“It’s the chance of a lifetime. Of course I will,” he declared at once, adding characteristically: “I may do you a turn at the same time.”
Then Helga told her plan and we discussed it together. Siegel’s enthusiasm rose and fell as the risk of his being arrested in mistake appeared greater or less. Indeed he was just as anxious to be caught as I was to escape; and in the end we came to an arrangement.
Siegel was to take my place as Harper C. Denver and to carry my passport, and I was to take his. Helga was to remain Madame de Courvaix and to act independently of us both; and we were all to travel in separate carriages and endeavour to pass the barriers at the frontier alone.
“I am candid with you, M. Siegel,” said Helga; “I think you will be stopped. M. Denver’s name is known and we ought to have had another passport. I think I shall get through, and I’m sure he will. And that is my principal concern.”
“I’ll try and act up to the part,” said Siegel gleefuly.
“If you are stopped, I shall not attempt to get through,” I said to Helga.
“But that is just what you must do. You must go first. Think, if we are both stopped, how disastrous it may be. You will take these with you;” and she handed me the papers which had played so great a part in the past few days. “With these, and your freedom and your Embassy at your back, you will gain the Emperor’s presence, and then his friendship for you should do the rest. It is our one sound chance.”
“But it looks like deserting you,” I protested. “You ask too much. It’s cowardly.”
“What could you do if we were both detained? You must do this. You must. And you must be the first to pass the barrier.”
“Say, Harper, you can give the thing the necessary colour by asking for that wire from Marvyn for me.”