An Imperial Marriage

ld rouse any suspicions on the part of the "doctor," and hi

orward, but I had hitched my feet under a bo

u," he said, turning his head for a moment.

leave t

launch a m

do it yourself," w

" stooped down and, first pushing me roughly to one side ou

darkness,"

ndered him. I could watch him easily. The litter in the place hampered

ade, I slipped back a yard or two

" he muttered, and bega

ting for a favourable chance to

hunt for me. Raising my hand I struck him two blows on the head w

rlen, hearing the noise of the

moment I did not much care which. I kept my hands on him, and if there had been

r him in the hope that he would have a revolver; but I could feel nothing of the sort;

would serve him as I had served the "doc

pen after some fum

little louder this time. "What have you don

t far enough for me to make sure of dis

it mean?" He was evid

aunch and stopped her. He waited until the way was off her,

l," he muttered and went off

d one, I threw some of the litter over the head and shoulders, and went back to my corner and lay down

e of the other fellow I soon saw, and he brought the weapon more because he feared

c?" he said. "Don't try any pranks wi

ok at me, and the scrutiny apparently satisfied him that I was still of no

his head. "He must have had some sort of fit,

mself inside the place, and for some

t up or I shall fire." He shook his head again in dire perplexity when

and stooped to enter, holding the weapon all the time in readine

an. I would have that revolver

d very slowly and with intense caution, feeling the body as he approached

t moment. I sprang forward, wrested the revolver from his grasp, thrust him violently down, sei

d with a profound sigh of relief and

forecastle tried me severely. My nerves were all to pieces, and when Marlen began hamm

f his knuckles before I would take any notice; and after my first start of alarmed

as in a very ugly mess indeed, and a taste of the suspense I had had to undergo would do him good. He coul

launch, which was drifting at the will of the stream; and there appeared to be no

My clothes were in a filthy state as the result of my crawling hunt in the dirty forecastle, an

"; and as I was now outside and armed with a revolver and the two men were my prisoners, the Ger

ef desire was to get back to Berlin with the least possible delay, I resolved not

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-ca

se to the bank on the side where the railway ran, whe

and hammering again at the hatch, and the muffled soun

nd started out to ascertain where I was and

e; but I set off at a brisk pace and

struck across country until I came to a road leading in the direction I had

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

l strain for any footsteps ahead of me, and taking the gre

than once I had to sit down and rest. Eager as I was to reach t

lthea in my absence. How long I had been away from home I could n

n as he knew I was out of his way; and of course his creature, Dragen,

rom fretting about matters in Berlin; but now that I was free and on the way back, every minute seemed to be of vital co

ain as I was sitting by the roadside, and presently I saw it ru

later I was striding across the intervening fields to reach the line. I knew I should

y grew grey in the east. Dawn was near; and as the

ut everything depended upon the "if." I was already committing an offence in walking on t

om the station, and made my way back to the road again. In doing this

t turn on my appearance, already dishevelled enough, it irritated me and promis

at any time, and certainly not when they are found wandering about armed in the early daw

the signals, I could not see any one. The name on the end of the building w

icial came lounging up to the door, unlocked it and ente

t train to Berli

fully and then grinned. "Do y

my appearance," I said with a laugh. "I have money to p

hat are you doing hanging about h

it for the next

here;" and with that he s

of a locked door, so I turned away and walked a little distance alo

t against sleep, nature would not be denied, and I was soon off. The thunde

n I had seen before met me at the entran

ticket f

l have time to go and wash yourself fir

, I had to be cautious in dealing with him. "Wher

where, eh, to get away from this place?

lt to keep my temper,

y making a great

nowing shake of the head. "Where did y

ted at that moment there was nothing to be gained by

e: "There's no train for two hou

sitting down on one of the benches in th

concession. A police officer was with him an

ith me," he o

rlin. I must get th

repeated very sharply. "We must

. I concealed my bitter irritation as best I could, and tried to think of the best story to tell. The

ble, 78, Miedenstrasse, Berlin, a newspaper correspondent. I have been away in search

ve you co

send some one with me to Berlin if you wish,

m?" he asked the man

ockets. When they looked next at me, it was with obvious suspicion, and the constable t

e you to have the papers of Johann Spackmann,

ad annexed from the launch. I hesitated and then forced a laugh. "I suppose you know that newspaper

t him," put in the railwayman. "But I

't let me miss that tr

a shake of the head

ou I must get

re while we make in

l send some one out to identify me. Or wire the message yourself

wayman; and as he left the station