The Mission of Poubalov — page 111: what you’re looking at

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

WHAT BECAME OF LITIZKT. 107 ness depressed her which she at length overcame with the utmost difficulty. Having returned the . concealed weapon to the hall, she sank intoa chair and asked Li- tizki to tell her what had happened to him during the pre. vious evening. “You asked me to call early,’’ he began, ‘‘and I set out to do so. Without going into unnecessary detail, I will say that 1 came up the street that ends nearly in front of this house, a iittle after seven o’clock. The exact time doesn’t matter, for you will know as nearly as you need _ to when I[ tell you that just as I was about to cross the road I saw Poubalov in front of me. He had come by an- other route. I wasn’t surprised, for the man seems to _ read one’s thoughts, and it was as if he had known that I - ‘Was coming, and had determined to prevent me. *T doubted whether it would be wise to call as long as he was in the neighborhood, but all doubts were set at rest when he himself went up the steps and rang. Of course it would have been the height of folly for me to enter the house then.”’ ‘‘You had the right to,’’ interrupted Clara; “‘I had asked you to come, and 1 needed you very much.”’ Litizki looked so miserable that Clara hastened to add: ‘“‘T didn’t mean to reprove or find fault, Mr. Litizki. I forgot for the moment everything except that eventually, after Poubalov had run away, I wished you were at hand!’’ **I hope I made no mistake, Miss Sere ”? said Litizki; ‘tat all events I could see no other course at the time than to do what I did.”’ ‘‘T have no doubt you were right. Go on, please.”’ “T determined to wait until Poubalov went away. If | had been familiar with the house, I might have found my way to the back door and sent word to you by a serv- ant, but I dared not venture, for I knew not from what window Poubalov might be looking. The same reason in- duced me to leave the street, which is clearly in view from some windows, and, moreover, I did not care to risk ONMUCLIOOKS