Part 4 (1/2)
He picked up a ser-tips, and handed it to me
I think I knehat it was, even before I looked at it A photograph of Anne Pendennis, identical--save that it was unframed--with that which was in the possession of the miserable old Russian, even to the initials, the inscription, and the red symbol beneath it!
CHAPTER IV
THE RIVER STEPS
”This was found in Carson's pocket?” I asked, steadying my voice with an effort
He nodded
I affected to exaain a ht now, that I knew the original; tell hie visitant? No; I decided to keep silence, at least until after I had seen Anne, and cross-exaain
”Have you any clue to her identity?” I said, as I rose and replaced the blood-stained card on his desk
”No I've no doubt the Russian Secret Police knoell enough who she is; but they don't give anything away,--even to ested, indicating the photograph with a fresh cigarette which I took up as I resuain my composure, and have no doubt that Southbourne considered itation was merely the outcome of my natural horror and astonishic fate And now I meant to ascertain all he knew or suspected about the affair, without revealing my personal interest in it
”Not they! It came from Von Eckhardt It was he who found poor Carson; and he took possession of that”--he jerked his head towards the desk--”before the police cah”
I knehat that gled across the frontier
I had met Von Eckhardt, as on the staff of an important German newspaper, and knew that he and Carson were old friends They shared roo
”Nohy should Von Eckhardt run such a risk?” I asked
”Can't say; wish I could”
”Where was he when poor Carson was done for?”
”At Wilna, he says; he'd been away for a week”
”Did he tell you about this Society, and its red symbol?”
”'Pon ht to have been a barrister!” drawled Southbourne ”No, I knew all that before As a ainst that very Society,--as I' you Von Eckhardtthat about the bit of geraniu I drew my own inference
Here, you may read his note”
He tossed me a half-sheet of thin note-paper, covered on one side with Von Eckhardt's crabbed German script
It was, as he had said, a mere statement of facts, and I mentally deter Von Eckhardt when I arrived at Petersburg
”You needn't have troubled to question me,” resumed Southbourne, in his most nonchalant manner ”I meant to tell you the little I know,--for your own protection This Society is one of those revolutionary organizations that abound in Russia, but ed than erous Its members are said to be innumerable, and of every class; and there are branches in every capital of Europe A near neighbor of yours, by the way, is under surveillance at this verydefinite has been traced to him”