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 *senger accosted me a few minutes since in the street close by and gave me a written message to follow him. He brought me here—and that's all I know."

"A cool devil, on my word," exclaimed the red-headed man, and whispered something to the third which I could not catch.

"There has seemingly been some mistake," said the elder man suavely. "You have not been long in the room, sir?"

"Certainly not, the door has but barely closed."

"You are too much of a gentleman, of course, to intrude yourself upon us unannounced and listen to our private conversation." There was an ominous suggestion of threat in the words, and behind them I could detect not a little anxiety and embarrassment.

One of the other officers gave a little sneering laugh.

"You wish to know whether I have overheard anything? I speak Russian, and as I entered I could not help hearing what was being said."

A look of concern showed on all three faces as I spoke.

"You will have the goodness to repeat what you overheard," said the elder man, his voice hardening and deepening.

I repeated in Russian almost word for word what had been said, and the man whose unguarded words I had overheard turned very white.

An embarrassing silence followed.

"And what meaning do you attach to the words, sir?"

"I do not see that they concern me, or that I am called upon to give any explanation," I answered coolly.