Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1937-04-30
CHAPTER 10


You seem to enjoy it so much here
my good friend, I'm going to leave
you and my dear little cousin Lolita
to enjoy this delightful apartment
for half an hour, which will give me
time for drive l have been planning
to take" He drew long puff on his
cigarette but did not remove his sud-
denly menacing pale blue eyes from
Ian. "In the brief case outside my
dear First Secretary you will find the
original copies of a certain document
You perceive you are now able to re-
turn them to the safe with no one
the wiser. 1t will be a great mys-
terry how the news got out, no? You,
if you are clever, will blame the leak
age on the Hungarian negotiator and
he, most emphatically, will blame it
on your minister"
The round little man raised his
voice. michael! Come here! You
will learn" he continued with mock
apologetic air, "that Michael and
Leon are excellent company. They
will be delighted to entertain you,
sir, for exactly half an hour"
Inwardly raging, Ian made little
bow. No use to fight. Of course,
Lolita had given the show away-he
felt disgusted, he could not hate her
for it-she wasn't looking at all hap
py.
Every WE'LL" he said. II could
think of far less pleasant things than
talking to the beautiful Countess Won
Waldeck-I'm thinking need a
guardian"
. Bobskine laughed so heartily that
his pink face flushed. "a graceful
admission, Monsieur. Lolita is ire
sistible, eh? She has done her part
most successfully. All, here is our
friend, Michael!"
In the door appeared the footman,
but this time minus his livery and
clad in a rough dark gray suit. With
him and also in multi was the giant
butler who had first admitted Ian to
Number 73 Kerrepesi Ut. They re-
garded the American with beady,
watchful eyes.
much as l regret the necessity"
remarked the Soviet agent, II fear we
are forced to become melodramatic.
Michael, please draw your pistol and
keep Monsieur Gray covered, while
our efficient Leon extracts the pistol
he carries a l'americaine in a shoulder
holster.
"Ah, Lolita, why look so sad? Are
your dear brother and sister not on
their way to the happy republic of
Poland? What does it matter if you
have pleasantly betrayed this gentle
man? 1 am sure he enjoyed it-and
will forgive you. Your victims gener-
ally do. Smile, that's better, golub-
check"
In a moment more the whole ghast-
" farce was over and Ian found him
self seated in an armchair confronted
by the huge butler whose hairy paw
held a Luger automatic squarely in
line with his heart. The other was
helping Bokskine into fur-lined coat
"a fact which gave the seated prison
er food for thought-a fur lined coat
in June. Why?
When Bobskine, with a mocking
bow and wave of the hand had dis
appeared, he who had masqueraded as
footman watched intently from the
window.
Meanwhile that strange girl known
as Lolita Won Waldeck reclined grace
fully upon the settee and lit a Gig
arctic, apparently quite Indifferent to
the proceedings. Next she turned
lazily on her side and exposing, per-
haps, consciously, long silk clad leg,
poured liquer cognac into two of the
long stemmed glasses.
Sickened, revolted at her treachery,
Ian glowered straight before him. So
her love had been simulated. What
an actress! She, no doubt, would dis
appear with those two large limbed
satellites who were now mounting
guard. Well, he would wait until
that Russians gun got out of line
and then he would start things.
A sickening sensation of defeat chill
ed his soul as he heard the whir of
motor starting and then the slam
of car door. In the street below
gears moaned softly and he knew that
Comrade Bobskine had started on his
way and with him was a copy of
Treaty X-2.
Poor Leonard! He wondered how
the boy was coming along. Certain