The Argosy — page 121: what you’re looking at

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

: 3 a BY RIGHT OF SWORD. 313 ‘You have found a ridiculous mare’s nest,’’ I said, with a short laugh ; ‘‘and I have something more important to do than to listen to your fictions. If you think there is any truth in the thing, by all means tell all you know. But I warn you beforehand you will fail—fail ignominiously ; and what is more, lose all you have said you wish to gain. My great object now is to get Olga out of the country, so that I may be free to carry out my plans.”’ She looked up as I spoke, and I saw the light of hope in her eyes. “That you may follow her, I suppose you mean?’’ ‘You can suppose what you please,’’ I answered shortly... ‘‘ If you wish to break off all between us by this ridiculous story, do so. But bear in mind, it is your act, not mine ; and when once done, done irrevocably.”’ She wrung her“hands in indecision. ( Can-T: trist: your??’ ‘“Can you get me a permit for Olga to leave the country ?”’ ‘‘ Ves—alone.’’ ‘There was a world of meaning in that single word. ‘Then get it; and as soon asa railway engine can drag her across the frontier, she will be out of Russia, and out of my way, much to my relief.’’ She sat silent in perplexity. ‘You can’t go! You shan’t go!’’ she cried. ‘‘ You have made me do these things, whoever you are, and you must stay—for me.’’ I smiled. I had won. ‘Then I changed, as it were, to a rather fanatical Nihilist, and cried enthusiastically : ‘The ties that keep me here, Paula, are ties of death and blood; and such as no woman’s hand can either fashion or destroy.’’ She looked at me long and intently and put her hands on my arm and her face close up to mine, and said in a soft, seductive tone: ‘Tf I get that permit, all shall be as it was?’’ ‘“All shall be as it was, Paula,’’ I answered, adopting her equivocal phrase, and bent and kissed her on the forehead. But I was playing fora big stake : Olga’s life probably, and my own certainly ; and I could not afford the luxury of absolute candor at that crisis of the game. But I did not win without conditions. ‘“T will get it,’’ she said ; ‘‘ but you remember what I told you before. I repeat it now. You are more surely mine than ever; more surely than ever in my power, Alexis.’’ She emphasized the word anda glance showed me her meaning. ‘‘ And we must be married secretly within three days. ‘“As you will,’’ I replied ; and I felt glad that in a measure her resort to this compulsion gave me a sort of justification for misleading her. In less than three days’ time the Czar’s visit would be over and I should either be dead or out of Russia. But Olga would be saved ; and that would be much. CHAPTER XXIII.—CHECKMATES ! As soon. as Paula Tueski left me I went round to Olga to endeavor to solve the riddle of the woman’s discovery. Olga was out and would not return for an hour. Leaving word that I wished to see her particularly, and Eomichbooks (E(@)