The Mission of Poubalov — page 223: what you’re looking at

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

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. 219 rolled down his face as he tried to be calm. He couldn’t eat or keep still. I tried to soothe him, but he wouldn’t let me. Then I insisted that he tell me what he had heard. ‘T haven’t heard anything,’ he answered excitedly; ‘who said I had? I only surmise. I must see Clara.” We both supposed you would come home to luncheon, and he waited for you as long as his impatience would let him. He went away about fifteen minutes ago, telling me again to have you wait for him. I am dreadfully alarmed.”’ ‘*So am I,”’ said Clara in a low voice. She was begin- ning to feel a sense of confusion, and she had to think hard to convince herself that she had really left Paul on guard at Bulfinch Place and Michael in the street near the old tavern. It seemed to her essential that she should be in both places, and here at home also. She had intended to seek her uncle’s assistance in any event, and now he was vainly looking for her with some manner of important and, it seemed likely, bad news. “T am faint,’’ she added after a moment; ‘‘perhaps I can think better if I have a cup of tea.”’ Louise hastened to give the orders to the servant, and a few minutes later Clara ate and drank. It was well that she thought of luncheon, well that she could eat, for her vital energies had been severely drawn on, and there was much more ahead of her todo. After she had refreshed herself she said: ‘**T cannot wait for uncle. I don’t know what is the most important thing to do, but I feel that I must not wait here. I will send Michael, the cabman, back. Please see that he has luncheon, and keep him here until uncle returns. Then send him forme. He will know where to find me, and I promise to come home at once unless— Well, send him to me, and I will return if I can.” _ Louise was tearful at Clara’s departure, but she did not try to detain her. It would have done no good, and she knew it. When Clara found Mike faithfully on guard just where im she had left him, she told him her programms, and...