The Book of All-Power

rations and furniture were solid and comfortable. There were a dozen men in this innocent-looking saloon when the girl

Four small tables were drawn from the sides and placed together, and in

aming red, his nose was crooked. It was this crooked nose which gave her a clue to his identity. She remembered in Kieff, where physical peculiarities could no

have sent for you to ask you

ied, "you know also that I, his d

e head of the

now you, Sophia. I have seen you often

y of the meetings of the secret society-of that she was sure. He seemed to read her thoug

," he said, "and yet I have seen you a

dawned

-schek of the Grand

rdly pleased at

will understand. But here in London, where I have come in advance of Yaroslav

e statement was in t

hat your father, Israel Kensky,

drew his own conclusions, even before she explained her a

he said, "for what interest can th

rich," said Bool

" said the girl. "It is not

tationed in the town started a pogrom against the Jews. The soldiers were very drunk; they were darting to and fro in the street on their little horses, and the nurse became frightened and left the child. Your father

ever spoken of the incident, and the curious affection which this high-born

e owes to Israel Kensky, but the Grand Duchess has not. Therefore, she comes to

was a

wish me to spy upon Israel Kensk

a. "She comes to London to-morrow with her father, and it is certain she will

" she

oared Boolba. "Hear an

ptly to the ma

in London to-morrow. It is desir

stammered the man on his

ba n

e. If such a thing should happen, what would be our fate? We could not meet together. We should be hounded d

It will gain us powerful protectors at the court, and I promise you that, though the commo

audience, and Boolba si

to harm, my little pigeons, and that yo

t, Excellency?" as

ll the brethren. For my part, I would not carry out such an

shall take a risk," sneered

a Kensky smiled importantly at th

before Sophia K

re all brothers and sisters

leared h

me to find a man, I was in despair," he began-an ev

, in the name of the saints and the holy martyrs" (everyone at the table, includi

ne, "but Providence helped me. There is a good comrade of ours who is e

yes," sa

had arrived in England and was in hidin

usly, all except Boolba, who

said one. "Of w

f, and there was a lit

nd, is what is known in New York as a gun-man. He belongs to a g

" persisted one o

ed by the police on this side, and went in hid

he English word with some awkwardness. "A gun-man. I

ff n

he k

from the table with alacrity, "except to be here, near the

assembly, something of a fish out of water and wholly ou

ed. He had a fat, good-humoured face and a slight mo

e had dispensed with a collar. As he stood there, belted about his large waist, a billycock hat on

not bear the im

e a cheery little nod to every face that was turned to him, and stood, his hands thrus

Cherry Bim! Bim on my father's side and Cherry by christeni

Sophia Kensky, but Yakoff translated it. Solemnly he made a circuit of the company and as solemnly shoo

rophecy. Perhaps that picture was one of himself, lying in the darkness on the roof of the railway carriage, and an obs

at his spine. The hesitation was only for a second, and then

long. I'm down and out, and I'm free to confess it, and any of you ladies and gents who would like to grubstake a stranger in a foreign land, why, here's your chan

nd he spoke in Engli

said, "do you

kenly. "Why, he's just as popular with me

could not follow the easy flow of Mr. Bim's conversat

e revolutionary; it concerned millions of men and hundreds of millions of men and women in chains, under iron heels, and the like; and Mr. Bim grew more and more hazy, for he was not

here was no mistaking the t

get this thing right. There's a guy y

had not lived on the edge of New York's underworl

ba n

," he said. "He is a

thing plain. You're going to croak this g

re," said Boolba, an

. I'm not over here to get my picture in the papers. It's a new land to me-why, if you put me in Piccadilly Circus

id Boolba again, and a

man," said Boolba with a curl of his lip

then there's me. I never drew a gun on a man in my life that didn't ask for it, or in

ursue his argument with any profit to himself, and that if he were to bring t

e said. "I am authorized to pay you twenty thousand r

up a chair and sitting down in the most friendly manner. "And don't think you're being original when you offer me this commission. I've had it offered me be

er Boolba's voice nor

wouldn't do from smashing a bank downwards, to turn a dishonest penny. But, gents, I'm short of the necessary nerv

antly. "You do not suppose we should take you into

smile beca

said. "I expected a rough house

ulled up the sleeve above the wrist. He turned the hands over, waggling the f

Cherry Bim, beaming at the company, "a

e was a slur of movement, and then, in the hand which had been empty, was a long-barrelled Colt. Cherry

, Hector," he said to a long-haired man who stood with folded arms against the closed door.

volver against the other's side, and the long-haired man doubled up with a gasp. But Cherry Bim meant no mischief. The b

an kindly explained;

assed through the door a