The Mission of Poubalov — page 148: what you’re looking at

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

144 THE KEY TO IVAN’S PRISON. sciously he felt in his pocket and drew forth the revolve with which he had intended to kill the spy. Should ] uot end his misery then and there, and cheat the han man? He looked down at the tiny barrel, so large in tragic possibilities, and with the thought that he had to exercise a steady hand upon himself as he had up Poubalov in order to plunge into oblivion, he began to 1 cover. The grated cover of a sewer basin was at his fe and he dropped the weapon upon it. It rebounded a ver little and then slipped through the grating, out of sig and out of reach. Litizki instantly wondered why he hi done that. j ‘“‘That was unreasonable. The revolver was not | dence,’’ he muttered, and then a wild joy surged ing heart as he reflected tha the had accomplished his pur ‘‘That was no crime in the light of reason,’’ he ¢ ru 1 ‘The necessities of the situation demanded it, and tho , the law will say otherwise, I am content.”’ He was almost himself again now, and it flashed J him that his work, after all, was but half done. There: one other step to be taken before his heroic deed could of service to her whom he worshiped, and to his benei tor whom he idolized. Strobel must be freed, but hi Certainly not by standing there at the curb in plain vy: waiting to be arrested. No; whatever be his ultimate he must effect at least a fcanioreie escape. Once more steadied by a purpose to strive for, crossed the avenue and walked on in the same general rection until he came to Washington Street. His dela the curb had been brief as measured by the watch. — every step he took his brain grew clearer. He say folly of going to Poubalov’s lodging-house in Place for the purpose of releasing Strobel. His cony that Strobel was confined there had not been shak any of the events since his failure to expose Poubaloy cret. News of the murder would undoubtedly be tak that house before he could get there. The release m effected by some other hand than his own; but what comicbooks.