Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-20
The Red Symbol
Continued from page 9
Continued from page 9

which, as l soon discovered, he was watching
my every movement.
''All right, my friend. Forewarneei is fore
armed. I'll give you the slip directly, l
thought. and went with my meal. affecting
to be absorbed in German newspaper. which
| asked the waite, to bring me.
In the ordinary course should have met peo-
Pie knew, for the cafe was frequented by most
of the foreign journalists in Petersburg: but
the hour early for breakfast, and the spy
and had the place to ourselves for the present.
knew that l should communicate the fact
that Anne was in Petersburg to Grand Duke
Loris as soon as possible, in the hope that he
might know guess who were her captors and
where they were taking her: but it was rmpera-
tive that should exercise the utmost caution.
A FTER we reached Petersburg and before he
left me, Mishka had. as his master had
promised given me instructions as to how was
to send private message to the Duke in case of
necessity. He took me to house on a mean
street near the Ismaiskai Prospekt. not half
mile from the place was arrested that morn
ing, OF which the ground floor was poor class
cafe frequented chiefly by workmen and stu
dents
You will go to the place shall show you."
he had informed me beforehand. " and call for
glass of tea. just like anyone else. Then as you
pay for it. you drop a coin-so. You will pick
it up. or the waiter will: it is all one, that
anyone may drop coin accidentally. Now if
you were just an ordinary customer. nothing
would happen: the waiter would keep near
But if you are on business. you will ask him, Is
Nicolai Stefanovitch here to-dayl' Or you
may say any name you think of: common
one is best He will answer. AT what hour
should he be here9' and you say. / do not
know when he returns-from his work or
from Wilma or elsewhere: that is unimpor-
tant. like the name. But the questions must
be put So and there must be the pause between
the two words returns-from just for one
beat of the clock, as it were. while one blows
ones nose, or lights cigarette. Then he will
know you are one of US, and will go away. And
presently one will come and sit at the table and
say. Il am and so. the name you men
toned. He will drink his tea. and you will go
to him, SO that none shall see, or If it is mes
sage you will tell it him very quietly.
We rehearsed the shibboleth in my room.
did 1T right the first time. mucn to Mishka's sat
lsfactIon. and when We reached the cafe he let
me be spokesman. Within three minutes a
lounge up to our table, ordered his glass of tea,
nodded TO me if was old acquaintance,
and muttered the formula.
He and | had gone out together. leaving
Mishka in the cafe.-since in Russia three men
walking and conversing together are bound to
be eyed suspiciously, my new acquaint-
ance remarked
- There IS no message. as know. This is but
trial and you have done well. If there should
be a letter. a cigarette. with the tobacco hang
ing little loose at each end" he rolled one as
he spoke and made a slovenly job of it, is an
excellent envelop and one that we understand"
We had separated at the end of the street,
and Mishka rejoined me later at my hotel. But
| had not needed to try the shibboleth since.
though had dropped into the cafe more than
once and drank my glass of tea-without drop
ping coin. And now the moment had come
when l must test the method of communication
speedily possiblel