The Mission of Poubalov — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

WHAT BECAME OF LITIZKI. 109 got up, leaped over the hedge, darted across the road as noiselessly as if he were a cat, and disappeared. **I followed as well as I could, and, as luck would have it, I soon overtook him, for he was strolling along slowly, as unconcerned as if he owned a house near by and were out for a breath of fresh air. He rambled on until] he came to Washington Street, when he stopped at the curb and looked idly about for several seconds. There were many people about, and his bareheaded condition attracted at- tention. All the shops were open, and suddenly he darted into one of them. It was not a hat store, but when he came out, which was almost immediately, he had a hat on. I suppose he bought it for an extravagant sum off the head of some stranger It would be like him. ‘*He idled about the neighborhood for as much as an hour, Miss Hilman, and I1 did all that I could think of to keep him in view without exposing myself. The man isa fiend with a million eyes! But wait, I’ll tell you. At last he moved along, and, of course, I followed faithfully, noting every turn, that I might be able to go again by the same | - way if possible, or at least to the same place, wherever . that might be. For in spite of my care I don’t know what was his destination, if he had any. It is for this reason that I say I may have prevented him from some fresh villainy. ‘‘ At last, in a street to which I could readily return, he paused. I was across the way from him, and I slipped into a doorway, where I was wholly in the dark. I could see him, though, and for along, long time he paced slowly back and forth, never once speaking to anybody, or look- ing about, or getting out of my sight. It didn’t matter to me. I would have stayed on till I starved in my tracks, but eyentually he crossed the street directly toward me. He could not see me, of that I am certain, but of course he had seen me—and— Iam a helpless, good-for-nothing fool, Miss Hilman!’’ “Why say that?’’ asked Clara kindly. (Q) (0) ‘‘Because he came straight into the doorway) prdochits