CHAPTER X.COUNT BLOWINSKI.
“You are sure now that you know exactly what to do?” asked Czar Nicholas of the two lads several hours later.
“Perfectly, your Majesty,” said Frank with a bow.
“We have our instructions well memorized, sire,” Jack agreed.
“Very well. Now if you will step into the next room you will find clothing laid out for you. I have seen to all arrangements while you were discussing details with Lord Hastings.”
“And you say the papers that are to be found on us are concealed in the lining of the coats, sir?” asked Jack.
“Yes; I had them prepared hurriedly, but they will pass muster. They are identical; so, when the count finds them, he will believe, as I wish him to believe, that they were sent in duplicate that he might be sure of getting one if the other was caught.”
“And we are not to know the contents, sire?”
“It is not necessary,” was the reply. “You will shape your course according to events as they transpire. First, you must get into the good graces of the count.”
“We’ll try, sire,” said Jack.
The two lads stepped into the next room, where, as the Czar had said, two suits of clothing were laid out. The garments caused the lads no little wonder that they could have been procured so readily. Of coarse weave, they were, nevertheless, of unmistakable German pattern, when examined closely. There was no hint of Russian manufacture about them.
Dressed and ready, they returned to where the Czar and Lord Hastings awaited them.
“All ready, sire,” said Jack.
The Czar nodded. Walking to a little cabinet at the far end of the room, he returned with two wicked looking automatics. He extended one to each lad.
“A present from my kingly cousin, Kaiser Wilhelm,” he said. “May they stand you in good stead. Now, you are sure that you understand the situation perfectly?”
The lads nodded.
“Good, then. Now, I will not tell you how I shall arrange for you to be picked up by Count Blowinski. You will know in due season. All you have to do is to board the night express for Moscow. It is now dark and the train will not leave for another hour. You have plenty of time, and money for your tickets you will find in your pockets. When events have shaped themselves so that you know there will be no chance of a slip, you will let me know in some manner. Trust no agents. I leave the way to you.”
The Czar extended a hand to each lad.
“Good luck to you both,” he said simply.
The lads bowed and then made their way from the palace, leaving Lord Hastings behind, for it had been agreed that he should not be seen with them. They had secured directions to the railroad station and once outside the palace they turned their footsteps in that direction and walked along slowly.
“This train doesn’t reach Moscow until morning,” said Frank, “so we shall be able to get all the rest we need en route. I am curious to know just how we are to fall in with the esteemed count.”
“So am I,” Jack agreed, “but I guess the Emperor of all the Russias has a few strings he can pull without any one being the wiser. The thing that troubles me is, will we be able to fool the count?”
“It’s our business to see that we do,” was Frank’s reply. “By the way, talking about the count, do you know that I think a whole lot of this gun the Czar gave me? I wouldn’t want to lose it.”
“Think you could hit anything with it?” queried Jack with a smile.
“Well, I guess I wouldn’t miss very far.”
“I agree with you. Having seen you shoot a time or two, I am willing to lay a small wager you will come pretty close to anything you aim at. They are pretty weapons, and that’s a fact.”
“I am in hopes I don’t have to use it,” said Frank seriously, “but I can tell by the feel of it that it is to be depended on. Yes, it’s a pretty handy pocket piece.”
“Here we are at the station,” said Jack at this juncture. “In the future we’ll do all our talking in German or French—French while we believe we are among friends, and German at other times. English is dangerous.”
Frank nodded his understanding.
“I’ll get the tickets,” he said.
He took from his pocket a roll of bills and extracted one he felt sure—he couldn’t tell positively for he knew almost nothing of Russian money—was sufficient to pay for two tickets, and approaching the window said “Two to Moscow” in French. The agent passed out the tickets and Frank tendered the bill. He accepted what change was passed to him without a word and inquired the way to the train. After some little trouble they found themselves in a second-class compartment and settled back in their seats as comfortably as possible.
“And here we shall stay until we get to Moscow,” said Jack. “Then, if something hasn’t turned up, we’ll go straight to the best hotel. We may trust the Czar not to lose sight of us.”
Frank nodded.
“Best plan, I guess,” he agreed.
A short time later the train started. The two lads, much to their relief, found they were to have no fellow travelers in their compartment. They conversed in low tones until the conductor came for their tickets, but once that worthy had taken his departure, Frank said:
“Well, it’s a long ride, and not knowing what is in store for us at the other end, I vote we try and catch forty winks.”
“I’m with you,” declared Jack.
They settled themselves comfortably and closed their eyes. Five minutes later, as the train sped on in the darkness, they slept peacefully, utterly oblivious of the danger they were in or of what the morrow might bring forth.
How long they slept neither lad could tell, but it seemed to each that he had hardly closed his eyes when he was awakened by loud voices without. Both were awake instantly and as instantly each recognized the fact that the train was at a standstill. Light streamed through the window.
“Must be Moscow,” muttered Jack.
“Right you are,” Frank agreed. “But why all this fuss on the outside.”
“I don’t know why nor what,” said Jack. “If they would only talk a white man’s language we might learn what it is all about.”
“Or German,” Frank agreed.
At this moment the door to their compartment was thrown rudely open and a uniformed figure—that of a colonel of cavalry—appeared in the doorway.
Jack drew himself up.
“What’s the meaning of this?” he demanded in French. “Why do you force your way into our compartment?”
“That,” said the officer, also in French, “you will learn in good time. You are under arrest.”
“Arrest!” cried Frank. “And what for?”
“All in good time, all in good time,” said the officer with a deprecating gesture. “Out here with you.”
“See here,” protested Jack, “I wish you to understand that you are talking to two French gentlemen, allies of Russia in this critical stage, and I must insist that you be more choice in your words.”
“So?” queried the Russian with an evil leer. “Just to put a stop to all this foolishness, I may as well tell you that I know you for what you are. You are both German spies.”
“Spies?” echoed Frank. “I assure you, sir——”
“It’s no use,” declared the Russian. “You have been followed for days now. We were warned of your approach and instructed to arrest you both on sight. You will come with me now, without further talk.”
Jack said a few words in an aside to Frank. Immediately the Russian officer produced a pair of revolvers, with which he covered the two lads.
“No foolishness,” he said quietly. “I have a squad of my men out here. Will you come out, or must I use force?”
“I assure you you are making a grave mistake,” declared Jack, “but rather than cause unpleasantness, we shall come with you until we are able to prove our identities.”
“You are sensible, sir,” returned the officer quietly. “Alight, please.”
Jack stepped from the compartment first and Frank directly behind him. Outside, a squad of half-a-dozen men surrounded them and they were marched away. They walked down several streets and turned in toward a rather handsome appearing building. Here they were led before a figure attired in the uniform of a Russian general.
This officer heard the report of his subordinate and then commanded:
“Relieve them of what weapons they may have.”
An officer felt through their pockets and removed the revolvers so recently given them by the Czar. Then the general ordered:
“Lock them up and see that they are kept safely.”
Again the lads were marched down a long corridor, then down a flight of long steps into inky blackness; thence along another corridor and finally into a low and narrow cell. Here they were locked in and the officer and his men withdrew.
“Nice place this,” said Frank, after their captor had taken his departure.
“Rather,” agreed Jack dryly. “Doesn’t look to me as though we were going to get very far with this mission.”
“Come now,” said Frank, “you don’t mean to tell me you don’t see through this?”
“See through what?” demanded Jack. “This darkness? Couldn’t any one see through it.”
“Oh, no,” said Frank. “I mean our arrest and imprisonment.”
“Of course I see through it,” said Jack. “We’ve been spotted and the count has had us caught. Must be a leak in the Czar’s palace some place.”
Frank laughed.
“I should say things are working out first rate,” he said calmly.
“Oh, you would. Maybe you can explain it to me then.”
“Easily. This is part of the Czar’s plan. Now, if I am not greatly mistaken, it won’t be long before our friend, the count, shows up to see whether we are really spies; and if he is convinced we are, he’ll want to hold a conversation with us.”
“By Jove! I believe you’re right,” declared Jack. “In that event we must make the count believe we are spies of the first water. I hope we don’t have long to wait.”
They didn’t.
Half an hour later they heard footsteps coming down the corridor. Their jailer approached, followed by a huge stature of a man with a long flowing black beard.
“Open the cell door,” commanded the big man.
“Bet four cents that’s the count,” Frank whispered very gently.