By Right of Sword

ouse I saw a tall man muffled up, standing hal

doing there?" I asked peremptor

ng for Lieutenant Petrovitch?" ans

enant Petrovitch.

not the l

I returned, as I opened my door. "Be off with you." I

me when he saw me open the door, a

you pretended not to know me, I thought it was someone else

e a fawning sponger: and yet with just such a suggestion of threat and familiarity in his manner

re; and the fellow cringed and bowed as he answer

peak to your lordship privately-waited, as I alw

clearly best for me to

ng rascal I never wish to see. A redhaired, dirty, cunning, drinking Jew of the lowest class; with lies and treachery and deceit written

I scanned him closely, his flinty shifting

lifting of the head and eyebrows let a questioning glance

her also; and I, her father, am tired of workin

ehind his words. The more I looked at him the more was I impressed with a conviction of his rascality: but the fact that he was a scound

but to get money," said my visitor in

ine of conduct was as promptly taken. There is b

ust now? I am sick of you and you

replying at once, and then in a sly, muttering tone,

ugly stories afl

ten as those against whom they are told. A word from me and you know where yo

sullenly. "We've talked all this over befo

y: probably through weakness: and had allowed him

. Then I made a decision. Taking ink and paper I sat d

f Police.-The B

ame?" I cried, interrupting the w

written it often

the daughter's n

d must be accurate." The start he ga

. And you ought to know how to spell Prashil,

h incriminates me. Take his statement in writing and have it investigated. Hold him prisoner,

ALEXIS P

Moscow Infan

u know. Or if you like it better stand to-morrow at midday in the Square of the Cathedral and shout it out with all your lungs for the who

want to h

ake my servant and have

turn my look, and fumbled w

staring at him as

to concentrate the fury of a hundred curses into one tremendous oath, which he snarled

go to the police,

of my earnestness. I shut the door the

d we will have the last conversation that will ever pass be

for my

t el

ised me for my services," wit

serv

u k

to speak like that

scowling at me. "Is a father to be robbed of a child and then cheated?" He asked this with a burst

ughter's shame. Well, what else?" I thre

at sent my blood to boiling point; and he followed it up with a recital of mean and despica

a bitter blackguard, and that for my purposes I had made use of this scoundrel, who had apparently begun by

an had suggested would count for either crime or wrong against me. One was expected to keep the seamy side of one'

it was infinitely painful to me that I should be held guilty o

tely," I said, after a pause. "And I have come t

nerosity itself," said the

ubles will be paid to you weekly for a year; by which time if you haven't d

d A

call to-morrow after

d the man in the de

se to be taken will depend on what is then decided. You understand that

your honour?" he as

lie of yours. Mind, one lie by either o

rred to me that it would be a good test of my sister's womanliness to let her deal with the case. I r

after as full a day as I ha

Jew's daughter to Olga; and after breakfast the next mo

s history which I think your woman's wit will let you deal with better than I can. We will have the story sifted, but you can do two things i

my servant, Borlas, announced that a lady wished to

ow for anything

ut she stood without a wor

d, in a voice naturally sweet and full and musi

iously I ought to know her, so I th

ith you," I said, equivocally. "

conduct last night if not pretence-ma

She had probably come to upbraid me for my coldness and neglect. "Hell holds no fury like a woman scor

gry eyes. You know I always admire you in a passion, Paula." I did not kno

r impudent chit of a sister to me at the ball. And instead, my God, that I am alive to say it!-you dared to sit with her laughing, and jibing and flouting at me. Pretending-you, you of all m

ier would be my choice of policy. From what she said I gathered thi

l that Olga is exceedin

ties. I suppose you shaved your beard and moustache because they were difficulties, eh? Difficulties, pe

e agents of her husband might have guessed th

Devinsky, or ashamed to let it be known th

nated because you say you know he can run you through the body just as he pleases, and you promise me the friendship of your sister if I will do it; a

r mentally f

w for fear of Devinsky, and you would not do that which I told you could alone save m

f her rage. "You insult me before all Moscow beca

ad devised it myself, I could not hav

ing; but the silence and the gesture

ked at me as though trying to read my innermost thoughts: while I was trying to read hers

change in me toward her. It was dangerous, of course, to set at defiance a woman of her manifest force of charac

rom her. She was a clever woman, and now that the first outburst of emotion was over, she abandoned all hy

ftly and musically

can do as you will

ly and with an answering smile. "I have no

nvoluntary closing of her eyelids being the

. If you really loved me as you said, it will be something for y

on the memory of y

ody else will give him ev

s turn a woman's

man's hea

ot come here t

ses between us for the future. You have

u if you were such a coward th

ed not when you re

u think I believed you? Could I be

believed it," said I; making a lea

think I am mad? I sat down at once and answered you

esperate cowardice to actually write the proposal. The l

way, and...." I shrugged my shoulder

thoughtfully at me. Then k

ank. You have always half a dozen secret meanings. You have boasted of thi

shewn you that that which I led you to believe fright

e." This came with a flash of impetuous anger, burs

mil

not sworn to me," I cried passionately, making another shot-"that there was nothing upon this e

true-and you know it. There is nothing I will not do for you. Bid me do it now to shew you my earnestness. Shall I leave my husband?-I will do it. Shall I tell the world of Moscow the tale of my love?-I will do it. Nay, bid

th to her. It abashed me, and the story of the deception I was practising on her rose to my lips: but before I could speak she had resumed, and her wonderful voice had a

ps had never rested on mine, or mine on yours, in pledge of delirious passion. Ah me! You cannot act like this, Alexis. It was you who warmed into life the love that burns in me, and it is not yours to quench. You must no

th me. The seductiveness of her manner, her absolute self abandonment, and the plain and

e than a stranger. And I had no answering passion to be fired by her glances, her pleas, and her love. She was a hindrance to me; and I was

power she held over me. I was glad of this; as it seemed to give me a sort o

an, Alexis. Every brave man. I would give them the kiss of honour. And that you are the bravest of them all is to me the sweetest of knowledge. Yesterday, when I heard how you had humbled that bully, I could do naught but thrill with pride every time I thought of it. It was my Alexis who had done it.

ve this time to

I have given it and-you have used it. Once or twice you have told them what was not true, and now you are suspected and in some danger of your life. But you are guarded also and watched. Two days ago you were at the railway station in private clothes and with your dear face shaven; you were trying to leave Moscow. But you probably saw the uselessness of the attempt and gave it up. Had you reall

uch in your methods of wooing," said I, bit

you have only to remember that a word from me in my husband's ear will open for you the dumb horrid mouth of a Russian dungeon whic

hind her words; and a flash of inspiration shewed me now that the safest course I could take was to

s. You know how she is compromised. I know it too. There are more dungeons than one in Russia. If you were in one, I would see to it that she, who has scorne

eat me. What this woman said was all tr

?" I asked, when I could b

to shield you from any real danger that threatened you, till,"-and her voice changed suddenly-"yesterday, wh

e was contradicting what

I had but one possible to seem to yield-"I care nothing. I am not the coward you once thought me, and my meeting with

; at the risk of both our lives," she said, her eyes aflam

st, and I should not be a sane man

iss me,

to my arms, loading me with wild tempestuous c

would have made me play so loathesome and repugnant

upbraiding me for my coldness, and chiding me for having put her to su

s; the loudness of his knock bei

sister was wai