
Marriage was in danger because Prince von Graven had fallen in love with
Althea and she with him.
I had always detested von Felsen, and had only tolerated him in my
newspaper days because, as the son of a powerful Minister, Count von
Felsen, he could sometimes be tapped for valuable information. The fact
that this news came from him made it seem even worse than it was.
"You can see for yourself," he added. "There they are, together. All
Berlin knows about it. Look, everybody is watching them"; and his
close-set cunning eyes were fixed on my face as if he knew how his words
would affect me, and was pleased.
"They are worth looking at, anyhow," I answered, with a shrug of
indifference. They were. In my eyes Althea was the most beautiful girl
in the room. The type of a lovely brunette, with perfectly moulded
features, large lustrous eyes instinct with tenderness and sympathy, and
a figure of consummate grace. But then I looked at her with the eyes of
a lover. The Prince was also strikingly handsome. Tall, with a
soldierly bearing, and as fair as Althea was dark, his face was marred
only by the weakness of the mouth.
"We only want the Kaiser himself and the Princess von Altenvelt to
complete the picture, eh?" sneered von Felsen with a chuckle of malice.
"How his High-and-Mightiness would enjoy the sight! As much as you do,
Bastable."
"Yourself, you should say, rather, judging by your looks," I retorted.
"It is nothing to me."
"You wouldn't have a chance, if it were," he snapped.
I was not going to let him see how hard I was hit by the news, and as
the band struck up then I turned away in search of my partner. This was
Chalice Mennerheim; really Althea's niece, although the relationship
appeared a little absurd as there was only a year or so between them. I
meant to find out from her whether there was any foundation for von
Felsen's insinuation.
Chalice had a remarkable voice, and Althea had brought her to Berlin to
be trained by Herr Grumpel, the great professor, whose influence at
Court was as powerful as his skill in voice culture was great.
After a couple of turns round the room I led her into one of the
conservatories. She was very vain and intensely selfish, and would have
been really pretty, had it not been for a certain hard, calculating
expression in her light blue eyes. They always suggested to me the eyes
of an unskilfully painted picture.
I paid her a number of compliments and then led round to the subject of
the Prince, observing casually that I had just heard some news about
him.
"Tell me," she said, with a quick side glance and a very musical laugh,
as she laid her hand on my arm with a little coaxing gesture. "It's
awfully wicked, and Althea is always at me about it; but I love scandal.
And I'm scarcely twenty yet. What I shall be at thirty makes me
shudder. A regular old scandal-monger, I expect."
"You are not shuddering; only smiling and looking very pretty. The
Prince thinks you very pretty too, I presume, by the way he was looking
at you when you were dancing with him just now."
She laughed again. "What were you going to tell me?"
"They say the Imperial Marriage is in danger because he----" I left the
sentence unfinished intentionally.
"Go on. Go on. Because----? Tell me."
"Haven't you noticed anything which would enable you to finish the
sentence?"
"You don't mean--Althea?" Her voice sank to a whisper.
I felt a grip at my heart at this confirmation. "Half the people here
were watching them just now as they stood together in the centre of the
room."
She burst suddenly into a fit of merry, irresponsible laughter. "Isn't
it fun?" she cried. I suppose it was, to her. I did not see the humour
of it, however.
"There may not be much laughter in it when the Kaiser hears," I growled.
"Ah, the Kaiser!" and she shrugged her shapely shoulders petulantly.
"What business has he to turn matchmaker? Why should not the Prince
marry whom he pleases? Think what an ugly thing is that Princess von
Altenvelt!" She appeared to be quite indignant on Althea's account.
"It would cost the Prince the Emperor's favour and his position at
Court," I replied; "and probably he would be packed off to some fever
hole in the Colonies on military service. Nice for Althea, that. The
Kaiser can be hard when he likes."
"It is unjust! Infamous!" she exclaimed vehemently. "Poor Althea! But
you don't think that really? The Kaiser likes him too well."
"He has done it before, remember." Jealousy plays odd pranks with a
man. Here was I finding a sort of morbid delight in drawing this gloomy
picture, when in reality I wished Althea all the happiness in the world.
But the smart of my disappointment was so fresh that I felt positively
spiteful for the moment.
Chalice cast her eyes down, and in the pause a partner came to look for
her. She threw me a little nod and a smile, as if we had had the
pleasantest chat, and flitted off prattling to her partner and making
eyes at him as I had seen her make them to a hundred other men before.
I sat on and brooded. I had been a self-centred ass not to have seen
things, and a fool to dream that such a girl as Althea would ever give
me a second thought. And then with a sigh I resolved to get out of
Berlin without loss of time. I was walking off to the smoking room when
I came on Althea sitting alone.
"I believe you have actually forgotten that this was our dance, Mr.
Bastable," she said with a reproachful look and a smile. She always
spoke English, and spoke it remarkably well.
I had forgotten it, and mumbled a lame apology.
"Let us sit out the remainder of it then. I am rather tired. And you
look as if the weight of a throne were on your shoulders. Are you
worried?"
I dropped into the seat by her side and began to make small talk,
although every pulse in my body was leaping with the desire to speak of
the feeling that filled my heart.
At length she spoke of Chalice. "You were talking to her just now," she
said, "and appeared to be discussing some very grave subject."
I resolved suddenly to get the truth from her. "It was about you, in
fact."
"About me?" she asked in surprise.
"I don't know whether you'll think I'm putting my foot in it, but I
should like to tell you something."
"What a grave preface!" she said jestingly, but with an earnest look.
I fidgeted uneasily under her gaze. "The fact is, I heard something
from von Felsen, and Chalice confirmed it--about you and Prince von
Graven."
She pressed her hands together quickly, and a tinge of colour crept up
into her cheeks. "Chalice confirmed it?" she repeated. "What did she
say?"
"Well, the fact is--you see, when you and the Prince were standing
together in the middle of the room a while back, a whole lot of people
were staring at you; and--there was a lot of talk as to what the Kaiser
would be likely to do when he--when he heard about you two."
I kept my eyes on the ground and felt many parts of a fool in the pause
which followed. Then Althea laughed, and I looked up.
"It is a very awkward position, of course; and equally of course you do
not quite understand it. I--I meant to tell you and Bessie all about
it. I will do so one day. We must be more careful for the future."
And again she laughed.
Her laughter nettled me. It ought not to have done so, of course. She
could not possibly know how I felt. "If you wish to avoid the Kaiser's
anger, you certainly must be. But I am going off to England by the
afternoon mail to-morrow," I declared bluntly.
My reference to the Kaiser stopped her laughter, and she looked very
grave for a moment. Then she got up. "I must say good-bye to you then,
I suppose."
We shook hands; and then to my surprise she added: "I wish I knew what
the Kaiser would do. It would let the thing be cleared up."
"I wish you happiness with all my heart," I replied earnestly.
"Thank you, Mr. Bastable. I am sure you do. I should like---- But of
course I can't. Good-bye"; and with this she turned away a little
abruptly.
I told my sister as we were driving home that I was going to England on
the following day, and she guessed at once that Althea was the cause,
and got the truth out of me.
"I don't believe it, Paul," was her verdict; "but perhaps the best thing
is for you to go away. A change will do you good; and as Aunt Charlotte
is coming here I must stay behind." Aunt Charlotte was Mrs. Ellicott, a
wealthy, childless widow, who made a great favourite of Bessie and was
to leave her her money.
A sleepless night's reflection confirmed me in my resolve to go away,
and the next afternoon found me at the station.
Then the unexpected happened. I was looking after my luggage and Bessie
had gone off to buy me some papers, when Althea came hurrying up to me.
"Oh, Mr. Bastable, I remembered you would be here. I am in desperate
trouble. Will you help me?"
She was pale and, although she smiled, I could see she was trembling
with nervous excitement. "Of course I will. Tell me," I replied
quickly. To help her, I was ready to toss every plan I had formed into
the melting-pot of change.
"I am to be arrested."
"Arrested! You!" I exclaimed in profound astonishment.
She laid her hand on my arm and made a brave effort to smile again. "I
think it is on account of--of Prince von Graven." Her voice died down
gradually as she said this hesitatingly, until it was little more than a
whisper; and her eyes fell.
"And where is _he_, then?" I blurted out, like the clumsy lout I was.
I guessed of course that the news had reached the Kaiser's ears and he
had taken prompt action. But that the Prince should have left her to
bear the brunt of the Imperial anger alone in this way was downright
cowardice.
"You don't understand, Mr. Bastable," she said, biting her lip. "But
I---- Oh, they are following me now. What am I to do?"
I pulled myself together. "Do you mean the police?"
"I don't know. I was on the point of leaving the house when they came.
The maid, Lotta, helped me to slip away; but I think they followed me."
"Do they know you well by sight?"
"I think not. I passed one of them outside. I got a cab, but they
followed."
"It will be all right. Bessie is here. Don't worry. We'll see you
through."
Bessie came hurrying up with an exclamation of surprise at seeing
Althea.
"Don't stop to ask any questions, Bess," I said. "Fraeulein Korper is in
some bother. Take her into one of the waiting-rooms and change cloaks
and hats with her. She can come back to me; but you must drive off
somewhere in a cab. Get out when you are a mile or so away, and then go
home on foot. There isn't a moment to lose. Quick, both of you."
Bessie hurried Althea away almost before I had finished speaking, and I
turned to see that my luggage was put back into the cloak-room instead
of being registered. I made the excuse that one of the trunks had been
forgotten.
Althea returned before I had finished, and I gave her a critical look.
My sister had been wearing a long drab driving coat and a very plain,
essentially English golf cap; and I could not restrain a smile at the
change they effected in Althea. No German would dream of taking their
wearer for one of his countrywomen.
She was still nervous, and as she came up she whispered that the men she
meant had just entered the station.
A glance in the direction she indicated showed me that I knew one of
them--a police agent, named Dormund. Not the one who had seen her,
fortunately.
"It will be all right," I said reassuringly. "Now just a touch or two
more, and you will pass as English. Put your hair back right out of
sight; slip on these sun spectacles, purse up your lip and show as many
of your teeth as possible--you know the German cartoon of the average
English girl; look as plain and formidable as you can; and only speak to
me to snap out a word or so, as if we were quarrelling."
She tried to follow my directions, and I was glad to see her smile in
amusement, despite her alarm.
"That's better. I know one of the men, and he will probably come over
and speak to me. We are supposed to be brother and sister for a minute
or two--he has never seen Bessie--and we are wrangling because you have
left one of my trunks behind and caused me to lose the train in
consequence. Be looking among those trunks over there, so that you can
keep your face averted."
"He is not the man who saw me," she whispered, when I pointed to
Dormund, who caught sight of me soon afterwards and came over.
"Why you couldn't see that all the things were brought beats me," I
exclaimed in a loud, irritable tone to Althea. "I thought you could be
trusted to count as far as four without a mistake. Giving all this
infernal trouble. I shall have to go back for it, and so miss the
train. Enough to make a man almost swear."
Dormund was now close and had heard much of what I said and was looking
intently at Althea.
"Heir Bastable, excuse me," he said.
I turned on him quickly and irritably, and then smiled. "Hullo, Herr
Dormund. I wondered who the deuce it was, and was within an ace of
venting a bit of temper on you for the interruption. My sister has
forgotten a trunk of mine, and now I shall miss the train," I gestured
toward Althea. She had her profile toward him, and his face showed me
that he had no suspicion.
"Ah, your sister," he said; and raised his hat and looked first at her
and then to me as if expecting an introduction. "I heard you were
leaving Berlin to-day," he continued, when I did not take the hint. "It
is indeed annoying."
A scowl and an angry murmur gave him the measure of my temper. "It's a
marvel to me that women can make such blunders," I growled.
"Where are you going?"
"London. And now there's no train till the night mail, and I hate night
travelling."
"Have you been long in the station?"
"About half an hour or so. It took my sister that time to find out that
she had made any mistake at all"; and I shot another wrathful glance at
Althea. There was no doubt about my being in a very bad temper over it.
"Then perhaps you can do me a little service. You know Fraeulein
Korper, I believe? Have you seen her here within the last few minutes?"
"My dear fellow, I haven't had eyes for anything but my luggage, and not
enough eyes to see all that even," I replied with a short angry laugh.
"Have you seen anything of Althea Korper here, Bessie?" I called.
"No," she snapped, as irritably as I had spoken before. It was well
done.
"Thank you," I replied in the same snappy tone, "I am sorry," I said to
Dormund; "don't you know her by sight then?"
"Unfortunately, no."
I lowered my voice. "You're surely not seeking her officially?"
He smiled and threw up his hands, leaving me to infer what I pleased.
"By Jove," I exclaimed. "Can't say I wish you luck, Dormund." Then I
turned to the porter. "Here, get these trunks to the cloak-room. I'll
drive back for the other and see if I can catch the train after all.
Come along, Bessie."
She acted the sulky sister to the life and succeeded in keeping her face
almost entirely averted from Dormund.
He remained with me while I got rid of the luggage and then while I
chartered the cab; and I began to wonder if after all he had not some
suspicion and whether he would let Althea go.
She had kept behind us and when the cab was ready, the door of which
Dormund himself held open, she hurried past him and took her seat. He
closed the door and stood bareheaded while we drove off.
I drew a breath of relief.
"Will he follow us?" asked Althea nervously.
"Not he. He hasn't a thought of the trick we've played him."
"Oh, Mr. Bastable, how could you do it so naturally? I was positively
trembling the whole time."
"You needn't worry about anything now," I said reassuringly. "Try to
fix your thoughts on what is to be done next."
"I don't know what to do," she murmured.
Neither did I. Nor did I seem to care. The unexpectedness of it all
had taken my breath away. The whole position was so unreal that I was
in the clouds.
A few minutes before I had been bent only upon rushing away in search of
distraction from the galling rack of my disappointment on her account;
and now she had rushed to me in the hour of her trouble, and was by my
side, trusting to me to get her out of it all.
I would do it at any cost; but for the moment I was so elated by the
proof of her confidence, that I could think of nothing else.
CHAPTER II
COMPLICATIONS
Althea was at first unwilling to go to our house, as such a course might
involve us in some way with the authorities; but I would not listen to
her objections.
"Let me suggest one precaution," I said as the cab stopped. "That you
hold your handkerchief to your face as you enter. We have one German
servant, Gretchen, and she had better not recognize you. The other two
are English, and will hold their tongues."
She adopted the suggestion, and when we entered the house we found that
Bessie had already arrived and had explained that I had missed the
train. She kissed Althea and fussed over her in the way girls have, and
I could see that she was bursting with curiosity to know everything.
After a few minutes she suggested that I should send a telegram home to
say I was not going; and as I saw that she wished to be left alone with
Althea, I went off at once. It turned out to be lucky that I did, for
Lieutenant von Bernhoff, a man who took a great deal more interest in
Bessie than she did in him, was just getting out of a cab as I left the
house.
"What has happened, Bastable? I went to the station to see you off, and
Dormund told me you weren't going. From what he said I was afraid that
something had happened to your sister."
I shut down a smile. "There's nothing the matter. One of my trunks was
left behind, and I had to put off my journey. I'm on my way to wire to
my people at home. Come with me." He was no favourite of mine, and as
a friend of Dormund's, about the last man in Berlin to be trusted with
the secret of Althea's presence in the house.
He went with me to send the telegram, and plagued me with a hundred
questions about Bessie, the reason for her having to wear spectacles,
and so on; and when we reached the house again he wanted to come in and
see her.
"You must excuse her to-day, von Bernhoff. The place is all sixes and
sevens on account of my intended departure," I said with a shrug.
"You found your lost trunk, I hope? Dormund told me you were in a fine
temper about it."
"I am much obliged to him, but he might mind his own business."
"He was minding it in a sense," he replied with a grin. "I had promised
to introduce him to your sister. He knows, you know"; and he grinned
meaningly.
"A pity you were not there earlier then," I said carelessly, repressing
a smile at what would have been the result if he had been.
"I shall bring him some day to introduce him," he declared as we shook
hands.
"By all means. He is a good fellow. But not until I get back to
Berlin."
"He is awfully keen to know her--now"; and with this somewhat cryptic
remark he grinned again and turned away.
I went upstairs wondering curiously whether Dormund had said anything
else about the "Bessie" he had seen at the station to start von
Bernhoff's suspicions. The complications were beginning already.
But Althea and Bessie appeared to be taking the matter lightly, for a
burst of merry laughter from them both rang out as I opened the door.
"Paul of the grave face!" cried Bessie. "Look at him, Althea."
Althea's eyes were shining brightly, and the colour had returned to her
cheeks, as I saw when she looked up at my entrance.
"It is good to find you like this," I said.
"It is Bessie. She is wonderful," said Althea.
"There is just no trouble at all," declared Bessie, coming toward me
with a light of pleasure dancing in her eyes. "It is the most
ridiculous mistake, Paul; and all this bother to-day appears to be the
result of it. Shall I tell him?" Althea nodded. "About the Prince von
Graven. It isn't Althea he cares for at all. It's Chalice. Althea has
let every one believe it, lest Chalice's prospects should be injured."
I started and caught my breath in surprise and almost fierce delight at
this wonderful news. But Bessie was a thoughtful little body, and she
had placed herself purposely so that Althea should not see the effect
upon me; and to give me time to recover myself, she added: "You'll have
some tea, won't you, Paul? Ring the bell for another cup."
I turned away and rang the bell, and then with a big effort I choked
down my delighted surprise and drew a chair close to the others.
"So it's Chalice, eh?" I asked quietly.
"Of course no one must know it except you two," said Althea.
Bessie laughed mischievously. "Even that doesn't much matter, does it,
Paul?"
"It makes no end of a difference," I said gravely. "But why on earth
have you allowed the mistake to be made? Both you and Chalice herself
let me share it last night, too."
"It is for Chalice's sake," said Althea. "You had just come from her,
and I saw what she had told you. You know she is in my care, and that I
promised my sister on her death-bed that I would look after her."
"You speak as if she were a child and you a grave and sedate matron,
Althea," declared Bessie. "And there can't be more than a year or two
between you."
"Three years, Bessie. Chalice is only twenty; and I am her aunt, you
know."
We all smiled at this. "But that is no reason why you should get into
all this bother on account of the Prince," objected Bessie.
"The simplest thing will be to let the truth be known," I put in.
"Oh no, no," protested Althea vehemently. "Anything but that; at any
rate for the present. Herr Grumpel declares her voice will take the
whole country by storm; and she is to make her debut soon. She has a
brilliant future before her, and if she were to incur the displeasure of
the Court at such a time it would ruin everything."
"But Prince von Graven won't wish his wife to be a singer," I objected,
"even supposing such a marriage were ever sanctioned."
"Chalice declares she will not do a thing to hurt his interests. That
is why she will not have a betrothal."
"But what about you, Althea?" cried Bessie indignantly. "Are you to be
packed off to prison or out of the country in order that the secret may
be kept?"
"It must be kept, Bessie," said Althea very decidedly.
"I think a little plain talk to the Prince would be a good thing," I
suggested.
"He thinks only of Chalice, and will not do anything against her wish."
"Something like a deadlock, then," I murmured. If everything was to
hinge only on Chalice's wishes, the case promised to be awkward. We
were silent for a while, and then I said: "You will be placed in a very
ugly fix. We all know what the Kaiser is when any one opposes him. You
surely won't go to the extreme of letting yourself be arrested?"
This appeared to alarm her seriously. "No, no. There are other reasons,
too," she exclaimed hastily.
"Then your only course is for you to leave the country."
"I can't even leave Berlin while Chalice is here."
"Then take her with you."
"There is Herr Grumpel. If she left now, it would ruin everything."
I tossed up my hands with a smile. The position was impossible.
"Hadn't you better fetch your trunks from the station, Paul?" asked
Bessie.
"I'm afraid there's nothing in them that will solve this puzzle."
"At any rate you will not go home now," she retorted meaningly. "And
while you go for them, Althea and I can talk things over. I have made
up my mind. She must, of course, stay with us for the time."
"No, no," protested Althea. I rose, delighted at the idea.
"We shall have everything settled by the time you're back, Paul."
"There's Gretchen, remember," I replied as I went out of the room.
I walked to the station and started to think things over, but there was
one thought which for the time crowded out all others. Althea was not
in love with the Prince! Thank Heaven for that. And compared with
that, nothing mattered. I would find some way out of the tangle, and in
the meantime--well, I could hope again. And then I began dreaming and
planning with the sanguine vanity of a man very much in love and once
more able to hope for the best.
Dormund was still at the station, and met me as I entered. "Ah, Herr
Bastable, going on your journey after all?"
"Not to-night. I don't travel at night if I can help it."
"Well that is perhaps as well. It will give you more time. All
passports have to be vised afresh. But of course I can see to that for
you, if you like."
"Why's that? Anything happened?"
"It would interest you if you were still on your paper. Trouble with
those cursed Poles again. A plot to rob one of the Imperial couriers of
his papers. We had news from Koln and prevented it; but some of the
scoundrels are known to be here in Berlin, and we are watching for them.
If we were to behead a few of them it would save a lot of trouble."
"There would be so many less to make the trouble, anyway," I replied
carelessly. "Do you know the people in it?"
"I know who is at the bottom of it, and so do you; for you have written
about him often enough. That Baron von Ringheim. There's no proof, of
course; there never is; but proof or no proof, I'd put him in safe
keeping if I had my way. He's the most dangerous man in Europe to our
Government."
"I think you have him on the brain, Dormund," I laughed.
"I'd rather have him under lock and key," he retorted almost angrily.
"But get the evening paper; you will see something about it there."
I had heard a good deal about this Baron von Ringheim. He had been
banished many years before for some offence against the Government, and
his estates had been confiscated. He was believed to have allied
himself with all parties who had grievances against the Government; had
been very active in the work of sedition; and was credited with having
originated a policy of combination among them for the common purpose of
discrediting the Government. The policy had been very successful, with
the result that, whenever a daring coup of any sort was made or
attempted, he was credited with the responsibility.
"Then I suppose I owe it to the Baron that if I go to-morrow I must get
my passport vised," I replied after a pause.
"Yes; but of course it will only be a form in your case. By the way,
Lieutenant Bernhoff was here after you left this afternoon. He came to
bid you good-bye, he said; but I suppose it was more to see your sister.
He tells me he has hopes some day of----eh?" and he smiled
insinuatingly.
"One never knows what may happen, Dormund."
"He is a good fellow, and rich. He would have done me the honour to
present me to your sister this afternoon. You may have seen that I was
very interested in her."
"We must find another occasion then. I am sure the pleasure will be
mutual," I said with a smile, the meaning of which he fortunately did
not understand.
"You are very good." He was pleased at the compliment.
I assumed a more confidential air. "By the way, Dormund, I've been
thinking a good deal about that arrest you were after--of Fraeulein
Korper."
"You know her well?"
"She is a very great friend of my sister." I managed to suggest more
than the words implied and he smiled. "I can't bring myself to think of
her as a criminal of any sort. It took my breath away."
"Of course I can't tell you anything I know officially, but there can be
no harm in my saying that the arrest was ordered from Count von Felsen's
office."
"I'm not after newspaper copy," I laughed. "But it bewildered me."
At that moment some one came up to him and he excused himself. I bought
the evening paper and drove off home with my trunks.
I had not learnt much in regard to Althea, but the fact that the arrest
had been ordered from Count von Felsen's office might mean that it was
connected with her supposed relations with Prince von Graven. It was
certainly unusual, and the Kaiser's hand might well be in the
background.
Then I read the account of the affair Dormund had spoken of. It read
very much like one of the Baron's coups. The courier had been in
possession of some very important State papers, and these had all but
fallen into the hands of those who had attempted to steal them. The
same thing had been done more than once before, I knew. The object was
to get hold of such things, and then make them public at the moment when
they would do the greatest damage.
At the present time the Kaiser's naval policy was the target at which
they were striking, and the temper of the people was in such a ticklish
condition that any well-aimed blow might hamper those in power
dangerously. If the old Baron was at the bottom of it, he was certainly
a very astute tactician. And if I knew anything of the feelings of the
authorities, he and his friends would have a very bad time of it if they
were caught.
I was folding up the paper when I had a very ugly shock. I caught the
name, "ALTHEA KORPER," in bold type in the centre of a police notice.
It was an advertisement announcing her flight, seeking information about
her, and warning all who connived at her escape or gave her shelter that
they would render themselves liable to prosecution. To this was added a
minute and detailed description.
This was something indeed. It threw a fresh light upon the reason for
the arrest. It was impossible to believe that so drastic a step as this
would be taken merely because of the affair with the Prince. There must
be more behind than I had thought.
Even the Kaiser would not go to the length of setting the police to
hound down a girl merely because a man had fallen in love with her, and
a Court marriage scheme threatened to go wrong in consequence. The idea
was simply preposterous.
But what could the arrest mean then? I must see if Althea could throw
any light on it, and warn her. We should have to steer a very careful
course, or there would be serious trouble. That was certain.
I tore the notice out of the paper and put it in my pocket, and when I
reached home I was careful not to show the real concern I felt.
"I have persuaded Althea to remain with us for a time, Paul," declared
Bessie.
"Good. As a matter of fact it would be a little difficult for you to
leave Berlin for a day or two," I said to Althea, as lightly as I could.
"There has been some bother with the recalcitrant Polish party"; and I
went on to give the gist of my talk with Dormund.
"Can I see the paper?" she asked. "I am a Pole, you remember."
I had not remembered it, and the coincidence struck me forcibly. I gave
her the paper, and said I would see about my luggage while she read it.
"Don't go, please, Mr. Bastable. I have something to tell you," she
said, looking up from the paper. "About this. I must go away at once."
"No, no, Althea," declared Bessie. "We shan't let you go, shall we,
Paul?"
"I will tell you, and you will see that I must. You know what is here
about the Baron von Ringheim, Mr. Bastable. This is evidently the
reason for my arrest. I have misled every one. I did it for Chalice's
sake. My name is not Korper at all; it is that"--and she pointed to the
paper--"von Ringheim. I am his daughter. Now you will understand why I
must hide."
There was a pause. I looked at Bessie, and our eyes met.
I took the police advertisement from my pocket and handed it to her in
silence. She read it at a glance, and read also my meaning--that I
would not let her decide what to do without knowing all the facts.
She gave it back to me with a smile.
"While you were at the station, Paul, I had a quarrel with Gretchen.
She was insolent, so I discharged her on the spot."
I breathed a sigh of relief. She was with me in the resolve to stand by
Althea, let the consequences be what they might.
CHAPTER III
CHALICE
We had great difficulty in persuading Althea to remain with us, and
should not have succeeded if Bessie had not put on her hat and vowed
that she would go with her wherever she went. Then we came to a
compromise--Althea was to stay that night and decide on her plans the
next morning.
By that time I had induced Chalice to try and clear away one at least of
the tangles by letting the facts be told about the Prince von Graven,
and to get the Prince himself to ascertain the real cause for the steps
against Althea.
I sent a note to him, hinting at the reason why I wished to see him
immediately, and he answered the letter in person. He professed himself
greatly distressed at what had occurred; but it had not suggested itself
to him that he should remedy matters by acknowledging the truth.
"I will be frank with you, Mr. Bastable. The greatest pressure has been
put upon me to induce me to abandon my--to consent to my betrothal to
the Princess von Altenvelt; and this is apparently the result of my
refusal."
"But do you seriously think a drastic step like this would be taken on
such a slight foundation?" I objected.
"I haven't thought about that. It is drastic, isn't it? But you know
the Emperor is liable to fits of temper."
"The order for the arrest issued from the office of Count von Felsen;
will you make inquiries as to its real reason?"
"Of course I will. The Minister and I are unfortunately at daggers
drawn. He is jealous of the favour with which the Emperor honours me.
I will do all I can."
"There is certainly one other thing you can do, Prince!" He began to
fidget uneasily at this. "I mean explain the mistake and that it is
Fraeulein Chalice Mennerheim whom you desire to marry."
"My dear sir, I would marry her to-morrow; but she will not have even an
open betrothal. What can I do?" Where Chalice was concerned he was
obviously like clay in the hands of the potter.
"I am going to see her at once," I said as I rose.
"If you can prevail with her, you will do me the greatest favour in the
world," he exclaimed eagerly, grasping my hand with warmth.
I went off then to see Chalice, leaving the Prince to go to Althea. It
required very slight discernment to see that we should do little with
him. He had his own battle to fight at Court, and that was more than
sufficient to monopolize all the firmness he possessed. And I expected
but little more help from Chalice.
An incident, to which I attached no significance at the time, occurred
as I entered the house of Frau Steiner, where Althea and Chalice had
their lodgings. I gave my card to the servant, and she took it first
into a room leading off the hall, and then carried it upstairs. While I
was waiting, a dark, striking-looking Jewess came out as if to leave the
house. She stopped suddenly, surprised to see me still in the hall,
hesitated, and then returned quickly to the room.
I knew her by sight. Her name was Hagar Ziegler. She was the daughter
of a money-lender whose shady methods I had had to investigate on more
than one occasion while I had been on the _Newsletter_. I was called
upstairs to Chalice a moment later, and thought no more of the incident.
I had not expected to find Chalice very concerned about Althea, and was
not therefore surprised when she received me as calmly as though I were
making just an ordinary call.
"This is a delightful surprise, Herr Bastable," she exclaimed with a
lovely smile, as she gave me her hand. "But you catch me in deshabille.
I was practising." As a matter of fact she was rather elaborately
gowned, and I knew she was very particular in such matters. There was
very little of the girl about Chalice.
"I should ask your pardon for coming at such an hour and without notice;
but I have come about Fraeulein Korper."
"About Althea? Oh, that is good of you. Of course I've been terribly
anxious about her. And worry is so bad for the voice."
"I sympathize with you, I am sure."
Her sense of humour was not keen, and she accepted this as quite
genuine. "Everyone is so good to me," she murmured. "And where is
Althea?"
"Do you not know what occurred yesterday afternoon?"
"I was at Herr Grumpel's all the afternoon--I had a most trying lesson.
He was in a horrible temper, and it quite put me out. Well, when I came
home, Althea was gone, instead of having some tea ready for me. And
when I asked where she was, that stupid girl, Lotta, said something
nonsensical about the police having been here. Such rubbish, of
course."
"Unfortunately, it was quite true. An attempt was made to arrest her."
"Herr Bastable! You don't mean it!" Surprise, no other feeling in
this. No grief, no concern even. "Whatever for?" As if it had been
Althea's fault.
"It was on your account," I said bluntly. "Because of the mistake you
have allowed people to make in regard to the Prince von Graven."
She was not in the least embarrassed. "So you know that. I am so glad.
It is such a relief not to have to keep these tiresome secrets from
one's friends. I couldn't tell you before, could I? You see, it was
Althea's secret as much as mine. And the Prince's, too. He is so
devoted to me. And such a sweet man."
"You don't appear to grasp the real gravity of the matter, I'm afraid."
"Oh, that is unkind! Of course I do. I wouldn't have dear Althea get
into any trouble on my account for the world!"
"Then of course you will let the truth as to the Prince be known at
once."
"Herr Bastable!" Eyes, expression, voice, gestures, everything eloquent
of indignant surprise at the suggestion. "Why, then they might arrest
me!"
"On the contrary, the Prince is eager to marry you at once."
"But my voice. My debut! You don't understand. Herr Grumpel declares
that I shall make such a reputation as----" She threw up her hands as
though it were impossible to estimate the fame awaiting her. "How can
you be so cruel? Besides, it would ruin the Prince with the Emperor.
You would not have him ruined just for poor little me!"
I was fast losing patience. "It is rather a question whether you are to
ruin Fraeulein Althea by keeping silence."
Her features drew together as if she were going to cry. "Do you mean
that Althea wishes this? That she would selfishly sacrifice my future
in this way?"
"She may be in very serious danger if it should be known that she is the
daughter of Baron von Ringheim."
"But who is likely to tell that?" she asked with an air of quite artless
innocence; and then added quickly: "Besides, in that case it would be of
no use to say anything about the Prince."
It was useless to break oneself against the wall of such selfishness as
this, so I tried a different argument. "Let me show you one way in which
you can turn this matter to your own great advantage." All sign of
tears passed away instantly. "Your future depends upon your securing
the favour of the Court. Now, if you were to submit yourself to the
Emperor's will in the matter of the Imperial marriage and sacrifice your
wishes in regard to the Prince because you have just heard of the
Imperial desires, His Majesty would highly appreciate your
self-sacrifice; the whole country would ring with your romantic
self-denial; and you would gain a bigger advertisement for your debut
than any singer ever enjoyed in this Empire."
She saw all this in a flash, and her eyes shone with the light of
ambitious desire. "Oh, Herr Bastable! But do you think it could be
done?"
"Shall I make some inquiries? I have friends on whom I can rely."
"Oh, you would be the best friend a poor lonely girl could have in the
world. But we must be quite certain first, mustn't we?"
"You would lose the man you love, remember."
She sighed and cast down her eyes, a picture of beautiful resignation.
"It would be terrible," she murmured. "But there is dear Althea to
think of, isn't there? It is, perhaps, my duty."
She pressed my hand warmly at parting, and urged me to come again as
soon as I had any news to bring; and before I left the house, I heard
her rich melodious voice ring out. She had resumed her practice.
As I closed the front door behind me I saw Hagar Ziegler again. She was
now in close conversation with Hugo von Felsen; and as I did not wish
him to know of my visit to Chalice at such a time, I walked off in the
opposite direction.
He had seen me, however, and presently came hurrying after me. "Ah,
Herr Bastable! It is you then," he said as he reached me. "How did you
find the ladies?"
"I don't know that I am much concerned to tell you," I answered curtly.
"Has Fraeulein Althea returned? Isn't that an extraordinary affair?"
"I really have no time to discuss gossip with you."
"I think it will be worth your while," he replied meaningly. "I heard
of your change of plans, too, when you were actually at the station. My
friend Bernhoff told me. He is a grand fellow, Bernhoff."
"A testimonial from you is certainly a strong recommendation," I replied
as nastily as I could speak.
But he only smiled and spread out his hands. "I'm afraid you are still
angry with me on account of that chat of ours the other night at the
Ohlsen's dance--about Fraeulein Althea. But I'm not a fellow to bear
malice. And you know, as every one knows, how intensely I admire her."
"I don't care a hang whether you bear malice or not."
"You are very difficult, Bastable; but really I wish to be your friend,
and to warn you. People are talking about you."
"Let them talk then."
"This visit to this house here on the morning after Fraeulein Althea's
disappearance; your sudden change of plans yesterday; the hurried visit
of Prince von Graven to your house this morning. These things cause
questions"; and he gave me a very sly significant smile.
"As you appear to be asking them, the best thing you can do is to answer
them in your own way. Good-morning"; and with that I turned on my heel.
But although I could get rid of him, I could not so easily shake off the
unpleasant impression his words had made. He had certainly been spying
on me. Why? Could he have any suspicion of the truth?
The more I considered matters, the closer appeared to be von Felsen's
connexion with them. It was he who had first told me of the Prince's
supposed love for Althea; he had hinted at the probable effect of the
Kaiser's anger; it was from his father's office that the order for the
arrest had come; and as he was in that office, it was highly probable,
almost certain, indeed, that on the night of the dance he had already
known it was to be made.
The thing looked like cause and effect; but then there was the fact that
he had laid stress on his admiration for Althea. He could not wish to
see a girl he cared for in the rough clutches of the police. The thing
was absurd.
It was a fair presumption, however, that he was trying to find her. His
knowledge of the Prince's visit to me that morning showed that some one
was shadowing the Prince, and the spy had carried the news straight to
von Felsen. I had certainly blundered badly in letting the Prince come
to Althea's hiding-place.
He had known also of my visit to Chalice; and then it occurred to me
that Hagar Ziegler had been used for that purpose. The Steiners were
Jews, and she might well be a friend. I recalled her manner when she
had come hurrying out as I stood in the hall. She had been going to
leave the house. Was it to carry word to him, and had she brought him
there to wait for me when I left?
The whole business was a very ugly complication, and the best thing
would be for us to smuggle Althea out of Berlin while I set to work to
straighten it out.
I returned home, both puzzled and ill at ease, to report the result of
my interview with Chalice; and Bessie met me with news of another twist
in the skein.
"Aunt Charlotte has arrived, Paul," she said, with a very long face.
"The deuce! Why she wasn't to come for a week or so."
"Well, she's here anyway. You'd better come up to her room and see her
at once"; and she turned and ran upstairs. "She does these odd things,
you know."
My aunt was a particularly nervous person, and about the last we wanted
to have in the house at such a time. I followed Bessie, wondering what
sort of explanation of Althea's presence I could make.
"Have you told her about Althea?" I asked.
"She will only think she is staying with us in the ordinary way,"
replied Bessie, pausing with her hand on the door-knob. "And you'd
better be careful. She has one of her headaches after the travelling.
You know what she is at such times."
She was lying on the sofa with her back to the light, her long greyish
curls straggling over her shoulder, and a handkerchief pressed to her
brows.
"I am sorry to hear you have a bad headache after your journey, Aunt
Charlotte," I said as I tiptoed across to her couch.
She gave a faint little moan of pain, and held out three fingers in a
way I knew well. I just touched them. "I am very glad to see you," I
murmured, as she withdrew them quickly.
"Don't make a noise, Paul," said Bessie, as she knelt down by the sofa.
A most unnecessary caution, for I was not moving. "Men are so rough,
are they not, aunt? Shall I bathe your head, dear? Get the scent,
Paul. On the mantelpiece."
I tiptoed to the other end of the room, and Bessie called "Hush!" in a
very aggressive whisper.
As I turned, bottle in hand, I noticed that they were both shaking with
what looked uncommonly like suppressed laughter; and as I reached the
sofa again, Bessie got up giggling. Then I understood and joined in the
laughter, and "Aunt Charlotte" let me see her face.
"You ought to have known her hand, Paul," cried Bessie. "One would
suppose you had never seen it before."
"All right. Grin away. You had me. Those curls took me in; they are
Aunt Charlotte's to the life."
"They may well be. It's the wig she left here last time."
"Is your head too bad to let you stand up so that I can see your dress,
'aunt'?" I asked.
"It is all Bessie's work," said Althea, as she stood up.
"It's great," I agreed. "I believe I should have passed you in the
street, and I am sure I should if you had a veil on"; and then Bessie
explained how she had been thinking it all out.
"And now, about Chalice? Wasn't she in terrible distress?" asked
Althea.
"No. She appeared to think that you would be all right and had not
worried in the least."
Bessie coughed significantly and glanced at me. I went on to describe
what had passed; and Althea was as firm as ever in her resolve not to do
anything which would prejudice Chalice's prospects. I held my tongue
about the last argument I had used with Chalice.
"I've seen others beside Chalice," I said presently. "Hugo von Felsen.
I have the idea that he is in some way mixed up in this. Can you tell
me of any reason why he would be likely to take a hand?"
Althea paused a second and then looked up with a smile. "He wishes me
to marry him. He has asked me more than once; and the only benefit I
ever had from the supposed attentions of the Prince was a relief from
his. Why does that make you look so serious?" she asked with another
smile, seeing my grave look.
"I am thinking."
"It's a big effort for Paul," bantered Bessie.
I gestured impatiently. "Tell me, do you think it possible he can have
guessed your secret--about your father, I mean?"
"Yes, he knows it. Why do you ask that?"
"Because things are forcing me to the conclusion that in some way or
other he is at the bottom of all the trouble. I don't understand it
yet; but I will before long, if I have to drag it out of him by force."
But I would not alarm them by saying anything of von Felsen's suspicions
that Althea was with us.
I knew it well enough now, however, and recognized to the full the
danger which it boded.
CHAPTER IV
EPHRAIM ZIEGLER
Althea's statement--that von Felsen had pressed her to marry him--made
it plain to me that he was pulling the strings in everything; although
why he should endeavour to secure her arrest in order to further his
purpose, baffled me.
If his motive were jealousy, however, it was possible that he would call
a halt when he learnt the truth about the Prince. I urged Althea to let
me tell him, but she would not. Her quixotic regard for Chalice stood
in the way. Nor would she adopt the alternative advice I tendered--that
"Aunt Charlotte" should leave Berlin as secretly and mysteriously as she
had arrived.
Nothing was left for me, therefore, but to cast about for some other
means of dealing with von Felsen. In the meantime I knew he would lose
no time in confirming his suspicions as to Althea's whereabouts.
This was soon made plain. I was speaking to Bessie when von Bernhoff's
card was brought to us; and when he was shown up, von Felsen was with
him. Von Bernhoff introduced him to Bessie, and he made himself
insinuatingly polite to her.
A lot of small talk followed: a good deal of it about my interrupted
journey; and von Bernhoff asked if I was going on the following day.
"I don't think Aunt Charlotte will let you go, Paul," said Bessie, who
was as cool and self-possessed as possible.
"Frau Ellicott has come then?" said von Bernhoff, who had known of the
intended visit. "I shall be glad to see her again. She is a charming
lady."
"She arrived this morning," said Bessie in the most matter of fact tone.
"You should see Frau Ellicott," said von Bernhoff to von Felsen, who had
pricked up his ears at this. "She is a perfect type of an English lady."
"I shall hope for the honour of being presented," he smirked.
"She will be delighted, I am sure. Lieutenant von Bernhoff is a
favourite of hers, and any friend of his may count upon her good
graces." I thought Bessie was carrying things a bit too far; but von
Felsen was keeping an eye on me, and I could not warn her. "To-day she
has a bad headache. You may remember how a journey upsets her."
"Ah yes, indeed"; and von Bernhoff shrugged his shoulders with a gesture
of commiseration. "I remember too how interested she was in Fraeulein
Chalice Mennerheim. More than once she has spoken to me in raptures
about her voice."
"She is passionately fond of music and used to be a great singer
herself," was Bessie's absolutely composed reply.
"This news about Fraeulein Korper will interest her greatly, then,"
interjected von Felsen; and I saw why Chalice's name had been dragged in
so clumsily.
Bessie was on the point of replying when we heard footsteps in the room
overhead, and the sound of some one singing the jewel song from Faust.
Then the door above was opened and the voice sounded nearer. The singer
came downstairs.
"One of Fraeulein Chalice's songs," said von Felsen, with a grin.
Bessie rose. She was quite cool. "Aunt Charlotte must be better, Paul.
I'll go and see if she will not come down to see Lieutenant von
Bernhoff."
Von Felsen hastened to open the door for her, and took the opportunity
of glancing up the stairs. "She has a young voice, your aunt," he said
to me as he closed the door behind Bessie.
"She is no longer a young woman, as you will see."
"If she is well enough to come to us," he retorted meaningly.
"At any rate her headache is better," grinned von Bernhoff; and then we
sat in silence until Bessie returned, laughing merrily.
"A most ridiculous mistake, Paul. I don't know how we could be so
stupid. It was Ellen singing--our maid, you know," she added to the
others. "Aunt Charlotte opened the door to tell her to be quiet. She
is very angry at having been woke up."
Then came another mishap. The two men were murmuring their obviously
insincere regrets when Ellen entered and said the Prince von Graven
wished to see me.
"Show him up," I said, with a sort of feeling that nothing mattered now.
Von Felsen gave such a leer of triumph that I could have kicked him.
"He is, indeed, an ultimate friend of yours, Bastable. Two visits in
one day"; and with that the two men went, meeting the Prince on the
landing.
"I could almost cry with vexation," whispered Bessie.
"It's too serious for tears, Bess. Was Althea coming down here?"
She nodded. "I was just in time to stop her."
"She might almost as well have come," I grunted. "You had better leave
me alone with the Prince. Try and persuade Althea to make a bolt of
it."
The interview with the Prince was very short. Eagerness to learn the
result of my visit to Chalice had brought him together with the desire
to tell me he had found out that the arrest was not ordered by the
Kaiser, who knew nothing about it. I told him what had passed between
Chalice and myself.
"I was afraid of it; but of course she must have her own way," he
declared feebly.
"Do you think she has the right to ruin Fraeulein Althea, then?"
"It is most perplexing, baffling. I do not see what to do."
"Not to tell the truth is simply cowardly," I said with some warmth.
"Herr Bastable!" and he drew himself up to his full height.
"To place one woman in danger merely for another woman's caprice is
cowardly, Prince von Graven. And you are chiefly responsible."
"Do you speak in this way with Fraeulein Althea's sanction?"
"On the contrary, she is all too willing to sacrifice herself."
"Then it is scarcely pertinent to the matter."
"Pertinent or impertinent, it is the truth," I declared bluntly,
disgusted at his indifference to Althea's welfare.
"Are you seeking to force a quarrel upon me, sir?"
"No. I am merely trying to rouse you to do what you ought to do."
"I am the best judge of that."
"Then we may as well end the interview"; and I threw open the door.
He was bursting with indignation. "I am extremely disappointed in you,
Herr Bastable."
"A mutual feeling, I assure you, Prince"; and I bowed him out.
I was glad to be rid of him. His news--that the arrest was not at the
Kaiser's bidding--confirmed my belief that I must deal with von Felsen
as the chief instigator, and I must lose no time in getting to work to
checkmate him.
I knew a good deal about him. He had lived a wastrel, dissipated life,
and was deep in the hands of the Jews; and the fact that I had seen him
with Hagar Ziegler led me to think I could get from her father what I
wanted--something discreditable which would enable me to pull him up
short.
Old Ephraim Ziegler was under a considerable obligation to me. During
my newspaper work I had refrained from taking a certain line in regard
to a very dirty transaction in which he was concerned, and had saved the
old Jew from being prosecuted. He knew this, and had more than once
expressed himself anxious to show me some practical appreciation of that
service.
I was shown at once into his office, and he received me with more than
unctuous servility.
"Ah, Herr Bastable, this is indeed an honour," he said, rubbing his fat
hands together while his beady eyes searched my face in doubt whether I
had again come to undo some of his questionable work.
"So you haven't forgotten me?"
"Forgotten you!" he cried, spreading wide his arms. "You are one of the
only friends poor Ephraim Ziegler ever had. You come on business? A
little money, eh?"
I shook my head. "Oh no, not that."
This disconcerted him somewhat. He jumped to the conclusion that it
must be something unpleasant. I let him think that for a while and,
referring to one of the former cases, hinted that I had come to warn
him, and that something had been discovered which might mean trouble for
him. But I ended with an assurance that personally I would not do
anything against him. Then I rose as if to leave.
He trembled and was very frightened; his flabby cheeks paled, and his
voice shook as he pressed me to stay. "It is such an honour you do me,"
he declared. Thus pressed, I resumed my seat, and we chatted about a
number of matters until I brought the talk round to von Felsen,
mentioning his name casually among several others. "He's one of the
flies in your web, you old spider," I laughed.
"He owes me a lot of money, that young man," he said. It was his habit
to gloat over his cunning in such matters. "But it will be all right in
the end."
"Where's he to get it from to pay you? Not from his father."
"Not from his father; that is true. But he will get it, he will get
it"; and he sat pressing his finger-tips together with such an air of
satisfaction that it set me thinking. I remembered that he was a Pole,
and had been mixed up once before with one of the Polish schemes.
"There are other things beside money to pay debts with, eh?" I put all
the significance I could into the question, and winked at him. "You old
fox!"
"You almost make me afraid of you, Herr Bastable. You get to know so
much," he answered after a pause, and with a leer intended to flatter
me.
"Would you like to know what I do know about this?" I laughed. "Your
'almost' would then be 'quite,' I assure you"; and I rose again as if to
leave.
"Oh no, no. Don't go yet," he cried eagerly.
Down I sat again with a shrug as if to please him. "You want to find out
how much I do know, eh? But I did not come to discuss politics"--I
paused intentionally on the word, and the effect satisfied me--"but just
to warn you about that old Martin affair. You can't pump me; but you'd
better go carefully in both concerns."
His uneasiness showed that my old experience with him stood me in good
stead now. He had a wholesome fear of my sources of information. He
paused, hunched up in his chair, and asked suddenly: "Why did you
mention Hugo von Felsen's name to me?"
I had an inspiration and resolved upon a shot. I took out my cigarette
case, selected one with great care, and as I lit it, looked across at
him. "Your daughter is a very handsome girl, Ziegler."
The shot told instantly. "You mean something. Herr Bastable," he cried,
leaning forward in his eagerness. "You are my friend. You must tell
me. I love my Hagar. She is the light of my life. Tell me," he
repeated.
I wished with all my heart that I could; but I could only look as if my
secret knowledge would fill an encyclopaedia.
This spurred his eagerness. "Ah, my friend, my dear Herr Bastable, you
must tell me," he urged.
I shook my head. "You are a very clever old spider but--some one is
blabbing. Look out." It was a safe general sort of shot and added to
his mystification. He bit his nails and his eyes rolled from side to
side rapidly. It was his way when deeply moved. "Do you mean about
Hagar?" he asked at length.
I knew by this that there was something more important than Hagar
behind. He would always put the less important consideration in front.
"No. It's the other affair; about the----" I broke off, and his eyes
fastened on mine as if to read in them the rest of the sentence. "But
it's no affair of mine," I added with a shrug. "Why should I bother
myself? But don't forget my warning."
"Do you mean we have been betrayed? That there is a spy among us?"
I turned grave for an instant. "I name no names, Ziegler; but some one
gave you away the other day when you failed."
The effect of this second shot was startling. "God of my fathers, if I
thought it was von Felsen I would----." He clenched his hands in rage.
I was almost as excited as he was, but I took care he should not see it.
Von Felsen was mixed up in these Polish schemes; and if I could get at
the truth, I should have him in the hollow of my hand. "It wasn't von
Felsen," I said to reassure him. "He's too deep in, and too much in
your power to chatter. You know that. And I shan't give you away. I
have too much sympathy with your cause. But it wasn't von Felsen. I
assure you that, although I bear him no good-will."
I had succeeded in convincing him that I knew a lot; and he had not a
suspicion that I had been merely guessing on the strength of the hints
he himself had dropped. He sat a long time thinking, and was greatly
disturbed.
"You have startled me, Herr Bastable; but I know you sympathize with the
cause. I know that from what you have written in your paper. But why
do you bear ill-will to Hugo?"
"Hugo," eh? He spoke or thought of him by his Christian name. The
inference was easy. Von Felsen was playing a double matrimonial game.
"When may one offer congratulations, Ziegler?" I asked with a smile. I
could afford to smile, for I was winning, hands down.
"It is Hagar's wish. She loves him; and she will be a countess, too."
"Two excellent reasons. And meanwhile you find him useful to get----"
Again I broke off the sentence and finished with a knowing smile.
"You are the devil, Herr Bastable," he replied with a laugh.
"Well, it is at least useful to be able to get inside information when
very important papers are in the hands of an Imperial messenger, eh?"
"I don't know what you mean by that," he answered, wagging his head.
I affected to take offence. "It's enough for my purposes that I do. Is
it worth while to try and fool me? I don't take to it easily, you know."
"I am not trying it," he protested.
"Then don't pretend that von Felsen isn't in all this with you. I know
too much. And now, look here, I'll tell you the real object of this
visit. Von Felsen is trying a fool's game with me, and it has to stop.
I know he daren't go against you, Ziegler, and you daren't go against
me; even if your friendship for me were less than it is."
My tone alarmed him. "What is he doing? I have influence with him, of
course."
"What he is doing may turn out to touch you pretty closely; but never
mind what it is for the present. Give me a line to him--that I am your
friend and that anything he does against me is the same as if done
against you."
"Of course I will," he consented. He wrote a few lines quickly and
handed them to me.
MY DEAR HUGO,--
"Herr Bastable is a great friend of mine. Any service to him is a
service to me; and the reverse.
"EPHRAIM ZIEGLER."
"That will do. And now a last word. Not a syllable to him or any one
of what has passed between us to-day."
"I give you my honour, my dear Herr Bastable," he agreed readily.
"I shall hear if you talk, mind; and if I do--well I shall take it as a
sign that I am to talk on my side. And I shall." I left him with that
and walked out of his office on excellent terms with myself.
I was convinced that von Felsen was so tight in the toils that the
letter I had obtained would frighten him consumedly. But I little
thought of the grim results which were to flow from that afternoon's
conversation.
I hurried home as fast as I could, and it was fortunate that I did so.
As my cab drew up at the house, I found von Felsen and Dormund at the
open door. I saw the move at once, without von Felsen's smug
explanation. "Herr Dormund has a question to put to your sister,
Bastable, about Fraeulein Althea."
"I trust I am not intruding, Herr Bastable," said Dormund
apologetically; "but Herr von Felsen tells me Miss Bastable has
expressed the wish to give me important information."
"Von Felsen is wrong. My sister does not know any more than I do; but
come into my den here and I'll see if she is at home," I replied
indifferently.
"Your servant has already told us she is," put in von Felsen.
"Then I'll go and fetch her"; and I handed out my cigars and left them.
It was a tight corner; but of course Dormund must not see Bessie. It
would at once reveal the trick I had played him at the station. Yet to
deny her after Ellen's admission that she was at home would be the
tamest subterfuge which he would see through in a second.
There was only one course: to call von Felsen out, face him with
Ziegler's letter and make him get rid of Dormund. I was about to do
this when another blow fell.
Ellen came running up to me, white of face and trembling.
"There are a number of police at the door, sir."
A loud knock at that instant confirmed her words.
It was a pretty fix in all truth, and I stood hesitating in perplexity
what to do, when the knocking was repeated more insistently.
Obviously there was nothing for it but to admit the police, so I sent
Ellen downstairs, and prepared to meet the crisis with as bold a face as
possible.
CHAPTER V
ALTHEA'S STORY
I opened the door and found three men there, two of them in police
uniform.
"Herr Dormund is here?" asked one of them.
"Yes," I said, and they entered.
"We must see him at once."
"Certainly." I went to the room where Dormund sat with von Felsen.
"Some of your men wish to see you, Herr Dormund."
He jumped up quickly, and the next moment I breathed freely again.
Instead of fresh trouble, the visit was a rare stroke of luck. He had
left word where he was to be found, and the men had come with an urgent
message for him to go to the police headquarters at once.
He excused himself to me hurriedly, and a minute later he and the others
had left the house. I had scared myself for nothing.
I returned to von Felsen. "Herr Dormund has been recalled to his
office. Why did you bring him here?"
"I thought you would like him to be perfectly satisfied that it was your
sister whom he saw at the station?" he replied, forcing a laugh.
"You think it wasn't, then?"
He was still laughing maliciously. "He described her as a dark girl."
"And you thought I had misled him, eh?"
"Fraeulein Althea is dark," he replied significantly.
"It didn't occur to you, I suppose, that I might have been doing a good
turn for any other dark girl. A Jewess, for instance."
"I don't know what you mean."
"A friend of Ephraim Ziegler's, for instance."
"What are you driving at?"
"It's getting near to my turn to laugh, von Felsen."
"Fraeulein Althea is in this house," he rapped out sharply. "You helped
her to get out of Dormund's clutches at the station, and you are
sheltering her here."
"Assume for a moment that she is here--mind you, I don't admit it. But
assume it, what were you going to gain by putting Dormund on the track?
I want the truth, you know. Suppose you had succeeded in putting her in
the hands of the police, how would that help you?"
He rose. "Mind your own business," he said angrily.
"No, it's yours I am minding just now. You are going to stop this
hunting down of Fraeulein Althea. If you don't I shall turn hunter
myself, with you as the quarry. You are not worth quarrelling with, so
you needn't trouble yourself to stand sneering there. I shan't take any
notice. Just read this."
I handed him the letter which Ziegler had given me. He started nervously
as he read it, changed colour, and looked at me with an expression of
bitter hate.
"I asked Herr Ziegler when I might congratulate him on Hagar's
marriage," I said with a smile. "And that's one reason why I want to
know your reason for what you are doing against Fraeulein Althea. You
profess to wish to marry her, you know; and even the son of a powerful
Minister can't marry them both."
His confusion and anger were so intense that he could not find any reply
to make to my jibe. He dropped back into his seat and sat biting his
nails and scowling. I was delighted with my success.
"Well?" I asked at length. "A bit awkward, isn't it? I told you it was
getting to be my turn to laugh. But I'm ready to come to an
understanding. Drop this hunting business, and I'll hold my tongue to
Ziegler."
"You've cornered me," he admitted with an oath. Then he laughed and
swore again. "It wasn't my doing."
"What wasn't?"
"About Althea. I had to seem to wish it. It's my father's plan."
"You did the seeming very realistically," I retorted drily. "What are
you going to do?"
"Marry the Ziegler girl when the time comes. I've no choice"; and he
shrugged his shoulders and sneered.
"Why did your father wish you to marry a poor girl like Fraeulein
Althea?"
"If I'm not going to do it, what does that matter?"
"Not much, and I'll see that you don't do it," I replied as I rose.
"We'll call a halt on both sides. I shan't talk so long as you run
straight. But mind you do"; and with that I let him go.
I was well satisfied with the result of the interview. He was a man on
whose fear I could play pretty safely, and his change of manner on
reading the letter had convinced me that he went in deadly fear of the
ruin which the wily old Jew held over his head.
I did not envy Hagar her prospective husband; but that was her affair.
She loved him--Heaven knows there is no accounting for the vagaries of a
woman's heart--and if she wished to marry him, she must have her way.
But he should not marry Althea. That I was firmly resolved, whether it
was his father's idea or not. Not if the Emperor himself and the whole
Court were set upon it. What the real reason might be behind the scheme
I had not yet fathomed; but I had done well enough, and would find out
the rest.
There was no longer any urgent reason for Althea to leave the house, and
elated with my success I ran up to tell the others my news.
I found Althea alone. She did not hear my knock at the door, and was
sitting by the window buried in thought, her face resting on her hand,
and gazing out across the city.
She started at my entrance and looked round hurriedly. "I am afraid I
am disturbing you," I said.
"No, no. Please come in, Mr. Bastable. Bessie insisted on going out to
look for some place to which I can go on leaving here. She declares she
will go with me; but I----" She broke off with a little shrug of
protest.
She was pale, and her eyes had a worried, anxious expression. I had not
been alone with her since her arrival at the house. I had purposely
avoided that, indeed, for fear lest some sign of my love for her should
escape me. While she remained in our care I could not, of course, give
even a hint of my feelings. It had not been so difficult to assume
indifference in Bessie's presence; but alone with her I was afraid of
myself.
"She would go, of course; but fortunately it will not be necessary for
either of you to leave," I said in a level tone.
She smiled. "I read in that that you have been able to help me yet
further. Tell me--unless you have no time to spare."
"I think I have been able to call a halt in all this"; and I went on to
describe von Felsen's trick of bringing Dormund to the house, and how I
had succeeded in checking him by means of the information about Hagar.
"You think he will marry that Jewess?"
"I think he goes in terror of her father, and that the Jew holds his
fate in the hollow of his hand."
She nodded, and was silent for a space, and then shook her head. "Will
you tell me what you know of Ephraim Ziegler?"
"Do you know him?" I asked in surprise.
She paused again, sighed, and glanced at me. "I owe you so much that I
am bound to tell you everything. I am sure you will not betray me?" She
stretched out her hand and laid it on my arm with a wistful gesture.
My pulses beat fast at the contact. "I hope you feel that."
"Of course I do," she said simply, withdrawing her hand again. For a
moment she turned away and gazed out of the window, the red glare of the
setting sun lighting her face. "He is a Pole, like my father; and you
know the dream of every Pole--national independence. We have been
foully wronged, and deep down in every Polish heart burns the desire for
retribution. In that I, too, am a true Pole." Her eyes were ablaze
with the light of enthusiasm as she turned them suddenly upon me. "I
would freely give my life for the cause if it could do good; but, alas!
I know it is but an empty dream. I am not blind."
"You have not taken any active part in any movement, surely?" I asked in
some dismay.
"It is that which is probably behind the attempt to arrest me. The
Government holds us all for enemies of the state. Any step is held to
be fair against my countrymen. They are so conscious of the wrong they
have done us that that very knowledge urges them farther along the road
of oppression. I am my father's daughter and so am suspect. But I have
not plotted, as have so many of us, against the Government. I know the
uselessness. My father has written me often of the plans, and has urged
me to use my opportunities here in Berlin for the cause."
"And yet you venture to remain here?"
"Herr Ziegler is deep in the schemes," she replied, not heeding my
question. "You know what the policy is now. To ally ourselves with
every disaffected element in the Empire, to stir discontent, to band
together every section of malcontents, to lose no chance of throwing
discredit on the Government, and when the time comes to raise the cry
for Independence."
"And yet you venture to remain here?" I repeated.
"Do you think I am a coward?" and again she laid her hand on my arm.
"No, Mr. Bastable, we Poles are dreamers and visionaries, but we are not
cowards."
"I should not make that mistake, I assure you."
"I have told you because--well, because I wish you to know. I would
trust my life to you. I have never in all my life had such friends as
you and your sister."
"I thank you for that," I said in a low voice, averting my eyes that she
might not see how deeply her words moved me.
She was silent for fully a minute, and my heart was beating so lustily
that I half feared she would hear it.
"And is your father deeply concerned?" I asked, to break the trying
silence.
"My dear father," she replied, with a smile and a sigh. "Ah, Mr.
Bastable, if you could see him you would smile at your own question. In
former years he was a power in the movement; but he is old now, and has
brooded so long upon his wrongs that his mind has been affected. He was
then indeed an enemy to be counted with, but he is no more his old self.
Things are done in his name because of the influence he once wielded,
but he himself does them no longer. They have broken him on the wheel
of persecution. Pity rather than terror should be the emotion he stirs;
but what do the iron rulers of this great Empire know of pity?"
"And the end?"
She tossed up her hands and let them fall on her lap. "Failure, of
course, with its accompaniment of more proscriptions, more
imprisonments, more tyranny."
"But yourself?"
"I have done no wrong and do not fear. Besides, have I not found a
friend in you?" and she gave me a bright smile.
"I wish you would let that friend see you safe out of the country," I
said very earnestly.
She shook her head slowly. "I am no coward to fly; but if ever it
should come to that and I ask your help, you will not fail me I know."
"On my honour, I will not," I cried, all my heart in my voice. "I shall
wait for that day."
"I am sure of you, Herr Bastable," she replied simply.
Again we were silent for a while. I could not trust myself to speak,
and this time it was she who broke the silence. "I am very glad I have
told you," she said. "Glad because it is good to share confidence with
a friend, and glad, too, because you will see why it is not right for me
to remain here, to let you and your sister run this risk on my account.
She must not go with me when I leave your house. You understand that
now?"
"We shall not let you go."
"Spoken like a friend, and as I should expect you to speak. But there
is another reason. I scarcely know how to speak of it. And yet why
should I hesitate? You will understand now. I would gladly stay, ah,
so gladly! But I have had to learn to put aside my own desires. There
are two deciding motives in my life--my father's welfare and that of
Chalice."
"She does not consider you," I burst out bluntly.
"I won't hear that," she smiled. "I don't wish to hear any discordant
note from you. You are not angry that I speak so," she cried quickly,
as she put out her hand again.
"I am only sorry that I said it, since it grieves you."
"Well, then, were it not for something you have said now, those motives
would drive me to leave you at once. You will think it strange when I
say it has to do with Herr von Felsen. Ah, you frown."
"Surprise only. How can he have anything to do with such a decision?"
"I told you, and I think he has told you also, that he wishes to make me
his--his wife." Her voice dropped as she hesitated over the word.
"Well?"
My voice must have betrayed something of the feeling with which I heard
this, for she looked up and said hastily: "I am speaking to the best
friend I ever had, am I not? To one who understands that I have to
think of both those who love and trust to me--my father and Chalice?
You will have wondered why Hugo von Felsen should entertain such a wish.
I will tell you. He knows my secret--I told you that before. You
remember?"
"Yes, I remember." Try as I would I could not make my tone other than
hard.
"He is one of the few who know also the real facts about my father--that
he is no longer a power among the Polish Irreconcilables. And by the
influence of his father, the Count von Felsen, a pardon for my father
can be obtained, and our family estates can be restored; not indeed to
him, but to--to my husband if that husband should be Hugo von Felsen."
There was a long pause. "There is the Jewess," I said then.
"It is what you have told me about that which baffles me," she replied
with a gesture of bewilderment.
"How do you know that what he has told you is true?"
"Do you think he is a man to seek as his wife a girl who has no fortune?
And I have none at present. Why then does he press this? Just before
this attempt to arrest me, he urged me vehemently to marry him at once
and secretly. I would not; I could not, I despise him so"; and she
shuddered. "I used the supposed attentions of the Prince to put him
off, and now you see the screw has been turned."
"The scoundrel," I muttered.
"Hard words will not solve my dilemma, my friend. I wish they would!"
and she sighed heavily. "It is my turn to-day, to-morrow it will be
Chalice's, and then my father's. I see only the one way out; but then
there is this Jewess."
I sat thinking hard. "If there were a way out you would take it?"
Her face lighted eagerly for a second, and then fell again. "Of course;
but there is none."
"I am not so sure of that. Will you let me try to find one?"
She thrust out her hand impulsively. "With all my heart," she said
fervently.
Our eyes met as our hands were clasped. "Don't give up yet," I said as
I rose. "We are a long way from being beaten yet. But you must let me
take my own course, and promise to do nothing without first telling me."
"Why, of course. I promise that freely. But the power behind him is
very strong."
My sister came in then, with a very official-looking letter for me.
"A very fussy individual gave me this for you, Paul, as I was coming in,
and said it was urgent."
I opened it, and found it was a curt summons to an interview on the
following morning with von Felsen's father. As I slipped it into my
pocket I saw Althea's eyes fixed on me questioningly.
I told her what it was, and added with a smile: "I think it should be
the first step to the way out."
"I have found the very place for us to go to, Althea," broke in Bessie.
"You may not have to go at all, Bess, and certainly not yet," I told
her.
"What do you mean?"
"Fraeulein Althea will explain everything," and with that I went off to
think over the whole tangle.
CHAPTER VI
A STROKE OF LUCK
As soon as I reached my room I sat down to look the difficulties of the
problem before me fairly in the face. And formidable enough they were.
The interview with Althea had shifted the axis of everything. What I
had deemed the mere comedy of the Imperial marriage--a matter which a
few words of explanation would set right instantly--had developed into a
grave drama in which Althea's future was imperilled. And with that was
intertwined my own happiness.
Her confidence in telling me everything so frankly, no less than the
hundred little touches with which it had all been told, had at once
raised my own hopes of being able to win her if only I could clear away
the tangle, and at the same time had convinced me of her belief that the
forces arrayed against us were too formidable to be overcome.
I did not make the mistake of underrating them. This summons to Count
von Felsen was a proof that I must reckon with powerful Court
influences; and that if I was not to be beaten, I must find some means
of defeating not only von Felsen but his influential father also.
That meant that I must be able to secure the pardon for Althea's erratic
father which was to be the price of her consent to the proposed
marriage.
For such a purpose it would not be enough to rouse old Ziegler's fury
against von Felsen on the score of the latter's contemplated refusal to
marry Hagar. Even if that marriage took place and von Felsen were thus
unable to marry Althea, the latter's case would not be helped. Her
father would remain unpardoned, and she herself and Chalice would be in
the same danger.
I must dig deeper than that. I had appreciated this when Althea had
been telling me her story, and my thought had been to get von Felsen so
completely into my power that I could make terms even with his father.
This would be difficult, of course; but not perhaps impossible. If I
could but get proofs that he had been acting in collusion with the
Polish party, and had actually used his position in his father's office
to obtain information and sell it to them, I should have him surely
enough.
That he had done it, and was going to do it again, my talk with Ziegler
had made me pretty certain. But how was I to get the proof?
I spent several profitless hours wrestling with that puzzle, and sat far
into the night endeavouring to hit on a scheme by which von Felsen might
be trapped. Only to be utterly baffled, however.
If it could be done at all, it would have to be through Ziegler; but how
to use him without rousing his suspicions of my purpose, I could not
see.
On the following morning I was starting for the interview with the
Minister, when a letter came from Ziegler asking me to see him on "very
particular business." Glad of the opportunity to see him so soon
without having appeared to seek the interview, I sent word I would call
in the course of the morning; and I was not a little curious as to what
the "very particular business" would prove to be. I could only hope it
would give the opportunity I sought.
My reception at the Count's office was very different from what I had
anticipated from the peremptory nature of the summons. I did not see
the Minister himself but his secretary named Borsen, whom I knew to be
closely in his confidence. He had moreover been friendly with me during
my time as newspaper correspondent. He received me very pleasantly, and
shook hands with a great show of cordiality. "I just want to have a
little informal chat over matters with you, my dear Bastable, in a
perfectly frank and friendly way," he said with a smile.
"The invitation was not exactly informal, Borsen," I replied.
"Ah well, you know we are sticklers for red tape. If I had been in
London I should have dropped in on you without any invitation at all,
but here----" and he flourished his hands as a finish to the sentence.
"I should have been pleased to see you in Berlin, also," I laughed,
adapting my manner to his.
"But you have visitors and I might have been in the way, you see."
"Visitors?" I repeated with a lift of the brows. "Ah, let us be
perfectly frank with one another."
"Certainly. Will you lead the way?"
"Well, we know that Fraeulein Korper is in your house." He paused for
me to make the admission.
"If she were there, I should certainly know it. My sister would
scarcely----"
"Won't you admit it?" he interrupted. "And save time?"
"Hadn't you better tell me first why you think it?"
He laughed. "You were leaving Berlin and changed your plans at the last
moment. At the station you were with your sister whose looks had so
changed--she was dark, you know, not fair--that no one could recognize
her. The dark young lady drove with you to your house. Your German
servant, Gretchen, I think her name is, saw her on her arrival. You
discharged that most worthy young woman suddenly. There is a lady in
your house who sings the songs of the accomplished Chalice Mennerheim in
a voice which is the counterpart of Fraeulein Korper's. Need I say any
more?"
"My dear Borsen, nobody knows better than you the absolute unreliability
of merely circumstantial evidence. Herr Dormund came yesterday to see my
sister, and would instantly have recognized her as the lady he saw at
the station, but just as she was coming down to him, he had to leave the
house."
"Very well, then we'll assume she is not there. But report says that
you take a deep personal interest in her. Do you know who she is?" and
he went on to tell me what Althea herself had already told me about the
Baron von Ringheim, her father, his ill reputation as an irreconcilable,
the desire to arrest him, and further that Althea herself was believed
to have been helping him in his designs.
"All of which means?" I asked when he ended.
"That I am sure your knowledge of political matters and police methods
here in Berlin will render you extremely unwilling to run counter to
them in any way."
"I am much obliged to you for the warning, Borsen; and now suppose we
get on to the real purport of this interview."
"As blunt as ever, eh?" he laughed.
"Well, my dear fellow, of course if she was in my house and your people
knew it, you'd send straight away and arrest her; and then probably do
something unpleasant to me for having helped her. Why don't you?"
"That may come, and be followed by the arrest of Fraeulein Chalice
Mennerheim as well. But we don't wish to involve you in any bother, you
know. And if you were found to have helped her to escape, it might be
very awkward for you. It might really."
"Oh, I think I have friends influential enough to see me through a
little thing like that. Shall we get on? You spoke of frankness,
remember."
"Well, in the first place I am bound to warn you; but we also wish to
deal very confidentially with you. The fact is that a marriage has been
arranged between her and Count von Felsen's son, young Hugo von Felsen,
you know."
"I wish for his father's sake that I knew less about him, or rather that
there was less to know. I know also that the Count is very anxious to
see him settling down a bit; but what I am not so sure about is why a
girl like Fraeulein Korper should be sacrificed in the interest of a
thorough-paced young scoundrel like Hugo von Felsen."
"You put it rather strongly; but he is not a very brilliant type,
perhaps. Still, we can't talk of sacrifice. As a matter of fact such a
marriage would be of the greatest advantage to the lady herself. His
Majesty would pardon her father, and all the family estates and
property, confiscated on his banishment, would be restored. You can see
for yourself the advantages to her and her people."
"Another Imperial marriage, eh?" I said drily. "And the Prince von
Graven?"
"That is another reason why she must really consent. If the Emperor were
to get wind of that matter, well----" The consequences were too
terrible to be told in words.
"It's a pretty mix up, anyhow," said I. It was clear that that secret
about Chalice had been kept, at any rate. "And not particularly
chivalrous to attack the girl in the case. But now suppose I had
sufficient influence to induce her to abandon that Prince business?"
"Could you really do that?" he asked eagerly.
"Persuasion might succeed where force would certainly fail. Now,
suppose she did give him up, would the Imperial clemency follow--for her
father, I mean."
"That is the Emperor's matter. His Majesty does not make terms, he
looks for submission to his wishes."
"The Prince would be a better match than von Felsen, even at the worst.
Drive matters, and you may find some morning you have driven those two
to the altar," I said meaningly as I got up. "Let me have a day or two
to see what can be done."
He smiled, but not without some chagrin. "I sent for you to warn you,
and here you are making terms, as if you were a delegate. My
instructions are to tell you frankly that if you interfere in this
matter, we shall ask you to return to England."
"That's better than gaol, anyway. But, seriously, don't you think it
would be useful to have a delegate? Your own term. All said and done it
isn't a pretty story--for the newspapers, say."
"Going to threaten us now, hanged if you're not. You ought to have gone
in for diplomacy. Assurance like that would carry you far," he jested.
"Well, come and see me again in a day or two and tell me that the Prince
affair is at an end for a start."
I had gained two important things by the interview: delay, which was
invaluable to me; and a confirmation of von Felsen's statement to
Althea. I knew Borsen well enough to feel sure that, although he had
referred in a tone of jest to his instructions to send me packing from
Berlin, they were genuine; and I should have been under orders to leave,
had he not managed to convince himself that more was to be gained by
letting me remain "as a delegate."
As I had said, it was not a pretty story; and the affair was one which
all concerned would be much more willing to settle secretly and
peacefully than by force. He remembered no doubt that in a former matter
I had won my way by means of suggestive paragraphs in the English
papers. Publicity is a fairly sure card to play with the officials of
his Imperial Majesty the Kaiser.
What I had to do was to make the best use of my time of grace, and I
went straight from Borsen to old Ziegler.
"This is indeed an act of friendship to come so promptly, Herr
Bastable," he declared with his customary effusiveness, as he placed a
chair for me and put a box of cigars at my elbow.
"You said it was urgent, Ziegler. What's the matter?"
"There is nothing the matter; at least nothing that I should allow you
to be disturbed about. But I want to have a little very confidential
chat with you. You will smoke?"
I lighted a cigar. "Well?"
"I have been thinking over our talk of yesterday, and your expressions
of sympathy with us; and a curious thing has happened. I have not
breathed a word to a soul about that talk; but last night one of our
friends mentioned your name with a hint that some one had been talking
to you of our plans."
"A curious coincidence," I replied drily.
"By my mother's memory, it is nothing more, Herr Bastable. I declare
that most solemnly." He was very earnest and appeared to be telling the
truth. "You were seen to leave here yesterday, and the question was
asked whether you were ferreting out things, or whether you were likely
to be in sympathy with our plans and objects."
"And what did you say?" I asked with a smile.
"I spoke of your expressions of sympathy."
"Yes?" I queried.
He smiled and rubbed his hands. "You see you have never before given me
a hint."
"Intentionally."
"Yet I should like to know the extent of your sympathy."
"Why?"
"You are chary of your words, Herr Bastable."
"All the more time for you to talk, Ziegler. Out with it."
He rolled his eyes round his head and then let them rest on me. "You
make it difficult; but at any rate you will not speak of what I may
say?"
"You know that without my repeating it."
"Well, you English are like us Poles in one respect--you all love your
country, Herr Bastable. What if I could get you news which closely
concerns your country? You would not refuse to hear it, or to make use
of it, eh? Merely because that course would prejudice the German
Government?"
"I say nothing until I know more."
He lowered his voice and bent toward me. "England would like to know
exactly the German policy in naval matters? This Government does not
wish it known, because it would prejudice the Kaiser. If I had such
information, Heir Bastable, could you get it published broadcast in
England in such way as to prevent the source being known?"
"Easily and readily. But I must be convinced."
"If there were a naval scheme already in the pigeon-holes of the
Government here formulated against England, and based upon knowledge of
the strength of the English navy, its publication would make a blaze,
eh?" His eyes were positively scintillating with cunning as he fixed
them now upon me.
"You may gamble on that," I said. "But you'd have to be sure of your
facts."
"If you were to have the secret papers themselves, eh?"
His eyes were off me so that he missed my start of intense satisfaction
at this. To make a pause I took my cigar from my lips and pretended to
relight it. "Von Felsen?" I asked then in a casual tone.
He was quick enough to detect that my calm tone was assumed and he shot
a very keen glance at me. "Why do you ask that?"
"Because I don't trust him, and because he would not have anything to do
with it if he thought I was in it."
"He will not know, and he will do what I tell him," was the terse reply.
"And why are you keen on it?"
"Do you think it would do this Government any good to be caught in
double dealing with a power like England?" and he launched into a tirade
against the Kaiser and his Government, all the venom and bitterness of
his hatred apparent in every word.
This gave me time to think the thing round. It was just a lovely stroke
of good fortune; and all I had to do was so to arrange matters that the
proofs of von Felsen's treachery should come directly into my hands.
As soon as Ziegler's fury had exhausted itself, we set to work to
discuss the details of the plan. He himself was not going to appear in
it. That was his invariable practice, I knew. There was to be no jot
or tittle of evidence in existence which would incriminate him, except
only von Felsen's word; and as he would be the actual thief, his
testimony would be entirely discredited. As soon as I perceived this, I
offered to take the risk of receiving the papers direct from von Felsen
the instant they were ready to be handed over. But I made it an
absolute condition that he was not to know I was in the thing until the
very last moment, when he had the papers actually in his possession and
was ready to hand them over.
The hour and place were then to be communicated to me secretly, and I
was to do the rest. That would fit in with my plans well enough, and I
agreed readily.
"Then there remains only one little point," said Ziegler, after a pause.
"There will be some money to be paid, of course. And this can only be
in return for the papers themselves."
"Who is to find it?"
"My friends, naturally; but----" He paused with a gesture of doubt.
"It is only equally natural that they would wish to have the papers
first, and as you are to get them---- What do you think, eh?"
"How much?"
"Only twenty thousand marks," he replied lightly, as if a thousand
pounds were a mere bagatelle.
Fortunately I was now in a position to be able to spare such a sum
without inconvenience, and would willingly have paid a much larger sum
to gain the end I had in view. "Not much difficulty there. You could
give me the money and they could repay you."
"My dear Herr Bastable!" he cried, lifting his hands in horror at the
idea. "Do you think I am made of money? Your country is going to
gain."
"Oh, you want me to find it in the first instance. Very well."
"Oh, what a treat it is to do business with an English gentleman like
you!" His relief at my ready agreement was comic and I smiled. "And
now that settles the whole matter, except that one last little point.
You must let me take you to one or two of our friends and let them know
that you are in sympathy with our cause."
"Stop a moment. I can't turn Irreconcilable in that offhand manner."
"Let me explain. There are some of my friends who think that you are
against us. Some hints have been dropped that you have been making
inquiries, and not in our interest."
"That I am a spy, eh? You know better than that, Ziegler, don't you?"
"I would trust you with my life," he exclaimed grandiloquently. "But it
would smooth things if you were to do as I suggest. Secrecy is
everything to us; and there are some among us who would go to any
extreme if they thought there was treachery anywhere."
I paused to take breath and think.
"This matter could not be arranged otherwise," he put in, seeing me
hesitate.
"Very well. You can assure them I am in full sympathy in this
particular matter anyhow, and I'll meet any one of them when you please.
But von Felsen must know nothing."
It was a risk of course; but I could not let anything come in the way of
my plans; and I left the house well pleased.
If matters went as they promised, I should have von Felsen so fast in my
power that I could even dictate my terms to his father. For such an
end, and all it meant to me, I would have faced twenty times the risk.
CHAPTER VII
PRELIMINARY STEPS
Of all the parts I had ever thought to play, that of a Polish
Irreconcilable was about the last. But for the stake I had at issue--to
save Althea and win her--I would have turned Russian Nihilist had it
been necessary.
The risk I did not take seriously. So far as I had gone at present I
could put up a pretty good fight in my defence. If old Ziegler was
right, and the German Government were really contemplating some move
against England, my old journalistic work would serve as a cover for my
action. I could readily justify myself in running almost any risk to
unearth and disclose such a thing.
But it was a case where nothing short of success would serve. If the
Jew was wrong, I might easily find myself in an ugly fix. I must be
careful also not to be drawn in too far. My investment in seditious
intrigue must be strictly limited to this one affair.
A few days at most ought to see the issue; and then, I could leave
Berlin and, as I now began to hope, take Althea with me.
In regard to her, indeed, my morning's work had imposed an extremely
distasteful task upon me. Borsen had confirmed the statement von Felsen
had made to her as to her father's pardon in the event of the projected
marriage. And I must tell her so.
I had seen for myself on the previous day that even on his unsupported
statement she had been very close to giving her consent. Self-sacrifice
had become a sort of second nature with her, and she was ready to go to
almost any lengths to secure her father's safety and ensure Chalice's
future.
Keep the facts from her I could not; but there was something I could do
before I told her--tackle von Felsen himself and endeavour to force on
his marriage with Hagar Ziegler.
He went in deadly fear of Hagar's father; and I resolved to retract the
promise I had given von Felsen on the previous day to hold my tongue
about his intention to marry Althea. A word to Ziegler would set him to
work at once.
Von Felsen's action in inducing his father to attempt to intimidate me
was an ample justification for my taking back my promise; but I would
fight him fairly, and give him notice of what I meant to do.
When I reached home I found von Bernhoff closeted with my sister, and
they appeared to have had a pretty warm conversation.
"Here is Paul," cried Bessie, as I entered. "Tell him, Herr Bernhoff."
She was very excited, and not far removed from tears.
"What is it?" I asked turning to him.
"I have been asking your sister to do me the honour to betroth herself
to me," he replied, with rather a disconcerted air.
"She has no doubt given you your answer."
"You had better tell the rest, Herr Bernhoff," cried Bessie indignantly.
"I have merely been saying that if she would consent I should become to
that extent a member of your family, and so concerned to help you in
keeping secret any matters which you do not desire to have disclosed."
"Plainer, please," I said very curtly,
"There are certain things----"
"Mention them," I broke in.
"You have a guest here, Mr. Bastable," he said, lifting his hands and
smiling significantly.
"You have already given this--this gentleman an answer, Bessie?"
"Oh yes, and he said----"
"Never mind that for a moment. Just let me have a word or two with him
alone." She got up at once, and he rose at the same time as if to go.
"I do not wish to discuss it with you, Mr. Bastable," he said uneasily.
"But I mean to discuss it with you," I retorted; and I opened the door
for her and prevented his leaving. "Now we'll have it out together, von
Bernhoff."
He made no reply and stared at me sullenly.
"I've got the hang of the matter, I think. You have asked my sister to
be your wife; she has not consented; and in reply you have hinted that
you will tell certain suspicions you entertain if she does not retract
her refusal. Did you say that as evidence of your overwhelming
affection for her or as a proof of your high sense of honour?"
He continued to glare at me in silence.
"You find that an inconvenient question, eh?"
Still the same dogged silence.
"You can't brazen this out by just staring at me, von Bernhoff. Don't
be under any mistake in regard to that. Nor can you bully me, as you
have tried to bully my sister. You are an officer, and belong to a
regiment in which the other officers at any rate are gentlemen. As for
your suspicions, you can go and shout them at the top of your voice on
parade, for all I care. But both you and I know well enough what your
fellow-officers will think of your conduct."
This touched him. He winced and began to protest. "I did not mean
anything of the sort."
"I don't care a beggar's shirt what you say you meant. It's what you
have done. I know your Colonel pretty well, and he shall be the judge
in this."
"I protest----"
"To the devil with your protests," I cried angrily. "It is your action
which matters. That's all. We'll go straight to him together."
All his doggedness had vanished now, and he was as limp as a chewed
cigar end.
"I beg you will not do anything of the kind. If you like to make this a
personal matter between us two----"
"Not I," I broke in with a short angry laugh. "I'll have no duel as a
way out for you. You can convince your Colonel that you did not mean
what your acts suggest. Come to him with me now--if you dare."
But he dared not. I knew that; for I knew what the result would be, and
so did he. "I am very sorry," he stammered. "I apologize. I---- What
more can I do?"
"You can get out of the house," and I threw open the door. "As for your
suspicions, tell them to whom you please--but don't let me hear of it."
Without another word, without a glance even, he slunk out with his tail
well between his legs, like the beaten cur he was.
I could afford to laugh at his threats, after my interview with Borsen
and my recognition as a sort of unofficial "delegate" in Althea's
affairs. There was a tacit agreement that I was to have some little
time in which to arrange things, and any chatter from von Bernhoff was
not likely to do any harm.
I told Bessie the result of my talk to von Bernhoff, and then went out
to lunch at my club and make some inquiries about the inner working of
this Polish Irreconcilable movement. As I was to be one of them, I had
better know all I could.
I got plenty of rumours and reports and gossip and a few facts. As
England always has her Irish question with its disaffected Nationalists
subject to occasional spurts of violence, so Germany will always have a
Polish question. But her policy of drastic measures and sharp
repression drives the trouble beneath the surface, where it festers like
a national canker.
Openly the Irreconcilables were keeping within the law, and seeking an
alliance with the powerful Socialist party and other sections, in the
hope that eventually the combination would become strong enough to
dictate the policy of the Empire, when it was hoped they would use their
power to aid the renationalization of Poland.
At the same time, however, they were intriguing incessantly to throw
discredit on the Government by worming out all sorts of official secrets
the disclosure of which would tell to the disadvantage of the Kaiser.
Mole work which was hateful to those in power.
In addition to this some very sinister hints were dropped to me in
confidence by a Polish journalist whom I knew to have excellent channels
of information, about certain mysterious happenings, classed as
"accidents," to Government property. More than one warship had been
suddenly disabled; machinery in Government works had been damaged;
defects in arms and ammunition had developed, and so on.
"You may take it that the official explanation is never the right one.
If the truth is known it is not told," he declared; "but it probably is
not known. You can draw your own inferences. But some day a bigger
accident will happen, and then you may recall my words."
The news was anything but cheering. I had no mind to be mixed up with
men who were planning a policy of violence, and I resolved to speed
matters all I could and put an end to the connexion.
As a first step I would force on von Felsen's marriage with Ziegler's
daughter. I determined to go to von Felsen at once and tell him
point-blank that I should let Ziegler know the truth. On my way to him
I called to see Chalice. She had just returned from Herr Grumpel and
was in high spirits, because the date had been fixed for her first
appearance.
"Think of it, Herr Bastable. In a week's time! Oh, I am nearly beside
myself with delight," she cried, clasping her hands ecstatically.
"A good many things can happen in a week," I said drily.
"Now you are going to be horrid and make me uncomfortable," she pouted.
She had a hundred moods to be assumed at will.
"I don't wish to be horrid, as you call it, but I do wish to speak
seriously to you about----"
"But I don't want to be serious to-day," she broke in. "I want to talk
about the great concert. Just think of my immense stroke of luck. The
Herr had arranged a State concert with the Ventura as his Prima. She
can't come to it, or she won't or something, and he is actually going to
put me in her place. In the place of the great Ventura! Oh, I am like
a wild thing when I think of it. And if you were a little bit of a
friend, you'd be just as excited as I am."
"I'm afraid I am not," I replied somewhat ungraciously. She had not a
thought for Althea; had not even mentioned her name.
"If you have come only to say disagreeable things, I wish you'd choose
another day for them. You'll make me ready to shed tears in a minute."
"What are you going to do about Prince von Graven?"
"Oh, bother the Prince. I have no time to think of him to-day, nor for
the whole week. Think of all it means to me! To appear instead of the
great Ventura!"
"I'm sorry to be a wet blanket, but I must tell you----"
"No, no, no. I won't listen," she cried vehemently, putting her fingers
in her ears and shaking her head vigorously. "Herr Grumpel said I must
not have anything to excite me between now and the concert."
"There will be no concert at all for you if you do not listen to me,
Fraeulein," I declared, as soon as I had a chance of getting a word in.
"Oh, I hate you, I hate you! Go away!" she cried like a child.
I sat on stolidly until she understood that I was really in earnest and
that she could not get rid of me in that way, and then her manner
changed suddenly. She became earnest and looked at me almost piteously.
"Of course I didn't mean that. If there is anything I ought to know
which really does concern the concert, of course I will listen."
"You have not asked about Fraeulein Althea," I reminded her.
"Of course I know she is all right or I should have heard. Has she sent
you now to frighten me?"
"I have not come to frighten you at all, and she does not know that I
have come. I wish only to warn you."
"It is very much the same thing," she said pettishly again.
"Not at all the same thing, I assure you. No one would be more pleased
if you were to make a great hit than I should be. But the fact is that
before a week passes you are much more likely to be in the same plight
as Fraeulein Althea than singing at a concert, unless you have cleared
up this matter of the Prince."
"Do you mean they would try to arrest me? ME?"
"A great many things have happened since I saw you, and this morning I
had it from a high authority that that step is under consideration. The
one arrest has been decided on because Fraeulein Althea is the daughter
of Baron von Ringheim, you are his granddaughter and can judge whether
in such a case you would be likely to be acceptable to the Kaiser as the
chief performer at a State concert."
The colour left her face as she listened, and when I ended she burst
into a storm of tears. "You are cruel! It is infamous! Why persecute
me in this way?" she cried over and over again. She was almost
hysterical.
I said no more for the moment. If I tell the truth, I thought it only
fair that she should be touched personally by some of the trouble which
she had viewed with such philosophic indifference when it affected only
Althea. With all her caprice and selfishness, however, she had plenty
of shrewdness, and understood the gravity of what I had said.
Presently she choked down her emotion and seized my hand in both her
own. "Forgive me for having spoken as I did. You are right, of course,
and only acting as my friend in telling me this. But what shall I do?"
"Tell the truth, give up Prince von Graven, and let the Kaiser have his
way in regard to this precious Imperial marriage."
"He would never forgive me," she wailed. "What does Althea advise?'"
Althea at last. I checked a smile. She could think of Althea when
there was a difficulty to be solved. "I have not told her."
Suddenly she started as a fresh thought struck her. "You have quarrelled
with the Prince, Herr Bastable."
"That is not the reason for my coming to you. I had some words with him
because he would not be man enough to tell the truth and face the
music."
"It was at my wish."
"I know that, but it does not make any difference to the fact that
Fraeulein Althea was being sacrificed for the sake of the secret. But
if the truth is not told, you may depend on it you will never have the
chance of appearing at that concert."
"I don't know what to do."
I got up. "The others will not let me decide for you, and you must do
as you will; but you can now see all that hangs on the decision."
"Oh, don't leave me, Herr Bastable. Help me," she cried, catching and
holding my hand and backing her words with appealing glances.
"Give up the Prince--you do not really care for him; write a
renunciation grounding it on the fact that you do not wish to go counter
to the Kaiser's wish and will do anything rather than injure the
Prince's future; and let me have the document to get it to the Emperor."
"Help me to write it. You write so cleverly."
"No. Don't have it machine made. Let yourself go in writing it. You
have just heard of His Majesty's opposition, your heart is breaking, and
so on."
"It is," she said, with a very piteous look.
"It will--if you don't get your chance at the concert. Think of all that
means to you, and then persuade yourself that your emotion is for the
loss of the Prince and not the sacrifice of your future."
It was rather brutal, but she only laughed. "I will try," she agreed;
and saying that I would see her again on the following day, I left her
to hurry to von Felsen.
I was convinced that she cared no more for the Prince than I did, and
that she had merely kept him tied to her apron-strings as a possible
means of advancing her interests. To me she stood for a type of
calculating, callous selfishness; and yet to the Prince she appeared as
a veritable queen among women. But then I was not in love with her, and
he was; and he would certainly curse me heartily for the advice I had
given her.
When I reached von Felsen's house a somewhat curious thing occurred. I
was asked to wait a while; and as I stood thinking about the coming
interview and staring out of the window into the now gloomy street, the
electric lights of the room were switched on suddenly. I turned on the
instant to find von Felsen in the act of closing the door which the
servant must have left open.
He was not quite quick enough; for I caught sight of a man crossing the
hall rapidly, and recognized him as a fellow named Dragen, one of the
worst characters in Berlin, the bully and worse of a low gambling hell.
I had come across him in my old newspaper work in connexion with a very
unsavoury case.
"Who was that?" I asked sharply.
"Only my servant. What do you mean? And why do you come to me?" and
von Felsen shut the door and stood before it.
Why the lie? Why had he been at such pains to let the man have a good
sight of me? And how long had they been in the room before I knew of
their presence?
CHAPTER VIII
TRAPPED
An instant's reflection convinced me that it would be prudent to accept
von Felsen's statement and not to drop a hint that I had recognized the
man who had stolen away so stealthily. If any trick were intended, I
had better not let him think that I suspected it.
"I have come to talk to you seriously," I said in reply to his question.
"You do not suppose you are very welcome here?"
"It isn't intended to be exactly a friendly call."
"You had better come into my other room." He said this very curtly as
he opened the door again and led me to a room across the hall. "Now
what is it?"
I copied his blunt manner. "You broke the word you gave me yesterday,
and I take back the pledge I gave you."
"What do you mean?"
"I was sent for to your father's office to-day."
"I know nothing of that."
"I don't believe you," I rapped out sharply.
"I'm not going to have you here to insult me," he blustered.
"Having failed in that trick of bringing Dormund to my house yesterday,
you set your father's people on to me to see what they could do. You
did this in the face of your promise to give up your attempt to find
Fraeulein Korper on condition that I said nothing to Herr Ziegler."
"They knew all about everything without me."
"What they are going to know next will be all about you and Hagar
Ziegler. And Ziegler is going to know all about the other matter. It
would have paid you better to run straight with me."
He appeared to be taken utterly by surprise by this, having been fool
enough to believe that I should not see his hand behind that summons to
his father's office. His bluster dropped away like an ill-fitting cloak.
"I don't know why you want to hound me down in this way. What is Hagar
Ziegler to you?"
"It's only my friendship for you--I wish to see you happily married," I
replied with a grin.
He flung me a curse for my jibe and turned away to light a cigarette.
"Shall we send for old Ziegler, or will you come with me to him?" I
asked in the same tone. It was a delight to rack him.
"It has nothing to do with you," he said sullenly.
"It has more to do with you, I admit; but I might be the best man and
then----"
"Stop it," he growled. I laughed; and after a pause he glanced round at
me. "Can't we come to terms?"
"We did, and you broke them."
"I tell you I have not said a word," he declared with an oath for
emphasis.
I gave him a steady meaning look and replied significantly: "I saw Herr
Borsen at the Count's office, and he happens to be an old friend of
mine. He had no object in telling me anything but the truth."
He drew the inference I intended from this--that Borsen had given him
away--and he made no further attempt at denial.
I turned to the door. "What are you going to do? Will you come with me
to Ziegler's or shall I go alone?"
"Give me two or three days to settle things."
"Not an hour. I am going straight to Ziegler, and to-morrow Herr Borsen
will know the other side." He made no reply and I left the house.
When I reached the Jew's I was amused to find how, in his petty
short-sighted cunning, von Felsen had endeavoured to cut the ground from
under me.
Ziegler and his daughter were together and were both in high spirits.
He introduced me to her, and had evidently done all he could to impress
her with the fact that I was one of his best friends.
"I have told her, Herr Bastable, that there is no man in Berlin whom I
would trust as absolutely as I would you," he declared. "I wish her to
think of you just as I do."
"Nothing would please me better; but I am afraid that some one who has
great influence with her does not share your opinion, Herr Ziegler."
"You mean Herr von Felsen," she replied, with a frankness which I liked.
"I should like you to be better friends, I confess, and would do
anything in my power to secure that. My father's friends must always be
mine."
"We were speaking of him as you entered," said the father. "He has just
telephoned me asking that the date for Hagar's marriage may be fixed for
a week to-day."
I could not restrain a smile at this, and Hagar, who was watching me
closely while he spoke, saw the smile. "You are surprised at this, Herr
Bastable?"
"I am pleased to be able to be the first to offer my congratulations."
"Your smile did not read quite like that," she returned with a shade of
pique in her manner.
"I am surprised, I admit. The fact is I have just left Herr von Felsen,
and, although he knew I was coming here, he did not drop a hint of the
fact."
"Had you been as close a friend of his as you are of my father's, he
would probably have told you." It was very neatly put.
But old Ziegler had read more in my words than Hagar. I saw that by the
sharp look he shot at me. He began to talk quickly about the
forthcoming marriage and the necessary preparations until an excuse
offered to send his daughter out of the room.
"Now what is it, Herr Bastable. About Hugo, I mean, of course."
I told him at once precisely what had taken place in regard to Althea
and von Felsen, and what I had heard from Herr Borsen.
I have never seen a greater frenzy of passion than that which took
complete possession of him at the news. For some moments he was like a
madman in his fury. His face went livid, his eyes gleamed, his lips
worked spasmodically, he trembled violently, and with hands clenched
tight he raved against von Felsen, and abused and cursed him with a
voluble energy of rage that almost made me regret the tornado I had
raised.
I stared at him, silent from sheer amazement until the first vehemence
of his wrath had spent itself.
"He shall marry her to-morrow or at latest the day following," he cried;
and with a hand that was shaking like that of one in a palsy, he went to
the telephone to bid von Felsen come at once to the house. When the
reply was that he was not at home, the old man's fury broke out again.
"It is a lie!" he stormed. "He knows you are here and will not come. I
will go to him. The scoundrel, to dare to lie to me in this way. But
he shall pay the price"; and he was still in a furious rage when I left
him.
Considering his opinion of von Felsen, I could not help marvelling that
he was so set upon forcing him to marry Hagar. But analysis of other
men's motives is not much in my way. Possibly he was eager that she
should have a titled husband, and I recalled how he had appeared to
gloat over that prospect in one of my interviews with him. I left it at
that and returned to the consideration of my own affairs.
Now that I had drawn von Felsen's teeth, I did not shirk the task of
telling Althea what I had heard from Herr Borsen in the morning. She
could no longer be forced to make that hateful marriage. Ziegler would
see to that.
But not for a second did I anticipate the effect of the news upon her.
I had utterly failed to see the thing from her standpoint, and was blind
enough to think she would be as glad as I myself was. I told her,
therefore, in a somewhat jubilant tone.
The smile which my first words brought to her face gradually died away,
and gave place to an expression first of perplexity and then of distress
and dismay, as she heard me out in silence.
Then she looked up and sighed. "Oh, Mr. Bastable, don't you see?" she
asked wistfully.
"I see that we take very different views of it," I replied gloomily.
She noticed my keen disappointment. "Please bear with me, and forgive
me if I cannot see it as you do. But if Herr von Felsen marries this
Jewess, it will make it impossible----" She paused and glanced at me
nervously.
"Impossible for you to marry him, of course," I finished, smiling
fatuously.
"Impossible for me to save my father, I mean. How else can I save him?"
I understood then and winced at the consciousness of my blundering.
"But did you ever seriously contemplate such a sacrifice as that would
have involved?"
"I thought I had made that quite plain to you. And now----." She broke
off with a gesture of despair. "I would do anything to save him and
Chalice."
"Fraeulein Chalice is willing to give up the Prince von Graven," I
replied, and went on to tell her of my interview with Chalice.
But she shook her head. "Please believe that I am convinced you have
done everything with no thought but to help me. But nothing Chalice can
do will save my father."
"I appear to have blundered all along the line," I exclaimed irritably.
She made no reply, and thus appeared to acquiesce in my verdict of
self-condemnation. This was not soothing, to say the least. But after
a moment's pause she laid her hand on my arm with a rueful smile. "You
don't think I am blaming you because I am silent, Mr. Bastable, do you?
I am only trying to think what to do. It is so difficult. It has all
been my fault. I ought to have made it clearer to you that I was
resolved to save my father at any cost."
"I think that will still be done."
"How?"
"I have a plan, and am pretty confident about it."
Her brows puckered in doubt, as if she were not disposed to trust my
indiscretion any longer. "Had you not better tell me?" she asked
nervously.
"For one thing I hope to go to Herr Borsen to-morrow with the news about
Chalice's decision, and I shall tell him then about the Ziegler affair."
"No, no," she cried hastily. "You must not do that. That marriage may
yet be prevented in some way."
"Not if the Jew has his way," I answered with a grim smile at the
recollection of his frenzy of rage.
"You must not breathe a word to Herr Borsen. That would shut out all
hope."
"Hope?" I echoed sharply, for the word jarred. "I did not know that hope
was the feeling you entertained in regard to von Felsen."
She bit her lip and for an instant dropped her eyes, and I saw her
fingers strain; then she looked up with a wistful smile. "Don't let me
anger you, Mr. Bastable. I chose that word very unfortunately. It
sounds as if I have done you so much less than justice after all the
service you have rendered me. Forgive me, and do not punish me by
thinking me ungrateful."
"I am a churlish brute," I answered, smiling in my turn. "My head was
swollen with the thought of my own cleverness, and my temper suffered
because my vanity was hurt. I admit I have blundered badly; now let us
try and talk out some remedy together."
The bright look she gave me signalled absolution. "Let us start with
this absolute condition--that my father's pardon must be obtained and
Chalice's future made secure."
"I accept the conditions and still believe I can win." Her eyes flashed
a question. "No, you need not doubt my discretion this time," I said in
reply to the look. "I have learnt my lesson. But I cannot tell you all
about it."
"I should like to know. I am very much of a woman in my curiosity.
Besides, I should like to have firm ground for the hopes you raise."
"I shall know in a day or so."
"Suspense is not measured by hours, Mr. Bastable."
"I would lessen it if I could; but at any rate I can assure you my own
suspense will not be less than yours," I said earnestly.
She let her eyes fall. Whether she guessed something of the feeling
that lay behind my words I could not tell. But after a pause which was
embarrassing to us both, she lifted her head and looked frankly into my
eyes.
"I know I have your sympathy--as a friend, Mr. Bastable," she said
simply, with a stress on the word.
"It is as a friend I speak. And because of that friendship I ask you
not to take any step in regard to this monstrous proposal of your
marriage with von Felsen until I have had time to see the result of this
effort of mine."
"I will never take any step at all about it unless there is no other
alternative, and not even then without telling you. I give you that
promise freely."
"It is a bargain, and I can ask no more than that."
"Tell me again about Chalice," she said. I repeated all that had passed
and we discussed the position fully. "I have never quite understood
Chalice," she said slowly. "You think she does not care for the
Prince?"
"If so, would she be willing to give him up to secure even such a first
appearance as is offered to her?"
"That is incomprehensible to me."
"I think there are many reasons why she should do it. The Kaiser is
only a man after all, and a very impulsive one at that. He is quite
likely to be so charmed by the apparently spontaneous compliance with
his wishes as well as delighted by the removal of the obstacle to this
Imperial marriage project, as to promote her at once to the position of
a Court favourite. And in that event you need have no fears about your
father."
"There is the Count von Felsen to reckon with."
I smiled. "Unwittingly he has already done a great deal to help such an
end. He must have explained to the Kaiser that your father is no longer
capable of doing any real harm, or otherwise he could not have secured
the promise of a pardon for him. Depend upon it, if Fraeulein Chalice
succeeds, there will be scarcely any favour she could ask which would
not be granted readily."
"You almost make me hope," she said brightly. "You are so confident."
"If I can only succeed with my other plan at the same time there will no
longer be the remotest reason even to doubt. Besides, Count von
Felsen's plan will have been knocked on the head as well by his son's
marriage."
But she frowned at this. "I wish that could have been postponed. It
would have left us the other alternative as a last resource."
"God forbid that it should ever come to that," I cried fervently; and
then fearing that if I remained longer with her I might betray myself, I
went away.
I was not a little humiliated at the result of the interview. Althea
had succeeded in making me appreciate not only her own point of view,
but also my own motive. My motive in forcing von Felsen to marry Hagar
had had much more concern with my own selfish desire to win Althea for
myself than with any regard for her interests or wishes.
I had just fooled and flattered myself that I was acting for her, and so
had blundered into this humiliating muddle. I had put it very lightly
in saying that my vanity was hurt. I had made a big fool of myself; and
what I had to do was to see whether I could repair the mischief.
I started off at once for Ziegler's house. In some way I must get him
to agree to the postponement of the marriage. I owed that at least to
Althea; and even if I had to break with him altogether, I must gain that
end.
He was not at home, however, and after waiting a long time I went away
leaving word that I must see him the first thing in the morning on very
urgent business.
I had walked a very little distance from the house when a man overtook
me.
"Herr Bastable, I think?" he said.
"Yes. What do you want with me?"
"I have to request you to come with me. I am a police officer."
"Do you mean I am arrested? On what charge?"
"It is possible you will not be detained. It is in regard to Fraeulein
Korper. It is desired to put some questions to you. I can say no
more."
It was of course useless to resist, so I turned and walked with him. We
passed through several streets, and presently he stopped at the door of
a house in a side street.
"This is not a police station," I objected.
"You are to be confronted with another prisoner under arrest
here--Ephraim Ziegler--who is being detained here."
"No. Take me to the station," I demanded.
He laid a powerful hand on my arm. "You will do as I tell you."
He was both taller and much stronger than I; but I knew that any such
proceeding was quite against police rules, so I tried to wrest myself
free.
The attempt was futile; and as the door was opened he seized me and
thrust me inside into the arms of a couple of men, who gripped and held
me, despite the struggle I made.
The man who had brought me shut the door quickly and, rushing forward,
pressed a chloroformed cloth over my mouth and nose.
And then--unconsciousness.
CHAPTER IX
A PERILOUS CRISIS
My first sensation of returning consciousness was that of cold air being
blown violently in my face as I was penned in between heavy bodies which
crushed so closely against me that movement was impossible, while the
throbbing noise of rapidly moving machinery sounded in my ears.
All was indistinct. My head was aching as if it had been split, my
brain was dizzy, my senses dazed and chaotic. The ground under me
appeared to have come to life and to be racing away from me at lightning
speed.
Strange uncouth lights were flashing hither and thither, producing a
medley of glare which was utterly bewildering and almost terrifying.
I was in total darkness, save for the eccentric flashes of light; and my
first rational thought was the discovery that when I closed my eyes the
flashes were still with me. I recognized then that they were caused by
some sort of brain pressure.
Next I discovered that I was not bound in any way. I could not move,
because I was hopelessly wedged between the heavy bodies. Moreover, I
appeared to have no power of my own to stir either hand or foot.
Then my wits cleared very slowly, and I began to remember what had
occurred. I had been drugged, and could do nothing until the effects of
the drug had worn off.
And at last I realized that I was in the narrow tonneau of a small
motor-car travelling at a rapid pace through the night. The heavy
bodies which had so perplexed me were two men between whom I was half
sitting, half lying in the narrow space.
The fearsome sense of terror abated with my understanding of the
position. I lay back, indescribably weary and helpless, with a hazy
feeling that rest would restore my faculties, and a half-awakened
instinct that my safety might depend upon my appearing to be still under
the influence of the drug.
I think I fell asleep, for my next conscious sensation was the pleasant
discovery that the racking pain in the head had abated and the lights of
my delirium ceased to flash in my brain.
The two men between whom I was jammed were bending over me, and I heard
one say to the other: "It's all right. He's still dead off." It was
probably their movement which had awakened me.
I lay as still as a drugged man would, and tried to collect my scattered
wits. We were travelling at a good rate, some thirty miles an hour, I
thought, and the car, a rather crazy vehicle, swayed and bumped and
jolted to an extent that threatened a mishap. It was obviously not
built for high speed.
Gradually I recalled all that had occurred in its proper sequence. My
visit to Herr Ziegler's house; my stay there; my leaving; the encounter
with the pretended police official; the scene at the house to which he
had taken me; my futile struggle; and lastly the drugging.
When it had all occurred I could not of course tell. For aught I knew it
might have been no more than an hour or two before I came to myself in
the car, or it might have been as many days or weeks.
From my position between the men I could not see anything, but presently
one of them put a question to his companion: "What place was that?"
"Glowen, I think," was the reply.
"How far from Wittenberge?"
"About twenty miles. Ask Dragen."
The man addressed leant forward and put a question to the chauffeur, who
turned his head and flung back a reply over his shoulder. I could not
catch what he said, however.
What I had heard told me a great deal. Wittenberge was a small place on
the Elbe between Berlin and Hamburg, about a hundred miles from the
capital. The man had spoken of it as if it were the end of the car's
journey, and I wondered what could be the possible reason for my being
taken there.
But the most important information was the mention of the man's
name--Dragen. It sent my thoughts back at once to the time of my visit
to von Felsen. Dragen was the man whom I had recognized there, and it
was now clear that he had been brought into the room to be able to
identify me.
Von Felsen was clearly behind my abduction, and it was with bitter
self-reproach I saw how easily I had let myself be fooled. He had
evidently had this plan to get rid of me in mind for some time, and my
action in threatening to tell Ziegler the truth about Althea had brought
matters to a crisis.
Dragen I believed to be a man capable of any villainy: murder at need,
if it could be done safely; and I did not doubt that he had chosen as
accomplices in the scheme scoundrels who were as reckless as himself. I
should be lucky if I got out of the scrape with my life. I was being
well punished for the blunder I had committed in trying to force on von
Felsen's marriage with the Jew's daughter; and it was the irony of the
affair I had been caught in the toils at the very moment when I was
about to try and undo that mistake.
But why were we running to Wittenberge? I asked myself the question
over and over again, only to give it up in bewilderment. At the rate we
were travelling I should soon know, of course; but my impatience and
anxiety were only heated by that fact.
Presently the men bent down over me again.
"You must have given him a pretty strong dose," said one.
His companion laughed. "Do you suppose I measured it?"
"He's as fast off as ever. Look here." At this he shook me till the
teeth all but rattled in my jaws, and then pinched me until I should
think his fingers all but met in my flesh. He had a hand of iron.
"All the better. Saves trouble," growled the brute.
"Had we better give him another dose to get him on the boat? We don't
want any noise there. It won't matter when he's once on board."
"If you want me to finish him, I will. Not else."
"Well, it's your look out that part of it, not mine."
"All right then, leave it to me. But I may as well make sure."
There was a pause, and I could tell that the man was feeling in his
pockets. I wondered what was coming, and nerved myself for the ordeal.
"This'll touch him up if there's any return of sensibility," he said
with another laugh. I remember wondering at the use of such a term and
jumping to the conclusion that the fellow must have had some sort of
training as a medical man, and had fallen to his present low position as
the result of dissipation.
I had not more than a few seconds for this speculation, for he seized my
hand roughly and plunged a needle into the back. I bore it without
flinching.
"I told you so," he said. "But we'll have another experiment."
He took my thumb in his strong fingers then, and holding it up tried to
thrust the needle down into the quick. Fortunately for me the lurching
of the car interfered with his intention, and the needle entered the
flesh some slight distance from the nail.
Again I succeeded in repressing even the slightest quiver at the pain it
caused, although it made me almost sick. He loosened his grip of the
thumb with the needle still in it, and I had the presence of mind enough
to let the hand fall limp and flaccid.
He was satisfied with the test. He gripped my hand again and drew out
the needle roughly. "He's good for hours yet, Marlen," he announced
with an oath.
"You'd better tell Dragen," said the other; and he leant forward and
spoke to Dragen, who was apparently the leader in the affair.
I was free once more to think. The mention of the boat had sufficed to
give me a slight indication of their plans. I was being taken by car to
Wittenberge in order to be transferred to a boat of some sort in which
the journey was to be continued. Probably to Hamburg, I guessed.
That seaport had a very unenviable reputation for deeds of violence. If
the intention was to take my life, no better place could have been
chosen for the work than Hamburg. It would be a comparatively easy
matter to knock me on the head, dress me in some disguise without a mark
of any sort which would lead to my identification, and then either drop
me into the river or carry me ashore to one of the low quarters of the
town, where violent deaths were matters of no uncommon occurrence.
I am free to admit that I was intensely alarmed at the prospect. I was
helplessly in their power. I was unarmed, and I knew enough of Dragen's
reputation for cunning to be quite sure that he would so arrange matters
that even if I succeeded in raising an alarm when they were taking me
from the car to the boat, he would select a spot where no assistance
would be available.
I had only one thing in my favour--their belief in my continued
unconsciousness. How could I turn that to the best account?
For the rest of the time I remained in the car I thought over that point
as strenuously as only a man can think who feels that his life will be
the result of the thinking.
If I raised an alarm at Wittenberge and no help came, I was a doomed
man. That was as certain as that the sun would rise on the following
morning whether I saw it or not.
I could not fool them twice about being insensible. The perspiration
stood thick on my forehead as I tried to come to some decision, and I
was still undecided when the car began to slow down and turned away from
the main road.
I guessed we were going down to the river, and perceived to my
consternation that the place was absolutely deserted. Then the car came
to a standstill, and I heard the sluggish wash of the water.
Dragen got out and walked away in the darkness.
"Is he going with us on the river trip?" asked the man who had drugged
me.
"How the devil do I know?" was the response. "I know I'm going because
I'll have to manage the launch, and you'll have to go, of course. We
can't get on without the doctor. And somebody 'll have to take this
rickety old puffer back."
"How are you going to get him on to the _Stettin_?"
"Why, go after her and pretend that we're passengers who have missed her
at the landing-stage. He is going on the trip for his health, and we
are his valet and medical man looking after him on the voyage. She calls
at Southampton for cargo; and you'll dope him a bit, and we shall slip
off and leave him."
"It would be a deal easier to drop him in the river."
"Dragen has orders to do nothing of the sort. He's only wanted to be
out of the way for a week or two."
"And then turn up and blow the gaff on the lot of us. I know which I'd
rather risk," said the doctor.
"And lose half the plunder. The thing's as simple as it can be.
Everything has been arranged."
The other man grunted his disapproval, and then they were silent.
I had heard the recital of the programme with infinite relief. Von
Felsen had obviously been afraid to proceed to extreme measures, and for
that at any rate I thanked him. If he could get me out of the way for a
week or two, he would have ample time to complete the plans with which
my presence had interfered, and this time he would gain by securing my
presence on a liner which after it left Southampton would not touch land
again until it reached the other side of the Atlantic.
I decided then not to make any attempt to escape or attract help for the
present. And it was fortunate that I did so.
When Dragen returned to the car he told the two men that all was in
readiness, and that they were to carry me down to the boat.
On the way I lolled in their arms as limp as a corpse. They handled me
pretty roughly, and in getting on to the boat the doctor tripped and
flung me on to the little deck in order to save himself from falling.
"Don't be a clumsy fool, doctor," called Dragen sharply, with an oath.
"He can't feel anything," was the growling response. "And you don't need
to curse me, Dragen."
"I'll do worse than curse you if you drive me to it," came the sharp,
angry retort, the threatening tone of which indicated Dragen's power
over the other.
"This won't help us to get the boat under weigh, will it?" put in
Marlen. "Come on, doc, let's put the passenger to bed."
But the other laughed sulkily. "You can finish the job by yourselves,"
and he turned back toward the car.
"Come back," called Dragen furiously, "or it'll be the worse for you."
The "doctor" turned on him with a fierce oath. "I've owed you something
long enough, and this would be a mighty good place to pay the debt in.
I'm a better man than you, and if you use that tone to me again I'll
prove it."
"What's the good of spitting at one another like two infernal tomcats?"
put in Marlen.
"To hell with your tomcats," was the fierce retort. "Let him do the
thing without me if he can. A dirty, low, sponging bully speak to me
like that!" and, giving, a full rein to his temper, he let loose such
flood of invective upon Dragen that I expected every instant to see the
two come to blows.
I began to hope that I should find in the quarrel a chance of getting
away, and I glanced round me stealthily in search of something with
which I could arm myself for a struggle with the third man, Marlen.
But Dragen, perceiving that a quarrel at that juncture meant the failure
of the whole adventure, kept his head and his temper. He let the
"doctor" storm and rage without attempting a reply until the man's fury
had spent itself in words.
Then he turned to Marlen and asked quietly: "And what are you going to
do? Going through with me or back with the doc? You can have the car
to run away in if you like."
"I'm going to see it through," was the reply.
"Then we must chance it and leave the car here. Good-night, doc. That's
about the toughest speech you ever gave me, but I shan't take any notice
of it. Maybe in the morning you'll see things differently."
He crossed the little landing-stage and came on to the launch.
"Can we do without him?" asked Marlen, rather nervously I thought.
"Of course we can. Oh, by the way, doc, you'd better let me have the
drops," he said casually and went back to him. "I'm sorry I put your
back up so, old man."
"Well, you should keep a better guard on that tongue of yours." The
tone showed that his temper had passed.
"All right, we won't say any more about it. Give me the stuff."
The man laughed. "I'll go on with it if you like," he said half
shamefacedly.
"Of course I'd like"; and thus to my infinite disappointment the quarrel
ended there and the "doctor" came on to the launch.
"Let's get our passenger to bed," said Marlen. "We've lost time enough
already, and more than we can spare."
With that they picked me up, carried me forward, and thrust me into a
sort of forecastle, and closed and bolted the hatch upon me.
I heard the murmur of talk between the three men for a while, but could
not distinguish what was said; and after a few minutes the launch
started on her run down the river.
It was a roomy boat, and the place in which I had been thrust was almost
large enough for me to stand upright in. There was a good deal of
lumber stored in it, and my first effort was to hunt all round in the
hope of finding some sort of weapon.
I had formed a rough idea of a plan. The hatch by which the place was
entered was not large enough to allow of two persons entering at the
same time, and my crude plan was to wait until one of them entered and
then disable him.
I crawled all over the forecastle, feeling my way and fingering
everything carefully as I crawled. For a long time I was unsuccessful,
but when I had all but given up hope my fingers closed on a heavy broken
cog-wheel. I could have shouted for joy at the lucky find. It was just
the thing for the purpose.
I carried it back and lay down close to the hatch, choosing such a
position as would enable me to attack any one who entered.
I knew enough of the plan in regard to me to feel confident that I
should not be molested for some time. The "doctor" was under the
impression that I should remain insensible for some hours yet, and I
knew that every hour, almost every minute, of additional rest would be
invaluable. I was still heavy and stupid from the effects of the drug,
and would gladly have slept. But I was afraid to sleep lest he should
come in to see me, and I should be thus unable to put up a fight for my
freedom.
It was a fortunate fear, as it turned out.
I had not been long waiting before the bolt of the hatch was drawn back
and the "doctor" thrust in his hand and raised one of mine to make sure
that I was still unconscious.
"He's all right," he announced. "We'd better do it now. I'll bring him
out."
"Wait a bit. Here's a boat of some sort ahead."
The "doctor" drew back quickly, but left the hatch open.
"I'm afraid of it, doc, and that's the truth," said Marlen.
"Don't be a fool, man. It's fifty times as safe as trusting our skins
on the liner. The ship's doctor will want to know a heap of things.
Dragen doesn't know that, but I do. There isn't a single mark of
violence on him, and it'll look exactly a case of his having dropped
into the river."
"Well, wait till we get past this boat."
A long silence followed.
So they were going to adopt the "doctor's" former suggestion and murder
me rather than run the risk of taking me to the liner.
Instead of frightening me this roused all the fight there was in me. I
had to fight for my life, and I waited as tensely as they until the
launch should have passed the boat, and settled myself in the best
position I could choose for the attack when the moment came.
Minutes passed; they seemed like hours to me.
"It's all right now." It was the "doctor's" voice, and the next moment
I heard him approach the forecastle. "I'll bring him out," he said; and
his shadow came between me and the dim light glooming through the hatch
opening.
CHAPTER X
IN THE HANDS OF THE POLICE
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 me out while he remained outside.
He seized my left arm and tried to pull me forward, but I had hitched my
feet under a board of the flooring, and the attempt failed.
"Come here, Marlen. I'll hand him out to you," he said, turning his
head for a moment. "He's got caught up in something or other."
"I can't leave the wheel."
"Stop the launch a minute then."
"It's your own job; do it yourself," was the surly reply.
Muttering an oath at his companion's cowardice, the "doctor" stooped
down and, first pushing me 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 to it; and it helped me although it
hindered him. I could watch him easily. The litter in the place
hampered him also, and he stumbled and fell on his knees, and swore
again volubly.
Taking advantage of the noise he made, I slipped back a yard or two and
gripped my weapon in readiness.
"Where the devil is he?" he muttered, and began to feel about for me.
I was crouching in a corner waiting for a favourable chance to strike,
and he could not see me.
The chance came an instant later, as he was stooping down in his hunt
for me. Raising my hand I struck him two blows on the head with all my
strength and at the same instant slammed the hatch to.
"What's the matter?" shouted Marlen, hearing the noise of the blows and
coming forward quickly.
The "doctor" lay as still as a log. I 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 would give me no more trouble, I ran my
hands quickly over him in the hope that he would have a revolver; but I
could feel nothing of the sort; and as Marlen was fingering the hatch to
get it open, I drew back into my corner again.
If he came in to see what had happened, I would serve him as I had
served the "doctor." I hoped he would with all my heart.
He got the hatch open after some fumbling and peered in.
"Doctor!" he called, and paused. "Doctor!" A little louder this time.
"What have you done? You haven't killed him, have you? Doctor!"
He put his head in a little way, but not far enough for me to make sure
of disabling him, and then withdrew it again.
"What the devil does it mean?" He was evidently very frightened.
After a few seconds' pause he ran to the 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 hell," 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 threw some of the litter over
the head and shoulders, and went back to my corner and lay down as if
still unconscious, but in such a position that I could spring on Marlen
the instant he entered.
This time he brought not only a lantern but a revolver. He had little
of the courage of the other fellow I soon saw, and he brought the weapon
more because he feared the "doctor" than from any suspicion that I was
the cause of the mysterious trouble.
"What fool's game are you playing, doc?" he said. "Don't try any pranks
with me. 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 me, and the scrutiny apparently satisfied him that I was still
of no account; and then he turned from me to the prostrate form of his
companion.
He looked long and anxiously at him, and shook his head. "He must have
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
minutes remained in stolid thought.
Next he levelled the revolver at the other. "I'm covering you, doc.
Get up or I shall fire." He shook his head again in dire perplexity
when he received no reply, and at length made up his mind to risk
entering.
He set the lantern down, fortunately on the side farther from me, and
stooped to enter, holding the weapon all the time in readiness, and
glueing his eyes on the still form of the unconscious 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 slowly and with intense caution, feeling the body as he
approached the head. Then he pulled off the covering of the face and
started violently.
For the instant he was entirely off his guard in his consternation, and
I took advantage of that moment. I sprang forward, wrested the revolver
from his grasp, thrust him violently down, seized the lantern and
started out on to the deck, sliding to the hatch and shooting home the
bolt.
I was now master of the situation, and with a profound sigh of relief
and thankfulness I sank down on the deck.
I was still very shaky, and the reaction from the strain and suspense of
my time in the forecastle tried me 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 him hammer. So far as I was concerned he might have hammered all
the skin off his knuckles before I would take any notice; and after my
first start of alarmed surprise, I just lay still and rested until I had
recovered strength and composure.
He grew tired of knocking presently, and began to whine to me to let him
out. But I made no response. He was in a very ugly mess indeed, and a
taste of the suspense I had had to undergo would do him good. He could
spend the interval in thinking out some plausible explanation of his
exceedingly compromising situation.
Meanwhile I had to think what I was to do. I did not understand the
working of the launch, which was drifting at the will of the stream; and
there appeared to be nothing for it but to let her drift until we met a
boat, and I could get assistance.
But it then occurred to me that I myself might be hard put to it to give
an account of myself. My clothes were in a filthy state as the result
of my crawling hunt in the dirty forecastle, and when I examined them by
the light of the lantern I found some ugly blood-stains on my sleeves.
These would go far to set up the presumption that I was responsible for
the wound to the "doctor"; and as I was now outside and armed with a
revolver and the two men were my prisoners, the German police would
require a lot of persuasion that I was the innocent and they the guilty
parties.
Any investigation would most certainly occupy a long time, 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: I must swim ashore. I found
much to my relief that my pockets had not been rifled, and that I had
sufficient money for a ticket to Berlin. But I could not travel in a
blood-stained coat; so I hunted through the boat and came across a rough
reefer's jacket in the after-cabin, which I annexed. I then undressed,
tore out the blood-stained portions of my own coat, made a bundle of my
clothes, 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 railway ran, when I let myself carefully over the
side and struck out.
Just as I was pushing off I heard Marlen start shouting and hammering
again at the hatch, and the muffled sounds reached me across the water
until I reached the shore.
They ceased as I finished dressing myself and started out to ascertain
where I was and which was the nearest station to make for.
The swim in the cold water chilled me; but I set off at a brisk pace and
soon had my blood circulating again.
I had not an idea where I was, except that I knew my way lay up stream;
so I struck across country until I came to a road leading in the
direction I had to go, and I set off to walk until I could ascertain
where to find a station.
I knew I should have to be very cautious about asking any questions.
German police methods were very different from English, and 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 be
exceedingly difficult for me to give any acceptable account of myself
without telling all that had occurred; and that would certainly mean
that I should be detained, and probably left to cool my heels in a
police-cell while 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 me, 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
grudged every second of these intervals of inaction.
I was on fire with impatience to ascertain what had happened to Althea
in my absence. How long I had been away from home I could not tell; and
I tortured myself with a hundred fears on her account.
Von Felsen was not the man to lose a minute in getting to work, as soon
as he knew I was out of his way; and of course his creature, Dragen,
would have told him at once of the success of the attempt to kidnap me.
Until I had left the launch, the consideration for my own safety and the
weighing of the chances of escape had kept me 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 me into a positive fever
of dread.
Fortune did me a good turn, however. I heard the rumble of a train as I
was sitting by the roadside, and presently I saw it rush rapidly past a
few hundred yards above the road where I was.
This did more to revive my strength than anything else could have done,
and a moment later I was striding across the intervening fields to reach
the line. I knew I should not meet any one there, and I pushed ahead
with more confidence than I had yet felt.
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 saw a station
not far ahead.
If all went well, an hour or two would see me out of my fix and speeding
toward Berlin. But everything depended upon the "if." I was already
committing an offence in walking on the line; and I knew that my
greatest difficulties might easily come at the station itself.
I left the line, therefore, while still at a considerable distance from
the station, and made my way back to the road again. In doing this I
stumbled into a rather broad ditch and made myself in a pretty mess.
Under ordinary circumstances I should have laughed at this; but as so
much might turn on my appearance, already dishevelled enough, it
irritated me and promised to prove an additional handicap, when the time
came for questions to be asked.
I looked very much like a tramp, and the German law is not kindly
disposed toward tramps at any time, and certainly not when they are
found wandering about armed in the early dawn. Still, I had to make the
best of things, so I plodded along until I reached the station.
But the door was locked and, although some one must have been attending
to the signals, I could not see any one. The name on the end of the
building was Wilden; but that did not help me much, as I had never heard
of the place.
I was debating what to do when a very sleepy-looking official came
lounging up to the door, unlocked it and entered, eyeing me with glances
full of suspicion the while.
"When is the next train to Berlin?" I asked him.
He looked me up and down carefully and then grinned. "Do you want a
first-class ticket?"
I took his impertinence lightly. "You needn't judge by my appearance,"
I said with a laugh. "I have money to pay for any ticket I want," and I
repeated the question.
"Where did you get it from? And what are you doing hanging about here
at this 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 with a man who is on the right side of a
locked door, so I turned away and walked a little distance along the
road by which I had come, and sat down under a tree to wait.
I was cold, intensely weary, and famished with hunger; and although I
fought against sleep, nature would not be denied, and I was soon off.
The thunder of a train woke me, and jumping up I saw a train running
into the station.
I hurried back to the station and the man I had seen before met me at
the entrance. "Hullo, you again, is it?" he cried.
"I want a ticket for Berlin."
"That train doesn't go to Berlin. You'll have time to go and wash
yourself first"; and he deliberately blocked my way.
As all railway officials were Government servants, I had to be 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 my temper, but I replied quietly:
"You are evidently making a great mistake about me."
"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 roused me. I blinked at him confusedly.
"Come along with me," he ordered curtly.
"I want to go to Berlin. I must get there without delay."
"Come with me, I tell you," he repeated very sharply. "We must know
something about you first."
With a shrug I rose, and he walked me off to the police station, the
railway 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 me. "Who are you?"
"There has been a great mistake made by this gentleman. I am an
Englishman, Paul Bastable, 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 you come from?"
"I am not at liberty to tell you; but you can send some one with me to
Berlin if you wish, and I can satisfy him of the truth about me."
"Have you searched him?" he asked the man who had taken me there.
He did it at once without any ceremony, and together they examined the
contents of my pockets. When they looked next at me, it was with
obvious suspicion, and the constable turned back the collar of the
reefer jacket at the back and then nodded to his superior.
"Paul Bastable, English, are you? Then how come you to have the papers
of Johann Spackmann, engineer, with you, and to be wearing 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 me to Berlin."
"I knew there was something wrong about him," put in the railwayman.
"But I must be off, the Berlin train is due."
"For Heaven's sake don't let me miss that train," I cried earnestly.
A stolid stare and a shake of the head was the only reply.
"But I tell you I must get on at once."
"You will remain here while we make inquiries about you."
My heart sank. "Well, let me telegraph to my people and they will send
some one out to identify me. Or wire the message yourself"; and I gave
Bassett's name and the address of my former office.
"Well, good-morning," said the railwayman; and as he left the station I
was led away and placed in a cell.
CHAPTER XI
MY RETURN
There is no need to dwell on the bitter mortification I endured in the
first hour or so of my imprisonment, or to repeat my futile railings
against the wooden methods and stupidity of the police.
I grew calmer after a time, and recognized that if I was to get out of
the police grip before irreparable mischief was done in Berlin, it would
not be by abusing the men who had detained me. My only chance would be
to persuade them of the fact of my identity.
The thing that bothered me was the possession of the coat I had taken
and papers they had found. What a fool I had been not to feel in the
pockets. When it was too late I saw the blunder I had committed in the
account I had given on the spur of the moment.
I considered long and earnestly whether I should out with the whole
truth about the abduction. But I could not bring myself to believe that
they would credit the story now. And if they did not, it would only
serve to confirm and increase the suspicions already entertained.
Whether anything was being done to test the truth of what I had said, I
could not ascertain. A man brought me some breakfast, but he would not
answer the questions I put to him; and when I asked to see the chief, I
was curtly told that I should see him when he wished to see me, and not
before.
Some hours passed in this galling suspense. I was eating my heart out
in the desire to know what was being done, when two men entered the cell
and ordered me to strip. They examined the marks on my linen carefully,
and fortunately it had my name in full.
"How is it you are wearing these things?" asked one, looking at me with
a very singular expression.
"Because they are my own, of course."
He grunted and exchanged looks with his companion. They whispered
together and then took the shirt away, telling me to put on the rest of
the clothes.
I did not understand the reason for this proceeding, but hoped that the
marks would be regarded as confirmation of my identity.
Presently one of them returned and led me to the office, where the chief
was examining my shirt and looking very grave and important.
"Will you now give an account of yourself during last night?" he
demanded in a pistol-at-your-head tone.
"I can say what I wish to say when I get to Berlin."
"You had better be careful, and had better explain everything fully.
There is a very serious charge against you. We have heard from Berlin."
I jumped to the conclusion, not unnaturally, that the charge referred to
my actions in regard to Althea, and I recognized its seriousness as
fully as did the man questioning me. "I would rather not say anything
until I get to Berlin."
"I'll give you one more chance. We have heard that an Englishman, Paul
Bastable, is mysteriously missing from Berlin, and you Johann Spackmann,
are found here under these suspicious circumstances wearing his clothes.
Account for that if you can."
Instead of accounting for anything I burst out laughing. "You mean that
the charge against me is that of having murdered myself?"
"You will find it no laughing matter," he said sternly.
"My good man, I am Paul Bastable. How the devil could I murder myself?"
"The papers upon you prove you to be Johann Spackmann."
An entirely convincing proof to the German official mind, this. "Then
you'd better behead me as Spackmann for the murder of Bastable," I said
with a shrug of indifference. "Only for Heaven's sake whatever you are
going to do, do quickly."
The affair had turned to a farce although the police did not yet see it.
They put their heads together and whispered in solemn conference.
"Look here," I broke in. "If it will cause you to send me at once to
Berlin, I will confess to the murder of Paul Bastable. And when I do
get there, you will receive such praise for your zeal and cleverness
that you will remember it all your life."
"Hold your tongue," cried the chief very angrily.
"I'll do nothing of the sort," I rapped out in reply. "This farce has
gone too far already and lasted too long. Among the men who know me well
in Berlin is the head of the police"; and I spun off a list of imposing
names. "I demand to be allowed to go there, or to be taken there, at
once; or to send word to my friends to come out and identify me. You
refuse me if you dare."
The only immediate result of my protest was an order to take me back to
my cell, but it bore good fruit. A very short time afterwards my shirt
was returned to me; I was ordered to dress; and told that I was to go to
Berlin in accordance with instructions which had been telegraphed from
there.
They took me as a prisoner, but I did not care a rap for that. All I
wished was to get there. I knew that five minutes' conversation with
the police there would see me at liberty.
And so it turned out. I was ushered into the office of Herr Feldermann,
who was very high up in the police administration; and the instant his
eyes fell on me, he knew me of course, for we had had many a time
together.
"This is Mr. Bastable, the Englishman," he said to my conductor. "You
can return to Wilden and give my congratulations to your superior there
for the zealous discharge of his duty. You may tell him at the same
time," he added with a dry manner, "that although the criminal code is
comprehensive, it does not yet demand the arrest of a man for the murder
of himself."
The man flushed to the roots of his hair, laid down on the table the
things which had been taken from my pockets, saluted, and withdrew
without a word.
"And now tell me what it all means, Herr Bastable."
"Which ears have you on, official or private?"
"Do you want it kept secret? You've given us a lot of trouble, you
know. We have wired your description all over the country. Let us talk
it over privately first." He was one of the few men in the police
administration who refused to be ruled by red tape, and I knew I could
rely absolutely on his word.
"For your private ear only," I replied; and then gave him a fairly full
account of all that had passed, withholding only von Felsen's name in
connexion with the affair.
"I know that man they call the "doctor," and you may shake hands with
yourself on your escape. And as for Dragen, every one of us knows about
him. Who's behind it?"
"Don't ask me, even privately. Get Dragen first, and he'll tell you.
Dragen hasn't a suspicion that I even know he was concerned in it."
He gave me a very shrewd sharp glance. "Nor Herr von Felsen either?"
"I mention no names. But tell me how did you hear about me?"
"Some one who took a considerable risk and came to me. We have had a
hint to hold our hands for a while, or she would have remained as His
Majesty's guest. I won't ask how she came to know so promptly that you
were missing; but Herr Dormund is very sore about you."
It was Althea herself then. She had run this risk of imprisonment for
me. The knowledge was worth all it had cost me.
"I don't want any fuss made about the affair at present if it can be
avoided, but I should like to know if you get hold of the men," I said
as I rose.
"Of course. You had better let me have that jacket and the papers.
They may help us. Well, congratulations again. And by the way, don't
run any more risks about the lady I referred to. She said she was at
your house, and gave her word that if we had to do anything, she would
either be found there or else would tell us where."
"Just one question, "When was I carried off?"
He smiled. "Why last night, of course."
I drove home and found my sister in the deepest distress on my account.
She was overjoyed to see me, and declared that she and Althea had passed
a night of terrible agitation and suspense.
I did not tell her what had occurred, but merely that I had been
detained and unable to send word.
"We thought you had been arrested, Paul; and Althea insisted upon
rushing off to the police this morning. Herr von Felsen came early, and
again this evening, and is with her now in the drawing-room. I must run
and tell her the good news;" and she was rushing out of the room when I
stopped her.
"Don't tell her yet. I'll change and go into them. Von Felsen may be
glad to know I'm back."
"Oh, how I loathe that man, Paul! Had he anything to do with this?"
"My dear child, how could he?" I replied as I hurried off to get into
some decent clothes.
I was not more than a few minutes making the change, and I went down to
the room where the two were together. I paused a moment on the
threshold in doubt whether I should not after all let Bessie announce my
arrival.
"Yes, my solemn word on it. Bring him back and I will do all you wish."
It was Althea's voice and I could not help hearing. It decided me, and I
opened the door and entered.
She sprang to her feet and cried out with astonishment and I hoped
delight, while von Felsen turned as pale as death.
"Good evening, Fraeulein Althea," I said quietly, holding out my hand.
"I am afraid I have given you and Bessie a great fright. I am very
sorry."
She could not speak for the moment and her hand shook as she laid it in
mine. Then after a pause: "Oh, Mr. Bastable, I--I am so relieved."
Affecting not to notice her agitation I turned to von Felsen.
"Good-evening; I suppose you know the fuss I have stupidly caused."
I did not wish him to think that I knew of his hand in the affair, and
spoke much more courteously than I had ever addressed him before.
"Yes, I did hear of it," he replied uneasily. "The fact is I was just
offering my services in the matter."
"Well, I'm afraid it's more than I should have done had you been the
cause of the trouble. But then we don't hit it off very well, do we?
But you could not have done anything. It was just a police blunder at
the last. I had a little trip into the country, and they took me for a
tramp, or something of the sort. Of course it was all put right easily
enough."
"A trip into the country!" cried Althea.
"Well, not exactly a voluntary outing. The fact is I was robbed in the
street here in Berlin, and the scoundrels took me off in a motor-car. I
found myself early this morning miles and miles away--I suppose there
must have been a smash up or something; I had been unconscious
evidently--and when I reached a station the man sent for the police, who
shoved me into a cell and kept me there all day." I laughed as if the
thing were the merest joke.
"You are not hurt?" asked Althea.
"Not a scratch, thank goodness."
"I hope you would know the scoundrels, Herr Bastable?" said von Felsen.
"What a question!" I answered with another laugh. "Do you think you
would, if you had been chloroformed to wake up on a lonely road in the
dark miles away from anywhere. They knew their business too well for
that."
"Well, I'm sure I congratulate you, Herr Bastable," said von Felsen,
with well affected sincerity. "As you say, we don't exactly hit it in
many ways, but a thing of this sort might happen to any of us. It's
monstrous that it could occur. Of course you'll set the police to
work."
I threw up my hands as if it were useless. "I've just been with
Feldermann and his manner told me what to expect. Without a clue of any
sort, what can they do?"
Althea had been watching him very closely, and now turned to him. "You
said just now, that you had no doubt of your being able to get to the
bottom of it all."
"I shall do everything in my power as it is," he replied uneasily.
"But you spoke of having knowledge that would lead to certain success."
"I made sure it was merely a case of arrest; in which event, of course,
my influence would soon have enabled me to ascertain everything."
"I did not take it to be merely that," was the drily spoken reply.
"Well, it's very good of you, von Felsen," I interposed. "And if you can
find the fellows, I'll prosecute them readily enough."
"You do not know all that has passed, Herr Bastable," said Althea with
great deliberation. "And I think you should know."
Von Felsen took alarm at this and said: "As you have returned without my
help, I suppose I can do no more. I'll go." I sauntered over as if to
look at a letter lying on a table and got between him and the door.
"You should explain to Mr. Bastable, certainly. Herr von Felsen exacted
a pledge from me to do a certain thing on the condition that he secured
your return in safety," she added to me, speaking with some little
hesitation.
"How could he possibly have done it?" I cried with a smile. "Anyhow, as
I have returned in safety and without his help, the pledge may be
considered as withdrawn, whatever its nature. That's quite clear."
He understood that I guessed what the pledge was, and turned at bay.
"You may as well know what it was," he said with a scowl. "Fraeulein
Althea agreed to do what my father wishes--become my wife. You know
well enough the many solid reasons there are for that marriage. Herr
Borsen told you."
I laughed. "I thought you were going to marry old Ziegler's daughter.
Is that off then?"
He shot at me a look of bitter hatred. "It's no concern of yours. You
have interfered a great deal too much as it is, Herr Bastable; and
Fraeulein Althea should know that your interference can only have
serious consequences for her; unless, indeed"--and he turned to
her--"she can see her way to comply with my father's wishes at once."
"Can't you bring some more relatives into it besides your papa?" I asked
with a grin. "A baby brother or something equally influential?"
He let the jibe pass. "Now that your whereabouts are known," he
continued to Althea, "the decision must be made immediately."
"If I may be allowed a suggestion," I said to Althea very gravely, "it
might help matters if you were to meet Hagar Ziegler and arrange which
marriage should take place first."
He all but swore at me for this. "You may think it a good subject for a
jest, Herr Bastable; but Fraeulein Althea and her father will find very
little subject for laughter in it. If your decision is not made within
three days, Fraeulein, I will not answer for the consequences."
"Let me see, you named a week to Herr Ziegler, didn't you?" I said in
the same tone of banter.
But Althea was alarmed by the threat. "Mr. Bastable!" she cried with a
gesture of protest. It was a mistake. Von Felsen was quick to see the
impression he had created, and the wisdom of not saying any more. If he
was to win, it would be by playing on her fears.
"That is my last word," he said, as he turned to leave.
"But not Ziegler's," I retorted, as I shut the door behind him.
"I think I am frightened, Mr. Bastable," said Althea nervously. "Why
did you provoke him so?"
"To make him take the buttons off the foils. But I am sorry you let him
see that he had scared you. And there is less cause than ever now."
"Tell me."
"I have first to scold you. You did very wrong to go to the police
about me and then give them that promise not to attempt to avoid
arrest."
"Was I to sit still while I believed you were in danger?" she cried
vehemently. "And after what you had done for me?"
"I am very angry," I replied with a smile.
"I should do the same thing again." And then her face lighted. "Oh, I
think I was never so delighted in my life as when I saw you come into
the room safe and unhurt!"
"If you had only had a little more patience you----"
"Patience? And you in peril!" She stopped with sudden embarrassment as
the colour rushed in a crimson flood to her cheeks, and she lowered her
head.
I was scarcely less embarrassed, and hot passionate words of love rushed
to my lips only to be forced back with a resolute effort.
"Althea."
She looked up and our eyes met. I made a movement to take her hand when
the door was opened and my sister came in hurriedly.
CHAPTER XII
MURDER
It was no doubt quite for the best that my sister interrupted us at such
a moment. Althea's solicitude on my account; the sacrifice she had
shown herself ready to make to secure my safety, and the emotion caused
by my return, had filled me with stronger hopes than I had ever ventured
to encourage before.
Yet to have spoken the words which Bessie's entrance had prevented,
would only have complicated matters and have placed Althea in a position
of supreme embarrassment. Whatever her feeling might be for me, she
still held paramount what she believed to be her duty in regard to her
father, and continued to look upon the marriage with von Felsen as a
possible alternative.
There was another consideration, moreover. If I had blurted out the
declaration of my love, it would make it very difficult, if not actually
impossible, for her to remain longer in the same house with us.
Bessie was quick to understand that she had entered at an awkward
moment, and paused for an instant by the door. "I could not wait any
longer when I knew Herr von Felsen had gone," she said doubtfully.
"There is no reason why you should, Bess," I replied.
"Come and sit by me," said Althea, making room for her. "And now, Mr.
Bastable, was I not right in thinking that Herr von Felsen was at the
bottom of all your trouble? I read an absolute confirmation of it in
his face when you came in; although I was sure of it before, of course,
when I told Herr Feldermann."
"It is one thing to guess and another to have proof," I said, and went
on to give them a general account of my adventure of the preceding
night. They both plied me with a host of questions until at length I
had to avoid the fusillade on the plea that I was both famished and worn
out.
Bessie ran off at once to have something got ready for me, and again
Althea and I were alone. But I had myself well in hand now. Besides,
the conditions were changed; the moment of emotion had passed, and we
were both cooler.
"It was on my account then that you got into this danger?" she said.
"If von Felsen was in it, probably; but then there has never been any
love lost between us. He has always owed me a grudge." I had not
admitted that I knew he had planned the thing.
"If you can prove it, you will have him punished?"
"I hope to deal with him in another way yet."
"Is it not all a terrible complication?"
"I think we shall unravel it," I said hopefully.
Bessie came back then to say that all was ready for me and I rose.
"How shall I ever be able to repay my obligation, Mr. Bastable?"
"I shall manage to get even with you some day, I expect. Bessie will
tell you that whenever I do a little thing for her, she has to pay the
price, eh Bess?"
"Bessie has already told me lots of things," was the reply.
"Ah, you mustn't believe half she says. She's a born gossip," I
answered, and then went off.
The next morning I went early to the Jew's house and found him full of
the news of my disappearance. I did not tell him what had occurred,
merely that I had had to leave the city and had been detained.
"I came to see you that night because I wanted to know if your
daughter's marriage could not be postponed for a time."
"It is fixed for to-morrow, Herr Bastable, and everything is arranged."
"I'm afraid you'll have to put it off, Ziegler." But he would not
listen to this. He was deaf alike to arguments, persuasions and
threats. And while we were in the midst of a heated discussion about
it, Hagar herself came in.
He told her what I wished; but she added her protests to his and spoke
with great passion. She was intensely agitated at the suggestion, and
wound up a fierce tirade with the vehement declaration: "If it is put
off, father, I will kill myself." And that ended the matter.
She was a strange girl; and the instant I said that I should urge it no
more, she seized my hand and pressed her lips to it, not a little to my
embarrassment. "It is you I have to thank for its taking place so soon,
Herr Bastable. I know that. Father has told me all: and I shall never
cease to feel that you have been my best friend throughout."
"You see," said the Jew, lifting up his hands, when she had left the
room.
"All right. Let us talk about something else. How goes the matter of
the papers?"
"Just as we should wish; but I was sorry you did not come to me
yesterday. I had arranged for you to see some of my friends."
"I can see them to-day. I am in earnest, and mean to go through with
the thing. I am as eager as you yourself, I assure you."
He sat thinking a moment. "I ought to tell you, I think. There has
been some rumour again of betrayal of our plans. Only vague, I give you
my honour; but hints which I do not understand. You have not spoken to
any one?"
"Not to a soul."
"I do not understand it. I do not understand it," he repeated.
"Questions were even put to me about myself--to me, who have given so
much to the cause and done so much, too. But if any questions are put
to you to-day, you will understand the reason. Will you come here this
afternoon?"
After some further conversation I agreed to return in the afternoon and
left him. I attached little or no importance to his statements at the
time, but they had a more than sinister look when I came to recall them
in the light of after events.
I knew I was playing with double-edged tools in the affair. Suspicion
of my good faith would bring on me the anger of men to whom treachery
was the one unforgivable crime; while, on the other hand, the mere fact
of my having any dealings at all with them might place me in jeopardy
with the authorities.
It was for this reason that I had resolved to prevent von Felsen having
any knowledge of the part I was playing until the very last moment. I
should not be a free man for an hour after he got wind of the thing,
unless I was in a position to call a halt by means of my knowledge of
his own acts.
From Ziegler I went to Chalice, and found matters in a pretty muddle.
Ever since I had seen her two days before she had been in a condition of
excited indecision; and as I had not gone to her, she had sent for
Prince von Graven. He was there when I arrived, and she had just told
him all I had said to her.
His reception of me may be imagined. He looked as if it would have
given him the pleasure of his life to run me through there and then, and
his furiously indignant denunciation of my interference in the affair
matched his looks.
A very warm altercation followed, in the course of which it came out
that the Kaiser had heard the rumours in regard to the Prince and
Althea. Chalice watched us both and appeared to side with each in turn.
She evidently wished to be able both to marry a man of his high rank,
and yet to secure the triumph of the promised Court patronage.
At length I began to find myself losing command of my temper under the
fire of his invective, so I held my tongue and let him rage at will.
"If ill temper would solve the difficulty we should very soon settle
it," I declared, when a pause gave me a chance to speak. "But we are
not doing an atom of good by all this talk. The thing is perfectly
simple: Fraeulein Chalice can either give up this chance or give up you.
One of the two sacrifices she must make, and if we stay here and talk
till to-morrow morning we can't alter the position."
"You have no right to interfere, sir," he rapped back.
"My interference has consisted in telling her the plain truth."
"To attempt to come between us in this way is unjustifiable, monstrous.
I will not allow it either. You shall answer to me, sir."
"I don't care a snap of my finger for your anger, Prince von Graven; and
I certainly do not intend to have a personal quarrel over the thing.
Can you deny that I have put the matter in its true light?"
"That is not the point. The point is your conduct."
I shrugged my shoulders and turned to Chalice. "It is for you to decide.
I shall of course take your answer as final."
"But how can I decide? Is there no way out?"
"There is only one of the two ways. You can't have both. I will come
for your decision in an hour," I replied and rose. I thought that it
would be best for me to leave them together to discuss it alone.
But Chalice stopped me. "Don't go, Herr Bastable; but excuse us a
moment"; and she took him into another room.
She was soon back again, smiling and carolling an air from one of her
songs. "The Prince has gone," she announced. "He is in a tearing rage
and vows he will never see me again if I do what you ask. But I shall
do it. I wrote the letter yesterday, and it took me such a time. Here
it is"; and she handed it to me.
"I may place this in hands which will give it to the Emperor?"
"Why, of course," she cried. "But you must make sure that it does get
to him."
"I can promise that, I think."
"You don't know how I thank you, Herr Bastable," she said gaily, as we
shook hands. "And if I tell the truth, I would really rather please the
Kaiser than the Prince. I would indeed, although I didn't dare to say
so while he was here. He is such a dear fellow. I hate to make him
angry; but he is awfully handsome when he is in a rage, isn't he? And
if he doesn't come round this time, I can't help it, can I? And now I
must get to my practice. Good-bye."
In this way she settled it; and whether she did or did not care for the
man who was willing to sacrifice all his prospects in life for her sake,
I could not even then determine. Nor did I, in truth, very much care.
I went straight with the letter to Herr Borsen, who showed some surprise
at seeing me. "I heard strange news about you, Herr Bastable. I am
glad to see there was no truth in it. You were reported to have
disappeared."
"I have reappeared, that's all; and I have news for you, which I think
you will agree is of importance."
"You newspaper men have certainly the habit of rushing matters," he
smiled. "What is it?"
"We must have a deal over it. It is something that the Emperor will be
very glad to know; and if I tell you, will you give me an undertaking to
get it direct to him?"
"Would you wish His Majesty to be also a party to the matter?" he asked
with a very dry smile. "Or perhaps you would prefer an audience with
him?"
I affected to take his jibe as earnest and replied very seriously: "Yes,
that would be by far the simplest course."
"You could then force your own terms on him."
"Exactly. Do you think I had better just drop in on him in a friendly
way?" I paused and then added: "Or shall we quit fooling and settle
something?"
"What is the nature of your news?"
"I understand that at length the news about Prince von Graven and
Fraeulein Korper has reached His Majesty. Is that so?"
"Undoubtedly; and with results."
"Well, if I can hand you a statement as to the truth of the whole
affair, together with a written renunciation on the lady's part, will
you pledge me your word of honour that it shall go straight to the
Kaiser?"
"You're a cool hand, Bastable," he said laughing.
"Well, my dear fellow, there are other ways of doing it; but I know
enough of Court affairs to be aware that any one who could claim the
credit of having obtained such a document would do himself a good turn.
I would rather you had the credit than any one else; but you see you are
Count von Felsen's secretary, and I have to reckon with him."
He sat thinking. He knew the advantage to be gained as well as I did.
"Yes, I'll give you my word," he said after the pause.
I handed him the letter which Chalice had given me without a word, and
watched his mounting surprise as he read it. "But this is not from
Fraeulein Korper at all."
"No. That's the mistake. The Prince cares no more for her than you
do"; and I made the matter plain, taking good care to emphasize the
sacrifice which Althea had made and her real motive.
"She is a singer, then?" he asked, referring to Chalice.
"She has one of the most beautiful voices you ever heard, Borsen. She
is Grumpel's favourite pupil, and he is putting her into the programme
for the State concert next week in the place of his Prima, who has
disappointed him."
He looked at me, his eyes full of meaning and his lips drawn into a dry
smile. "I think I see. And you don't wish to appear in it?"
"You can shut me clean out of the picture if you like"; and I rose.
"I hope she will make the sensation old Grumpel expects. She ought to,
after this," he said as we shook hands.
"Oh, by the way," I said, turning at the door as if with an
afterthought, "I expect to have some almost equally important news for
you about the von Felsen marriage in a day or two. Matters are in
train."
"Are you going to bring that off too?" he exclaimed. "Upon my word, I
shall begin to have some real belief in you newspaper men."
"I only want a few days," I replied casually.
"After this, you can have a month, of course, or as long as you wish."
I returned home, speculating rather uneasily what Althea would say when
I told her what had occurred; but she was not in the house, and my
sister told me she had gone to see Chalice. I was not sorry that
Chalice should tell her the news.
In the afternoon I spent an hour or two with Herr Ziegler, and was
introduced to some of the men associated with him in the political
schemes of the Polish party.
I could not see any real reason for me to meet them, and I said as
little as possible, beyond expressing sympathy with their cause and a
willingness to help in the manner arranged with the Jew.
They appeared to be equally on their guard with me; and the chief
impression left on my mind was that the men were not going straight;
that some of them distrusted Ziegler, and were disposed therefore to
regard me with no little suspicion. There was an air of insincerity, a
disposition to fence, and such a reluctance to do more than hint and
insinuate and imply, that I felt anything but easy in mind.
I told the Jew my opinion when the rest had left us; but he explained it
away as no more than the caution natural under the circumstances.
However, the main thing I cared about was the arrangement that I was to
be the go-between with von Felsen in getting the papers; and as any hour
might bring the news that he had obtained them, Ziegler and I were to
keep in constant touch.
But the more I thought over the afternoon's interviews the less I liked
the look of things, and the stronger grew the impression that there was
something crooked. I began to worry myself with the fear that the plan
on which so much depended would go wrong.
For the first time, also, there was something like a cloud between
Althea and myself as the result of the news Chalice had told her. She
said little more than that she knew what had been done; but added that,
as there was no longer any reason for her to remain with us, she had
decided to return home on the following morning.
I took this as a sign of her dissatisfaction at my action; and as I was
in a fretful and rather irritable mood, I just held my tongue. The
evening was thus passed with a feeling of restraint which all Bessie's
efforts could not remove.
I sat worrying over matters for a few minutes after they had left me,
and at length grew so uneasy that I resolved to go at once to Ziegler to
thresh out with him my doubts about his friends. I could not rest quiet
or shake off the sense of impending trouble; and I soon had a tragic and
terrible confirmation of my fears.
I was close to his house when I met Hagar rushing along the street
distraught with terror. She was bareheaded, her eyes wide and
fright-stricken, and she was so absorbed by her agitation, that she did
not see me and did not even hear me when I first called to her.
I turned and caught her up.
"What has happened?" I asked, seizing her arm.
She tried at first to break away from me with a cry of fear, as if not
recognizing me.
"I am Mr. Bastable, your father's friend. Tell me what is the matter."
She looked at me with a dazed expression, trembling violently the while,
and then, with a great effort as if her emotion were choking her, she
told me.
"I was coming to you. Oh, Herr Bastable, my father is dead. He has
been murdered. Oh God! Oh God!"
I caught my breath with the shock of the tidings, and in an instant all
my suspicions of the afternoon recurred to me with startling force.
CHAPTER XIII
IN THE HOUSE OF DEATH
As soon as I had shaken off the first stunning effect of the news of the
murder, I did what I could to calm Hagar, and then asked her to return
with me to the house. But this induced a fresh paroxysm of alarm.
"No, no. They will take my life," she cried. "I dare not. I dare
not."
"I will see that no one harms you," I assured her. "I am armed, and by
this time they will have fled. There is no danger."
I prevailed in the end, and together we went back to the house. She
shuddered violently as we entered, and clung to my arm, shrinking and
shaking and glancing about her in terror at every step.
I knew where her father had kept his liquors, so I got her some brandy
and made her dr
Showing first 200,000 characters. Full text: gutenberg.org/ebooks/40800