The Mission of Poubalov — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

¥ ‘ r at Z LITIZKI AT WORK. ol him. Can you not suggest how I am to proceed to prove that and to rescue him?”’ ‘I hope to be able to do so, Miss Hilman, in a short . time, a few days at most, and I assure you that I shall _henoeforth give my undivided attention to searching for _ Mr. Strobel.”’ Clara knitted her brows in painful perplexity. “‘A woman situated as I am,”’ she said presently, “ought to be stirred by nothing but gratitude; but the one thing I can think to say is, why do you interest your- _ self so deeply in the matter?”’ “Still distrustful,’’ said Poubaloy in his deepest tones. ; “Miss Hilman, I might resort to sophistry and direct ‘._ deceit in answering your question. I might point out that the newspapers have placed me, though not as yet by | name, in a disagreeable position from which it should be my earnest desire to extricate myself. I might declare that Iwas moved by friendship or admiration for Mr. Strobel. Butit does not please me to practice arts of trickery with you. Public notoriety I care as little for as for the fly that buzzes harmlessly about my head. I never _had friendship or admiration for Mr. Strobel, and I feel neither sentiment now. Alexander Poubalov’s one senti- ment is loyalty to his czar.’’ “You haven’t answered the question.”’ ‘Because I cannot answer it without either deceit or the betrayal of my trust. But 1 shall nevertheless use ‘every endeavor to find your lover. Will you care to hear from me from time to time?”’ “‘Yes,’’ replied Clara, after a moment’s thought; ‘‘cer- tainly, yes. I do thank you for speaking to meas you have, and I wish I could trust you. I almost do trust you.’’ ‘*It would be too ungracious in me,*’ responded Peuba- _ lov, ‘not to wish that you could trust me, and not to hope that some time in the near future you will find that in this matter you can do so absolutely.”’ (C(O) Connie aoolks