Part 2 (1/2)
”It is the cafe of the Silver Lion, in a place called Soho,” he said
”Here we meet froatelle” He gave the English naht it is necessary that you should be here, Sophia Kensky, because of the great happenings which must follow”
She was silent for awhile, then she asked whether it was safe, and he laughed
”Safe!” he scoffed ”There are no secret police in London This is a free country, where one may do as one wishes No, no, Sophia Kensky, be not afraid”
”I am not afraid,” she answered, ”but tellabout?”
”You shall learn, you shall learn, little sister,” said Yakoff iht have added that he also was to learn, for as yet he was in ignorance
They drove into a labyrinth of narrow streets and stopped suddenly before a doorway There was no sign of a restaurant, and Yakoff explained, before he got out of the cab, that this was the back entrance to the Silver Lion, and that most of the brethren who used the club also used this back door
He dismissed the cab and pressed a bell in the lintel of the door
Presently it was opened and they passed in unchallenged They were in a sas-jet There was a stairway leading to the upper part of the preas, at the foot leading to the cellar; and it was down the latter that Yakoff irl
They were now in another passage, ashed and very orderly A gas-jet lit this also, and at one end the girl saw a plain, wooden door
To this Yakoff advanced and knocked A small wicket, set in the panel, was pushed aside, and after a brief scrutiny by the door's custodian, it was opened and the two entered without further parley
CHAPTER II
A GUN-MAN REFUSES WORK
It was a big underground roo-room one finds in certain of the cafes in Soho, and its decorations and furniture were solid and co saloon when the girl entered They were standing about talking, or sitting at the tables playing games The air was blue with tobacco sinning of a conference
Four sether, and in a few seconds she found herself one of a dozen that sat about the board
The s she did not know
He was a Russian--a big, clean-shavenred, his nose was crooked It was this crooked nose which gave her a clue to his identity She remembered in Kieff, where physical peculiarities could not pass unnoticed, some reference to ”twist nose,” and racked her brains in an effort to recall who that personage was That he knew her he very quickly showed
”Sophia Kensky,” he said, ”we have sent for you to ask you why your father is in London”
”If you know hter, do not share his secrets”
The man at the head of the table nodded
”I know hirimly, ”also I know you, Sophia I have seen you often at the ain she frowned, trying to recall his name and where she had seen his of the secret society--of that she was sure He seehed--a deep, thunderous laugh which filled the underground rooe that you do not know me,” he said, ”and yet I have seen you a hundred tiht dawned on her