An Imperial Marriage

y face as I was penned in between heavy bodies which crushed so closely against me that movem

in was dizzy, my senses dazed and chaotic. The ground under me appeare

nd thither, producing a medley of glare which

tional thought was the discovery that when I closed my eyes the flashes were stil

, because I was hopelessly wedged between the heavy bodies. Moreove

mber what had occurred. I had been drugged, and could

elling at a rapid pace through the night. The heavy bodies which had so perplexed

y weary and helpless, with a hazy feeling that rest would restore my faculties, and a half-awakened

e pleasant discovery that the racking pain in the head had ab

d I heard one say to the other: "It's all right. He's still de

t a good rate, some thirty miles an hour, I thought, and the car, a rather crazy vehicle, swayed an

r's house; my stay there; my leaving; the encounter with the pretended police official; th

knew it might have been no more than an hour or two before I came

ee anything, but presently one of them put a q

think," was

from Witt

ty miles. A

chauffeur, who turned his head and flung back a reply ov

nd Hamburg, about a hundred miles from the capital. The man had spoken of it as if it were the en

hts back at once to the time of my visit to von Felsen. Dragen was the man whom I had recogniz

had let myself be fooled. He had evidently had this plan to get rid of me in mind for some time, a

s 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 vo

again, only to give it up in bewilderment. At the rate we were travelling I should

men bent down

n him a pretty stro

hed. "Do you suppo

teeth all but rattled in my jaws, and then pinched me until I shou

Saves trouble," g

him on the boat? We don't want any noise the

to finish him, I

look out that par

ve it to me. But I m

an was feeling in his pockets. I wondered what

ndering at the use of such a term and jumping to the conclusion that the fellow must have had some sor

tion, for he seized my hand roughly and plunged a

said. "But we'll hav

eedle down into the quick. Fortunately for me the lurching of the car interfered wit

hough it made me almost sick. He loosened his grip of the thumb with the needle stil

again and drew out the needle roughly. "He's good

and he leant forward and spoke to Dragen,

cation of their plans. I was being taken by car to Wittenberge in order to be transferred to

n 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 identifica

enough of Dragen's reputation for cunning to be quite sure that he would so arrange matters that even if I succeeded in rais

belief in my continued unconsciousness. H

over that point as strenuously as only a man can think wh

was a doomed man. That was as certain as that the sun wo

thick on my forehead as I tried to come to some decision, and I was still u

nsternation that the place was absolutely deserted. Then the car

and walked away

the river trip?" asked t

ave to manage the launch, and you'll have to go, of course. We can't get on w

ng to get him on

going on the trip for his health, and we are his valet and medical man looking after him on the voyag

al easier to drop

f the sort. He's only wanted to be

ff on the lot of us. I know which

thing's as simple as it can be

his disapproval, and

hanked 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

to escape or attract help for the prese

e two men that all was in readiness, and t

e pretty roughly, and in getting on to the boat the doctor tripped an

, doctor," called Drage

he growling response. "And you

," came the sharp, angry retort, the threatening to

r weigh, will it?" put in Marlen. "Come

can finish the job by yourselves,"

gen furiously, "or it'l

ng enough, and this would be a mighty good place to pay the debt in. I'm a

at one another like two inf

irty, low, sponging bully speak to me like that!" and, giving, a full rein to his temper, he let lo

g away, and I glanced round me stealthily in search of something wit

e whole adventure, kept his head and his temper. He let the "doctor" storm and

e you going to do? Going through with me or back with th

ee it through,"

t's about the toughest speech you ever gave me, but I shan't take an

e landing-stage and

?" asked Marlen, rathe

let me have the drops," he said casually and went bac

rd on that tongue of yours." The to

say any more about it

on with it if you like,"

nite disappointment the quarrel ended the

id Marlen. "We've lost time enough a

ward, and thrust me into a sort of forecast

ile, but could not distinguish what was said; and after a

ough for me to stand upright in. There was a good deal of lumber stored in it, an

ed was not large enough to allow of two persons entering at the same time,

r a long time I was unsuccessful, but when I had all but given up hope my fingers closed on a heavy b

he hatch, choosing such a position as wou

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 effect

nate fear, as

was drawn back and the "doctor" thrust in his hand and ra

unced. "We'd better do it

re's a boat of

back quickly, but

doc, and that's the

octor will want to know a heap of things. Dragen doesn't know that, but I do. There isn't a sing

ill we get pa

ilence f

former suggestion and murder me rather th

my life, and I waited as tensely as they until the launch should have passed the boat, a

they seemed li

eard him approach the forecastle. "I'll bring him out," he said; and his s