CHAPTER XXIX.

Otago Witness, Issue 2690, 4 October 1905, Page 71

CHAPTER XXIX.

Whilst Leehmere was making the best of his way from the Herald office to the chambers in th.c big block occupied by. General Maxgregoi, he, it will be remembered, lay perfectly still on his bed watching the light broadening under the door of his sitting room. It wos a thrilling, moment for both Maxwell and himself.

"What are you going to do?" Maxwed' ■whispered. "Shall I go and see what the fellow is after?"'

"No," Maxgregor replied. "Stay where you are. Unlest I am greatly mistaken I know who it is. Our friend is coming in here to investigate."

Surely enough the double doors Are-re opening, and the figure walked m. He came boldly enough with the light behind him into the comparative darkness c-f the bedroom. He fumbled along the wall for the switch, and presently the bedroom also was flooded with light. Mazaroff stood there, 'his hands apparently covei*ed with pitch, for they were black and sticky, and he was looking round for tha washstand.

"If there is anything you want and you don't see it," Maxgregor asked coolly,

"ring the bell." Ma?aroff gave a startled cry. The man was genuinely astonished — of that there could be mo doubt. He looked helplessly from Maxgregor to Maxwell and back

again. "I am exceedingly sorry,-' he stammered. "I— l have come to the wrong rooms."

"Who did 1 you get the key of my suite, from?" Maxgregor demanded. "Who fiom?" Mazaroff asked helplessly. 'Why, from Barlow — Barlow, who occupies the suite that I took for this one.. You see, Barlow is a friend of mine. Very, unfortunate that the key sbou'd fit both." outer room«."

"Very," Maxgregor said drily. "When was it that Barlow gave you tiie key?" "Yesterday, or the day before?'' Maza* roff explained. "You tee, he is awaj^ from London. As a matte* of fact h© wanted to let the suite, and I wanted it" for a friend. It's very strange that ll 11I 1 should rind you hert like this. I can only} tender you mj very sincere apologies.' "Better wash your hands before you' go,"' Maxwell suggested •trimly. "Were you looking for the b.isin?"' "That 13 it," MaztU-off said ntirriedJyv "You see, I ihoug'hb I knew my avAjt about Hie suite, having been sc often in Bu-loh's rooms. I—lI — I slipped 1 getting out oi a cub iusL aow and fell ou a newly-

finished piece of asphalt pavement. May i use your basin?" Maxgregor grimly intimated that the basin. was at the disposal of tlie intruder, who did not cease to pour out floods of apologies. Mazaroff was pretty much at his ease again by this time. He was quite concerned to see Maxgregor looking so pale. Was life suffering from that old malarial fever again? "Sprained ankle," Maxgregoi said 'Kketohily. "Nothing very much to speak of. As a matter of fact, I have never jbeen in better health in my life. It seems to me " ' Maxgregor paused and broke off with, a Yfuiclc sneeze. The thing was ostensibly 'done, and served very "well to hide an exclamation of surprise. For in the sitting 100 m, -with his finger to his lips, Leohtaere stood. He shook his head warningly, and pointed to Mazaroff. Them Ie crossed X.he room and took bis place behind the )heavy curtain before the window. No jßOoner was he secure in his hiding place than he signalled Maxwell to approach the Urindow. . fa a casual way Maxwell sauntered into ■Ihe Bitting room. He firft moved the cur±§in, 'and appeared to be looking idly into the street below. : -"Good boy!" Lechransre whispered approvingly. "What is thai fellow doing iiere? , Said he came here in mistake for iji suite of rooms occupied by a man named ißar!ow?A. Did«£t come here "to murder .-iSlaxgi*egor.j- as you might have been inclined to imagine.- Wei!, I quite agree that. Mazaroff has made a mistake, ,aad ■ shall be able to prove to you why a little . 'later oa.' I want you to shuib the bedroom door for. a- time till I give you the orignal— a tap of the "blind en the window, keep Mazaroft' tdking. Make him. feel at his ease, M possible. Big events ale in the air." . .'" Maxwell sauntered back to the bedroom And pulled the dcor to behind- him. Mazaroff was quite, .himself again by' this time, fend stood chatting gaily to Maxgregoir. ' tft was no part of -the. latter' s policy to let -Mazaroff know that he had' beea> nearly idone to death at -Merehaven House. ' ."How did you com© by .that sprained ankle?" he< asked. "You seemed ail* right just an hour or so ago, when, I saw you Bt Merehaven House." "That's where I did it," Masgregor lied ' He had no scruples whatever in dealing with & man, like Mazaroff. ■•'Slipped' on a confounded banana skin, .which, by the way, is a little more dangerous than orange peel. . It's a^ nuisance fust at present, when. I am so^Busy with &stuHan affairs, and. the King is" such a foandful to hpSd. I daresay ,some confounded Russian placed that banana, skm. for me.'-' < . -' , "Don't forget that Prince Mazaroff is a Russian," Maxwell laughed. , m "Oh, you .needn't .trouble about me/ . .Mazaroff said in> has most fascinating man- . aier. "There- are -Russians and Russians. ■I am too enlightened and progressive to "feel comfortable in my own country, ana that is why I spend so much time, m England. So far as I am- concerned, you have all my sympathy in -your efforts to check the" Russiaaif influence in the Baifcans. - What was that?" From the- sitting room beyond there came the sount' <rf\ somebody gently rtvhistling. The thing was natural enough, and yet Mazaroff listened with a certain £,u<*<*e&tion of uneasiness. It came to Maxwell quick as a flash that there was somethin<* that Mazaroff/ must not see, .or a, moment- .at anyrate.- Lachmere had charged him distinctly to: kefij? Maznrott talking for a. time. "My man, I expect," he explained. "I told him to com© hsre about this time, mid I suppose ne is whistling to let me know" that he is handy. When anybody is in- trouble, as I am at present, it behoves one to be careful. As' one accused pf betraying diplomatic secrete——" "Not at ail, my deai fellow," Mazarofi f.aid graciously. "Pray, do not apologise. IThtere is a great deal too much fuss made over that kind of thing. The sale of diplo--iraatic secrets is a brisk one in my own country, or how would so many of our >noor aristocracy live? And you are innocent, of course. The mere fact that Lancing has made away with himself proves that." ■ - > Maxwell turned away so that the speaker, should not see his face. It was hard work to keep his hands off the ruffian w'b> was ' one of the- main causes of the trouble. Perhaps Maxgregor divined that, for he - hastened to change the conversation. •Mean-while, the whistling in the next room Trent onLecbmere carelessly pulled a section Oi *he curtain aside and looked out. He saw a little man with a ■•clean-shaven c iaee and shrewd eye sitting swinging his legs on Ifche edge of the table and whistling very 'softly to himself. The little man seemed ./to be quite at home; he was perfectly cool and collected, save that lids face was shi'n'hi'g with something that looked like an. inteßse perspiration. • He had a small bag jwith him, of" which he ss«med to be very careful. If hie was satisfied with himself, lieehmere grinned with the air of a man , fivho "was still more satisfied. As a- matter of fact, Lechmere had dis'tovered 1 all that he desired for the pre - sent. He swayed the knot of the blind cord backwards and. forwards gently, as if the draught from the open" windows was moving- it. The knot tapped idly on the panes, and Maxwell's keen ear heard St. The time had come to get rid of Mazaroff. Maxwell opened -the door leading iito the oarridor. "Excuse me if I ask you, to go," he said. I*l have some business to settle with Maxgregor; and I have to be on my way to i>over with an hour. It is not very polite of me, but " And -Maxwell shrugged Ms shoulders. .Mazaroff departed with a graceful apology. fie passed along the corridor till he came to the open sitting room door. He looked in, and grabbed for the shoulders of the little man who sat whistling on. the table. "You fool !" he jsaid. "If you ODly knew

how near yoii have been to betraying everything! But I am to blame, as I mistook the room, perhaps because* the door was open. Come along at once." The little ffjan murmured something to the effect tJjat he was ready to do anything for a qjd^ life, and obediently followed Mazai'oJff. Lechinere crept from tie shadow of the curtain and closed the outer door of the sitting room. Then lie called for Maxwe 1 !, who came immediately.

"Is there anything fresh?" Maxwell de manded eagerly. "Is there anything that 1 can do for you?"

"Yes," LecLmere said crisply. "You can do a great dieal for me, and you need ask no questions for _the present, for I have no time to reply to them. Asfe Maxgregor if he lias "any of his fishin o - tackle here. If he has, ask him, to let me have a long length of salmon line on a real Tiie sooner I have it the better 1 shall be pleased." "In the bottom drawer of my writing table," Maxgregor called out. "What are you up to now?"

(To be continued.)