The Argosy, Vol. 76, No. 3 — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

THE THING THAT WAS CAESAR’S. since she is to become an American she may as well begin by being married on American soil. Of course diplomati- cally it isn’t that, but it'll do. Late as it was they stormed the con- sulate and made the desired arrange- ments with the jovial consul, so that eleven o’clock the next morning found Marjorie a trifle pale, but very charm- ing indeed, with the consul’s wife who would have it that no trouble was really a trouble—when she had talked with the lovely English girl and had heard of her adventures and who took entire charge of. the arrangements, so that Marjorie laughingly told her she had made a mistake as to the bride. ‘And now what are your plans?” asked the smiling consul when, the cere- mony over, the little group of guests had gathered in the long drawing- room. “Why, I mean to cable my partner in Manila that I want to run home for a couple of months if he can spare me for so long. Our contract with the Japanese government has fallen through, but we have some interests in the States that really require some at- tention. Burton’s wife is. coming out on the next army transport, so he will not want to go home so soon—” “On an army transport? He can’t be in the service, is he?” asked an Englishman. “Oh no. The army transports are really liners that are run for the bene- fit of any civilians who have political pull enough to secure transportation on them and save the price of a ticket.” And he winked at the laughing con- sul, who winked ponderously in reply. “Oh I say now! Aren't you rotting me?” “Far be it from me. And when I hear from him I will arrange a trip home by way of Suez with the French galleries and London to top off with, You see my wife wishes her family to see what a really wild specimen of the genus Americanus she has annexed. I’m to be ‘ exhibit A.’ ”’— “And by the way, Hemingway,” he 615 added, turning to his friend, “ now that it is settled that you go for us to Mexico, it will be better and more com- fortable for us all and far pleasanter for Marjorie and me if you can sail with us on the Nigeria this afternoon for home. We can go together as far as London and I will be able to go deeper into the matter of that Mexi- can‘business with you.” Hemingway nodded, his fingers tapping the table nervously. “ By the way,” he said, “ now that we are go- ing home together by steamer, let’s send that silver box and all that it contains to London by express and settle it all up there. If we sell the stones we can get far better prices there than we can out here, where stones are always more or less at a discount. If we send it by express we will be rid of all responsi- bility for it—and incidentally any more bad luck,” he added under his breath. They waited anxiously for the reply that should come to the cable that Oakes sent to Burton in Manila, and when it came. Marjorie found another surprise, for it was addressed “ Mrs. James Oakes, Care of American Con- sul, Hong-Kong,” and all that it said was: “Saint James five one,” which occasioned them much trouble till they could procure a Bible wherein Oakes, after tearing three pages out in trying to find the Epistle of Saint James in the Old Testament, was finely induced to turn to the New. Once discovered it read: “Go -to thou rich man. Weep and howl for the troubles that have come upon thee.” Whereat they both scoffed openly. Remained but two things to be done, and on the first of these the two men were most insistent; that the silver box which rightly or wrongly they had be- gun to consider unlucky should be sent to London by express, there to be held till they should call for it. To this at first Marjorie would not consent; but, seeing that her husband was really in earnest in his desire not to have the thing in their possession COMicdoo S CO@