The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 3 — page 114: what you’re looking at

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

498 THE ARGOSY. was in the room for the first few minutes he chatted away like the bright and pleasant fellow he appeared to be. But as soon as my man had left the room his manner changed suddenly, and his voice took a direct, earnest tone that made me look at him in some astonishment. “Don’t have that fellow back again. Is it all acting, or don’t you really recognize me? I knew you in a moment.’’ “Did you? Well, I certainly don’t know you. I never met a journal- ist He broke in with a short laugh and waved his hand with a quick gesture of impatience as he stared at me hard. His manner annoyed me. ‘“Well, if you’re not what you said you were, what the devil are you doing here? What do you want?’ I felt like pitching him out of the place. . ‘*Didn’t you expect me?”’’ ‘‘Expect you? No; how should I?”’ ‘“Tnstructions were sent to prepare you.’’ ‘“T can only say I haven’t the ghost of a notion what you want.”’ ‘“To complete the arrangements for tomorrow’s glorious event ; » and his face lighted with a momentary enthusiasm. ‘“How am I to know you?’’ I asked suspiciously. ““Iam Gorvas Lassthum; and I saw you twelve months ago when the other plan was laid, as you will remember, and failed. Your memory is treacherous, my friend.’’ ‘““ There are some things I train it to forget,’’ I answered equivocally. Iwasinafix. I guessed the man wasa Nihilist agent, of course, and his air of self importance suggested that he was high up in the leadership. But, on the other hand, Moscow was at the moment swarming with spies of all kinds, and this might be one. I assumed an air of extreme caution, therefore, and after a flash of thought added : ‘‘ And some that I prefer not . to know at ail. It pleases me now to hold that from my side you and I are strangers. You know me well? Say, then, just what you wish tosay. I,on my side, don’t know you, and prefer to say nothing.”’ | ~“*Good,’’ he cried; and, reaching out, offered me his hand, and when I gave him mine he pressed it and said earnestly, ‘‘ Would to Heaven we had more men like you—so ready in act and so cautious in word.’’ I bowed and made no other sign. ‘You have the orders for the disposition of the troops tomorrow, and at the last minute the whole of them, or the most of them, will be changed. You yourself will be detailed to that part of the line which runs over the flat stretch by the river on the further side of the Vsatesk station. Guard it well, for a greater life than that of the emperor’s depends on your vigilance —the life of the people.’’ As he said this, another of those little flashes of light that seemed to transform him froma pleasant man of the world into an enthusiast leaped into his‘eyes. A pause followed, in which I said nothing. ‘Your orders will be to station your men at set distances on either side of the line—it being an easy place to guard—and you will have some three miles of the line under your command. It is good. Now, take thought. Eomichbooks (S@)