The Book of All-Power

age of twenty-two, the enticement of roma

d noted how the eye of the youth had kindled at every fresh discouragement which the chairman had put forward. Enthusiasm, reflected the elder ma

na who tell you amazing stories of the idiosyncrasies of the Chink. But I can tell you, from my own personal observations, that the Ch

no

talking Russian ever since I was six

by any means an unintelligent man, I know just as little about the Russian to-day as I did when I went there. He's the most elusive creature. You think you know him two days after you have met him. Two days later you find that you have changed all yo

leap year?" asked

nd sixty-six views," said

ruck

al literature. We can give you particulars about the country--that part of the country in which the wells are situated--whi

nfidence. "As a matter of fact, I got the British

ne conceal

rectory say about Israel K

he puzzled youth. "I do

ryly, "and, by the way, you'll be able to study him in a

the bell and stood wa

spoke to you about," said Tremayne. "An

" said t

yne n

whose names are not in your precious directory, and all of whom

repeated Hay. "

d his daughter," a

et the Grand Duke or the Grand Duchess. I understan

t you've married the Grand Duchess Irene Yaroslav, I shall not for one moment disbelieve you. At the same time, if you come back from Russia without your ears, the same having been cut

seems almost incredible. Of course, sir, I have a lot to l

ne. "It may be useful, but a divin

inity

yne n

better than get acquainted with the local saints. You'll find that the birth or death of four or five of them are celebrated every week, and that your workmen will take

s the young man got to his feet to go, added: "Come b

Hay courteously.

ayne. "He's a big man locally, and from a business point of view, I s

walking on air. It was his first appointment--he was ea

rance by the long and narrow strip of "garden" which runs out to the street. In one of these, devoted to the business of a boarding-house, an old man sat a

y of their surroundings. The man was thin and bent of back. As he crouched over the bench, working with the fine tools on what was evident

ated and seamed, and his dark eyes shone brightly. His companion was a woman of twenty-four, obviously of

k," she said presently, "they will thin

y did not st

asked after awhile. "Is it the Ta

there was neither communion of spirit nor friendship. It was amazing that she should accompany him, as she did, wherever he went, or that he should be content to have her as his companion. The gossips

down his tools, blinked,

oarsely. "A book with steel covers and wonderful pages." H

can you know the secrets which are denied to others? And you who

ted the man, and the smile on

with magic and mystery and spells--do y

repeated mocking

ieff," s

phia!" He lifted one shoulder i

Kensky," she said. "Do you take your

n the table, and methodically fitting

ne me in the street, nor set

girl meaningly, and he looked at

nderstanding of such as you," he s

rophetically, and she got up from the table with a heavy yawn. "That I

nd she spoke

floors and eating the

rd all this before, a

such a one could be a daughter of mine. What has the Gran

as done me, but for the proud smile she gives to her slaves. I hate her because she is

aid Israel Kensky a

woman, his daughter. "A

d in the

om. I shall not come

she yawned prodigious

?" he asked. "I d

did not want me,"

was intended for him and that the second click was the unlocking of the door. She had locked and unlocked it in one motion. He waited, sitting in an arm-chair before a small fire, for ten minutes, and then, rising, crossed the room

is time louder. A jerry-built house in Maida Vale does not offer the best assistance to the furtive business in which Sophia Kensky was engaged. Another creak, this time farther away and repeated at intervals, told him that she was going down the stairs. He walked to

irred the fire and settled down to a lon

nunciation, were beyond her. She neither spoke English, nor was she acquainted with the topography of the district in

le mother?" he a

e! Who is this?" aske

r, "I have been waiting for a

"The old man was working with his foolery and it was impossible to

ompanion. "It must be something importan

made no reply. P

here no droski or

ondon we do things in grand style. We have an auto-car for you. But it was

e said impatiently; "do not forge

ankness which is characteristic of the Russian peasant. Nor did Sophia Kensky resent the questions of a stranger, nor hesitate to unb

hat garrulous man, as the taxi got on

ecause I have here"--she tapped her forehead--"a memory which is not a memory. I seem to

spells upon you. Tell me, Sophia Kensky, is it true that you Jew

man la

ch things?" she asked contemptuously. "I thou

nd had translated six revolutionary Russian novels into English and French. This, he explained with some detail, and the girl listened with little interest. She was not s

oughfare and bowled down a broad and busy road. A drizzle of rain was falling and blurred t

taking me?" she asked.

his voice to

free Russia. We also play bagatelle." He gave the English name for the latter. "It is a club and a restaurant. To

then she asked whether it

London. This is a free country, where one may do as

ed, "but tell me, Yakoff, wha

ll learn, little sister,"

e also was to learn, for a

ign of a restaurant, and Yakoff explained, before he got out of the cab, that this was the back ent

ere in a small hallway, lighted with a gas-jet. There was a stairway leading to the upper part of the premises, and a narrower sta

saw a plain, wooden door. To this Yakoff advanced and knocked. A small wicket, set in the panel, was pushed asi