Shortly after that, Ivan Shiskin was attracted by a light in the front room on the second floor. He came in
softly; as he did, the curtains parted at the side of the room, and Prince Zuvor appeared.
'Master!' exclaimed Ivan, in Russian. 'I did not hear you enter the house.'
'I came in quietly, little one,' was the reply in Russian.
'I did not expect you to-night, master. You said that you would not return until to-morrow.'
'What instructions did I give you?'
'You said this, master. When he who carries the sign of the Seventh Circle comes at eight o'clock -'
'To-morrow night.'
'Yes, master. To-morrow night. You said that I shall tell him, 'My master will be here soon.' Then you
said that I should tell him to wait in this room.'
'Very good, Ivan.'
'Master.' The servant's voice was humble. 'You seem different, to-night. You seem -'
'I am worried, Ivan. That is why I have returned. I have been gone for several days, and I have been in
danger. To-night, I have work to do. Work for you. Come.'
Ivan followed Prince Zuvor.
They reached the basement. The prince went to the place where Ivan kept the make-up boxes, and
removed them.
'Master,' said Ivan. 'Let me form your disguise.'
Prince Zuvor shook his head.
'No, Ivan. I am not going out. It is you who will go out to-night. You will be Fritz. You will go in my
place.'
'Where, master?'
'To a meeting, little one. Listen closely -'
BRIEFLY, the prince explained that Ivan was to be Agent K. He told how the Red meeting was held.
He gave Ivan the signs, and all the necessary instructions.
The only fact that he subtly omitted was the most important one— that these men who would meet were
Reds. Ivan noted the instructions; he did not ask their purpose.
'Remember, Ivan,' admonished the prince, as he carefully arranged the servant's face to resemble that of
the pretended Fritz Bloch, 'we must protect the cause of the czar.'
'Aye, master.'
The disguise was completed. Ivan stared in wonderment as Prince Zuvor held a mirror before his eyes.
'Your work, master,' he said, 'is more skillful than mine. I cannot understand.'
'You have prepared my disguise so often,' explained the prince. 'I have remembered every movement.
You make as good a Fritz as I do. Now speak.'
Ivan Shiskin uttered a few words in guttural English.
'Now go,' said Zuvor. He raised his hand. 'Go. Remember all that happens. Go, in the name of the
czar.'
After the servant had left by the front door, Prince Zuvor returned to the room on the second floor. He
passed through the curtains, and did not return. Instead, a strange, mysterious figure emerged.
It was that of a man clad in black, wearing a black cloak and a black hat. He laughed as he stood in the
center of the room, and his laugh echoed weirdly from the walls.
Shortly afterward, the same figure came from the front door of Prince Zuvor's house. There was no
sedan outside to-night; yet the figure kept to the shadows. Reaching the corner of the avenue, the man
became less stealthy. He stepped into a taxicab, and gave an address to the driver.
The cab arrived a short time later in front of a hotel near Times Square. The passenger alighted and
entered the hotel. He stopped at the desk, and gave the number of a room. The clerk made the call.
'Mr. Marquette?' he asked. 'Yes? A gentleman to see you.'
He turned to the man in black, who was looking in the opposite direction.
'Go right up, sir,' said the clerk.
CHAPTER XXXI. AT THE MEETING
ONE by one the Red agents had assembled at their meeting place. They had been scrutinized and
admitted by Prokop.
To-night he had questioned none of them. He was anxious to begin the meeting. He had been particularly
pleased when Fritz Bloch had appeared.
When all had gathered in the large room, Prokop entered and stood before them. He surveyed the entire
group. Then he began to speak.
'Comrades,' he said, 'I have important news to give you. One of our number has sought to betray us.
What is the answer?'
'Death!' came a hiss from the group of dark-robed agents. 'Death!'
'Death is the verdict,' repeated Prokop. 'We shall act as one. Any who may encounter the betrayer must
strike. Is it agreed?'
'Agreed!' came the murmur of voices.
'This agent is a woman,' continued Prokop. 'Her name is Arlette DeLand. Seek her out. She must die. I
shall show her picture to each of you as you leave.'
A low murmur ran through the group; it died away immediately. Prokop held up his hand for silence.
'There is work for one of us,' he said. 'Great work. One of our number shall strike a glorious blow for
our cause. To-morrow night, two men meet. One of them I shall not name—save to mention that he is an
enemy to our cause. He intends to meet our archenemy, Prince Zuvor.'
An angry rumble surged through the crowd.
'Death!' hissed a voice, and another repeated the cry.
'Silence,' ordered Prokop. 'I have chosen one man as best suited for this work.
'Some of you have watched Prince Zuvor. This one has constantly been on guard. He has served for
months as Zuvor's servant. His ears have been stung with remarks that he has heard—remarks belittling
our cause.
'He has done much for us. Through him we have discovered many facts pertaining to Prince Zuvor. So to
this man I give the privilege of destroying three enemies: Prince Zuvor, his friend; and his Royalist servant,
Ivan Shiskin.'
There was an impressive silence. Then:
'Agent K. Step forward.'
For a moment no one responded. Then there was a stir, and a hooded figure advanced slowly toward
Prokop.
The leader of the Reds conducted him to the end of the room. There he lifted a spherical object from a
box. He carried the object carefully, and showed it beneath the light.
'This bomb,' he said, 'is of our newest pattern. When the dial is set, and the clockwork is put in motion,
it will explode at the exact minute.
'You will use it to-morrow night, Comrade K. Use it for our cause. Destroy our enemy—your
enemy—Prince Zuvor!'
