Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-30
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR JANUARY 80. 1910

had similar scars before, and knew there was
but one weapon in the world, the knout, capable of
making them The Russian, then, and
had been grievously handled; sometime back, l
Judged for the scars were old.
| dashed water on his face and breast and poured
some of the whisky down his throat He gasped
gurgled opened his eyes, and stared at He
looked like tousled old vulture that has been badly
scared.
Buck UP, daddv!" l said cheerfuy forgetting
he wouldn't understand me. helped him to his
feet and felt in my pocket for coin 1t was food he
wanted but | had none to give him. except some
crackers and had wasted enough time over him
already If | didn't hurry up, should be late for
my appointment with Anne.
He clutched at the halfcrown and bent his trem-
bling old body again, invoking, opned, string
of blessings my unworthy head. Something
slipped from among his garments and fell with
tinke at my feet | stopped to pick it up and saw
it oval piece of tin, in shape and size like an
old fashioned miniature, containing portrait. He
had evidently been wearing it round his neck, anu
let fashion for thin red cord dangled from it, which
| had probably snapped in my haste.
He reached for it with quick cry; but held onto
it, for l recognized the face instantly.
TT was photograph of Anne Pendennis, badly
printed. if by amateur, but an excellent like
nessl Underneath were scraWled IN red ink the 1nl
tials A. P. and two or three words that could not
decipher together with curious hieroglvphc, which
looked like tiny ive-petaled flower, drawn and
filled in with the red ink.
How on earth did this forlorn old alien have Annes
portrait in his possession!
He cute enough to read my expression; tor he
clutched my and, pointing to the portrait, be-
gan speaking earnestly not in the patois but in low
Russian.
Nv Russian is poor enough; but his was execrable.
STILL gathered that he knew the gracious lady"
and had come long way in search of her. There
was something l could not grasp some ausion to
danger that threatened Anne for each time he used
the word he pointed at the portrait with agonized
emphasis.
His excitement was so pitable and seemed
genuine that determined to get right to the root of
the mystery, if possible. | seized his arm, marched
him into my fiat, and sat him in chair emptying
the tin of crackers before him and bidding him eat.
He started crunching the crackers with avidity,
eying me furtively all the time as | stood at the
telephone
| could not get the Cayleys number, of course
Things always happen that way! Well, should
have to explain my conduct later
But | failed to elicit much by the cross eXa1ni-
nation to which l bjected my man. For
thing neither of us understood half what the other
said.
groveed on the floor, clawng at my shoes with his
skinny hands.
l asked him who he was and where he from;
but could make nothing of his replies He seemed in
mortal fear of some Selinski,'' that
sounded like that, and did discover point that
by Selnski he meant Cassavetti. When he found he
revealed that much he scared that | thought
he was going to collapse again. as he did on the
staircase.
And yet he had been ntrusted with passkey to
Only two items seemed perfectly clear: That his
gracious lady" was in danger.-I put that ques-
ton to him time after time, and his answer never
varied,-and that he had come to warn her, to
her if possible.
l could not ascertain the nature of the danger.
When asked him he simply shook his head and
appeared more scared than ever; but | gathered
that he would be able to tell the gracious lady,
and that she would understand if he could only
have speech with her. But when | pressed him on
this idea of danger he did curious thing He picked
up Cassavetts key 1attened the bit of red stuff
the palm of his hand and held it toward me, point
ing at it if to indicate that here the clue he
dared not give in words