Adventure Magazine Cover — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

14 Spies, without a doubt, or perhaps Strelsky, or even the prince of the silver coat. “First,” I told Borol, “I will teach you a lesson if you are not afraid to challenge a man whose arm is as long as yours.” “Draw your steel, you hedgehog!”’ “Tvak!” Edwards turned on me angrily. “My affair with the ensign does not require the aid of a clown. Back to your place!” “Pardon,” I pointed out, “but my quarrel with Borol takes precedence of your Honor’s affair. He made light of my word in the first place.” The American and Edwards stood about as high as my chin, but they were bent on crossing steel with the ensign who was a giant. Edwards began to explain impa- trently that, although Borol’s military rank was equal with mine, the man was a count, or some such thing. “You do not know, Excellency,” I as- sured him, “that in my country the Cos- sacks hold me to a prince. Aye, my grand- sire was hetman, having to his order ten thousand sabers. Is not that rank enough?”’ Borol, who was foaming at the mouth, tossed his cloak to a trooper and began to roll up his right sleeve, crying that I might be.emperor of a million pigs, but he would have satisfaction all the same. “One moment,” I said. ‘‘You have chal- lenged me and so I have choice of weapons. Is it not so, Lieutenant Edwards?”’ He nodded, staring at me curiously. Borol grinned, knowing that a Cossack would chose sabers, which suited him very well. “We will fight with pitchforks,” I said. So amazed were they that the crackling of the fire could be heard in the silence, when I walked to the manure heap by the inn door and picked up two forks with iron prongs. My ears were pricked and I heard the stamp of a horse close by in the dark- ness, where some one watched, unseen. Eh, the trap was set and ready to be sprung if the American or those with him showed fight. I yearned to take on Borol with sabers and teach him a thing or two, for among the Don Cossacks few were a match for me with the blades. But it was not to be. I cleaned the iron prongs in the earth and held out the two forks to Borol, offering him choice of wea- pons. How his eyes stuck out! “With those things!’ he sneered. gentlemen is not a dog of a farmer.” cA Adventure “True, my little Count,” I nodded. “A Cossack would think it disgraceful to draw steel on such a man as you. Choose!” He glared at the prongs, at me and at Edwards, who was beginning to be amused. Then he stepped back with an oath, and felt in his saddle holster for a firearm. “Take them!’ he shouted to his men. “Draw pistols!” For the second time Borol had made a mistake. His men obeyed, it is true, but when they had their weapons resting on their hips, with muzzles in the air, Edwards had caught up a_ double-barreled horse pistol from his saddle bags and the American had in hand the two light, silver mounted French pistols that he carried in his belt. It was clear even to Borol that we would not be taken alive, by force; but before he could give an order to the troopers to fire, a voice came out of the darkness behind the fire— “Withdraw!” And they did so, taking with them the woman, lest we question her, but leaving the tarantass—which I regretted. The trap had been sprung, but the panthers were not caught. Aye, from that hour we were hunted like beasts, we who were men. Then the American showed that he had had men to his command before now. I had seen that he could ride and face an adversary; now it was clear he thought of those under him. Through Edwards he reminded me that I had had no dinner and bade me to the inn to seek what I could find and to return to talk with them. WHEN I wiped my hands on the ney tavern dog and came forth again, the two officers were casting dice on a saddle cloth, laughing like boys, though there was gray in the hair of John Paul. After I saluted, Edwards asked me to sit with them and light my pipe, and they put away the dice. “Old raven,” said he, “there is more in your noodle than comes out your mouth. ‘The rear-admiral would like to ride back to Tsarkoe-seloe and clear his name before the Empress. Knowing a little of the Rus- sian court, I advise him to ride as far from it as his horse wil] carry him; a victory or two will do more for his cause than a dozen petitions, which might get no farther than the servants of the minister of state. What is your word?” MICLOOOK (© in