Page:In the name of a woman (1900).djvu/41

 "By God! you shall answer," broke in impetuously and passionately the red-haired man, as he made a couple of strides toward me.

His superior frowned upon him and muttered a word of caution.

I began to feel glad that I had brought my sword-*stick with me.

"One moment; excuse me," said the elder man, whose great uneasiness was now very manifest, and the three held a hurried consultation, in which I could see the red-haired man urging some plan from which the elder strongly dissented. Then the latter turned again to me.

"I must press you to answer my question, sir," he said.

"The words could have only one possible meaning," I replied, seeing no use in equivocation. "The hope was expressed that Christina, presumably the Princess of Orli, would soon be on the throne and married to the Duke Sergius, in order that the speaker might be free to return to Moscow." I spoke very deliberately.

"I told you so. The fellow may be a spy and can't go free after that," exclaimed the fiery officer. "Have up the men at once and let him be secured until we find out all about him," and he went to the bell-pull to summon the servants or more probably soldiers.

My next act surprised him and stayed his hand, however. I had observed a couple of heavy bolts on the door, and thinking that I had better have three men to deal with than thirty, I shot them into their sockets, and setting my back to the door, said shortly:

"There should be nothing in this which we cannot settle amongst ourselves, gentlemen, and with your