The Argosy — page 287: what you’re looking at

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

268 The Missing Rubtes. questioned as to his opinion of foreigners, he would have replied that they were ‘‘mostly fools.” ‘The two lean men who rented his parlours did not interest him in the least. Nor was his wife more curious about the history of the pair of friends, who never com- plained of her domestic arrangements, or asked for any increase of comfort. ‘They paid their way and were easily pleased, and that was quite enough for such an apathetic couple as the Greggs. A short flight of stairs led up to Stavieski’s room. ‘Two or three eager strides brought him to his own door; and he burst in suddenly upon a solitary man, poring over some papers which were scattered about upon the table. Like his friend, John Wouriski was tall and thin; but he had been, in better days, a handsomer man than Stavieski. His hair and beard were quite white; making all the more conspicuous the intense darkness of the eyes, which shone at times with almost a lurid splendour. It was the wild light in the eyes that created a certain resemblance between two men who were not otherwise alike in feature. And Wouriski, shabby as he was, retained about him an air of dis- tinction which might have attracted the notice of people more observant than the Greggs. He looked up wearily as his companion entered. But at Michael’s first words the dark eyes seemed to flash fire. He rose from his seat at the table, and stood with his back to the window, gazing intently into his friend’s face. “In our power, Michael! Paulina Lorenski in our power!” he said incredulously. ‘‘ Why do you say such things? It cannot be.” “Wait till I have told you my plan,” returned Stavieski, breath- ing hard. ‘“‘ Listen. Weare always safe here while we talk in our own language, and speak in quiet tones. We are good lodgers—you and I—we have earned the confidence of our landlord, have we not? Nevertheless, when we bring a traitress to this house, it is as well that they should be out of the way. And they will be out of the way on Sunday evening.” “You are mad, Michael; we are both mad. We have watched the woman until the very thought of her begins to turn the brain. Have you seen her to-day P” ‘‘T have not seen her, Wouriski ; but I have been into her room. Such a room, my friend! Full of flowers and silken cushions and luxuries! And when I stood on the soft carpet, and saw all her pretty trifles scattered about me, I wondered how Paul was faring in the mines! Ay, as I stood there, it seemed as if your father rose up before me: I could have sworn that I saw him, bent, and worn, and ghastly, as he was when he fell dying by the roadside! Do the dead ever come back to us, Wouriski? If they do it is to tell us to avenge them.” With his arms folded, and his glowing eyes still fixed upon the COMIC OOOKS.GO©