The Mission of Poubalov — page 151: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE KEY TO IVANS PRISON. 147 In the office of the hotel he found that the boat was the ephalonia, and that she was scheduled to start at half- ast eleven. That was a late hour, and he would be in reat peril until then, but there was nothing for it but to ‘take his chanzes. So he gathered up a lot of writing mate- ials and retired to his room. He spent most of the night o writing to Clara. “In staying your hand,’’ he began abruptly, without ddress of any sort, ‘‘from exacting from Alexander Pouba- jv the penalty of his crime against you, the penalty yhich your hand alone was worthy to exact, I was im- elled not by egotism, or sudden emotion. It was my pur- se to save you for a happier career than with all your obility of character you could have achieved had you ourself done the deed. I shall try to escape the punish- ient that society would inflict upon me for this act of istice, for I find that at this moment I cling to my miser- ble life as does the dog whose master starves and mal- reats him. If I do not escape, it will matter not at all, ad I ask no tears from your beautiful eyes. I know your jaracter so well that I shall die content with the grati- ide that I know will warm your heart for your unwor- iy servant. “The blow that struck away the mighty obstacle to your leccess and happiness was but the key to the door that is osed upon Ivan Strobel. The happiness of opening that jor with my own hands is not to be for me, andI do not serve it. I am content to show you the way. “‘Poubalov’s rooms are at 32 Bulfinch Place. He occupies 70, possibly three rooms there, and in the sense that he is undoubtedly bought the landlady, the whole house is s. Iam convinced that Strobel is confined there, and lat that has been his prison house since his abduction st Monday. There will be no bar now to your going to ie house and releasing your lover and my benefactor. 1 ill tell you what room he is in, or at all events was in st Thursday night; and that you may thoroughly under- aL dme, Iwill relate how I came to know this, al houg t muicbdooks (©) .