Part 1 (1/2)
The Book of All-Power
by Edgar Wallace
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCING MALCOLM HAY
If a e of twenty-two, the enticement of romantic possibilities will never come to him
The chairman of the Ukraine Oil Co e of a chair by the chairman's desk, and noted how the eye of the youth had kindled at every fresh discouragement which the chairman had put forward Enthusiasm, reflected the elder man, was one of the qualities which were most desirable in the man as to accept the position which Malcol
”Russia is a strange country,” said Mr Tremayne ”It is one of theback fro stories of the idiosyncrasies of the chink But I can tell you, from my own personal observations, that the Chinaman is an open book in words of one syllable coe Russian peasant By the way, you speak Russian, I understand?”
Hay nodded
”Oh, yes, sir,” he said, ”I have been talking Russian ever since I was sixteen, and I speak both the dialects”
”Good!” nodded Mr Tremayne ”Now, all that remains for you to do is to think both dialects I was in Southern Russia attending to our wells for twenty years In fact, long before our wells cah I aent man, I know just as little about the Russian to-day as I did when I went there
He's the most elusive creature You think you know him two days after you have ed all your opinions about him; and by the end of the first year, if you have kept a careful note of your observations and impressions in a diary, you will discover that you have three hundred and sixty-five different views--unless it happens to be a leap year”
”What happens in a leap year?” asked the innocent Hay
”You have three hundred and sixty-six views,” said the solemn Mr
Tremayne
He struck a bell
”We shan't want you to leave London for a week or two,” he said, ”and in the meantime you had better study up our own special literature We can give you particulars about the country--that part of the country in which the wells are situated--which you will not find in the guidebooks
There are also a few notable personages whom it will be advisable for you to study”
”I know most of them,” said the youth with easy confidence ”As a ot the British Consul to send me a local directory and swotted it”
Mr Tremayne concealed a smile
”And what did the local directory say about Israel Kensky?” he asked innocently
”Israel Kensky?” said the puzzled youth ”I don't reme,” said the other dryly, ”and, by the way, you'll be able to study hie environment, for he is in London at thisin the doorway
”Get Mr Hay those books and pamphlets I spoke to you about,” said Tremayne ”And, by the hen did M Kensky arrive?”
”To-day,” said the clerk
Tremayne nodded