Part 10 (1/2)

It was, in fact, a snapshot photograph showing the back of the Police Chief; and it ht Malcolm, of a tailor's dummy, with its aist and its perfectly creased trousers

”Particularly I wish to knohether he will visit the club in the next two days,” said the old man ”It is important that you should look for him”

”Anybody else?”

Kensky hesitated

”I hope not,” he said ”I hope not!”

Malcol a new zest in life His experience of the past few days had been incredible He, an unknown student, had found hied into the heart of an anarchist plot, and on nodding terhed softly as he sat on the edge of his bed and reviewed all the circuht occurred to hiirl was very real

That side of the adventure sobered hiht of youth to believe in fairies and to love beautiful princesses, and that such passions were entitled to disturb the rest and obscure the judgment of their victims for days and even for weeks But he had an unpleasant conviction that he was looking at the Grand duchess frole which was outside his experience of fairy stories

That night when he went on his way to take up his ”police duty” in the little street behind the Silver Lion, he saobriskly down the Strand followed by a closed carriage, and in the light of the electric standard he caught a gli faster He cursed hiorously and so violently at his own stupidity, that he did not realize he was talking aloud, until the open-ht hi to the theatre, of course, he thought, and wondered what theatre would be graced by her presence He half regretted his pro the house of entertain a box or a stall froil was painfullyjob he had ever undertaken Most of the habitues of the club had evidently come at an early hour, for he saw nobody coan to rain a fine, thin drizzle, which penetrated every crevice, which insinuated itself down his neck, though his collar was upturned; and then, on top of this, causty easterly wind, which chilled hi in the shadow of the houses opposite, hethe suspicion of a policeman, who passed him twice on his beat before he stopped to ask if he were looking for so church the door of the club opened and its members came out Malcolm crossed the road and walked down toin the same direction

There were about twentyin Russian or Yiddish, but the subjects of their discourse were of the most innocent character He saw nobody he knew, or had ever seen before Israel Kensky had expected that the St Petersburg Chief of Police would be present; that expectation was not realized Then he heard the door bolted and chained, and went ho he had ever spent

How much better it would have been to sit in the war her everyher little tricks of hed himself into a sane condition of anoff was pursuing him with a ha in a box wildly applauding the efforts of her homicidal relative

The next afternoon Malcols, a few articles he had purchased in London Ast these was a s this in the palm of his hand, uncertain as to whether it would not be better to retain his weapon until after his present adventure Twice he put it into his port at the act, he slipped the weapon into his hip-pocket

He felt theatrical and cheap in doing so He told hi a very common-place measure of precaution taken by old Israel Kensky, as probably in the secret police, to protect his protegee, with an importance and a romance which it did not deserve He went down to his post that night, feeling horribly self-conscious This time he kept on the same side of the street as that on which the club was situated

His watch was rewarded by events of greater interest than had occurred on the previous night He had not been on duty half an hour before two men walked rapidly from the end of the street and passed him so closely that he could not make any mistake as to the identity of one Had he not been able to recognize him, his voice would have instantly betrayed his identity, for, as they passed, the shorter of the tas talking

”I' to death in a delicatessen store----”

Malcolm looked after the pair in amazement It was the littleCross station Other people drifted through the door in ones and twos, and then athe soldier at every stride Malcolm turned and strolled in his direction

There was no h he was reatcoat, a gli dark eyes, which flashed an inquiring glance as they passed--there was no excuse for error It was Colonel Prince Serganoff beyond a doubt

A quarter of an hour later cairl was al shoes which made no sound He had only time to turn so that she did not see his face, before she too entered the door and passed in The Grand duchess! And Serganoff! And the American adventurer!

What had these three in co of the old ht hi the bell-push before he realized his folly There was nothing to do but wait

Five minutes passed and ten minutes, and then Malcol unusual was happening in the street It was more thickly populated Half a dozenslowly towards hih----