Part 23 (1/2)
The girl made no reply, but as he walked back to his seat of authority she continued her work, her eyes fixed on the floor, oblivious of her surroundings Presently she worked round the room until she came to where Malcolm stood, and as she did so for the first tiain he saw that little trick of hers; her hand went to her h she had never seen him
”What did she do, Sophia? Tell lishruo”
”Nay, nay, eon, she must finish her work”
”She has finished,” said Sophia io on, Boolba? Is she not an aristocrat and a Romanoff, and are there none of your men ives?”
Malcolm felt rather than saw the head of every soldier in the room lift to these words
”Wait a little,” said Boolba ”You forget the book, eon--the 'Book of All-Power' I would have that rather than that Irene Yaroslav found a good husband froe!”
The officer who had taken the death warrants, and who stood waiting for dismissal, came forward
”Take our little brother Malinkoff and the Britisher Hay and place them both in the prison of St Basil They are proved enemies to the Revolution”
”I wonder ill feed ht,” said Malinkoff as, handcuffed to his coht of dawn, en route, as he believed, to certain death
CHAPTER XII
IN THE PRISON OF ST BASIL
The temporary prison called by Boolba ”St Basil,” was s All save one were built of grey granite, and presented, when seen from the courtyard below, tiers of little s set with ularity in discoloured walls The fourth was evidently also of granite, but at some recent period an atte facade with plaster The workood intent and had left off when their labours were half finished, which gave the building the grueso been half skinned Flush with the four sides of the square was an open concrete trench, approached at intervals by flights of half a dozen stone steps leading to this alley-way
Malcol the alley-way, passing a number of mailed iron doors, and as many barred s, and was halted before one of the doors whilst the warder who all the tiar, produced a key The door was unlocked, and Hay was thrust in Malinkoff followed The door slammed behind the to its socket
The room was a medium-sized apartment, innocent of furniture save for a table in the centre of the rooht ca a restricted view of the courtyard and a barred transolass behind which was evidently an electric globe served for the night
There were two occupants of the rooriht of interest in his eyes
He sat in his shi+rt-sleeves, his coat being rolled up to serve as a pillow Above the ”bed” hung a Derby hat--an incongruous object He was short, stout, and fresh coloured, with a startling black rey eyes that were lined around with hter He walked slowly to the party and held out his hand to Malcolhouse,” he said, and from his accent it was ilish ”On behalf of self an' partner, elcoo to the chair--he's due to-day,” he jerked his thu priest
”I can't say I'm sorry So far as I am concerned he's been dead ever since they put hinized the little man in a flash It was his acquaintance of London
”You don't remember me,” smiled Malcolm, ”but what is your particular crihter
”Shootin' up Tcherekin,” he said tersely, and Malinkoff's eyebrows rose
”You're--Beem--is that how you pronounce it?”