The Mission of Poubalov — page 169: what you’re looking at

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

THE LITTLE FRONT ROOM. 165 wainst me. I doubt if he would recognize me, though he ‘probably knows my name as that of Strobel’s most inti- ‘thorough investigation of Poubalov’s house.”’ 8 ‘*Yes, it should have been done days ago, and I would have seen to it had Litizki told me of his experience there.’’ _ “Tt will be very simple. I will go there to look for ooms. Even if he should be there, and see me, he cannot well prevent me from going through the house. I will re- port to you before the day is over.”’ _ Clara had not shown Litizki’s letter to Paul, but she told him enough about it and its contents to convince him that the tailor had been on the right track. He wasin feverish haste to get downtown and effect a solution of the mys- tery at once, and he more than half believed that he should succeed. His hope that Poubalov would nof bein at the time of his call was realized, of course, for the spy was at that time on his way up the harbor after bidding the Cephalo- nia bon voyage. A scrubwoman answered his ring at 32 Bulfinch Place and left him standing in the hall while she went for the landlady. Paul had observed that the window just over the door was concealed by the blinds, whereas every other window on the front of the house was fully exposed. ‘‘T have several rooms vacant,’’ said the landlady as she came jingling a bunch of keys from a back room. She was a stout, good-humored-looking woman whose pleasant face, a little hardened by business dealings, perhaps, did not suggest the duplicity that would be essential to an al- liance with such a man as Poubaloy. ‘‘What kind of a room do you want?’’ Paul thought he would look at them all. **I don’t mind the price so much,”’ he said, ‘‘as the way the room strikes me.’’ mate friend. As I understand it, you wish me to make a | (©) ‘‘Well,’’? responded the landlady with a sighs ‘tifa