ou see," he explained, "shortly after my
return last year, I hurt Russia's feelings. Made what they very
truthfully called a revolutionary address. I've been dodging Siberia
ever since. Get your medal, Carrick, and come along," he called over his
shoulder to the Cockney, who was reluctant to leave without his precious
heirloom.

Carter's second appearance in the courtyard was more gratifying than his
first, and he had no difficulty in procuring his touring car from the
sentry, who already seemed to have been apprised of the stalwart
stranger's status.

Whirled along in the auto, the inn was soon reached, where, arm in arm
with Count Zulka, Carter entered, much to the unenlightened bewilderment
of the landlord, who, nevertheless, at the Krovitzer's request, had no
difficulty in finding them a private room for their dinner.

After having enjoyed to the full the appetizing meal which had been set
before them, the two friends at first indulged themselves with
intermittent cigarettes and the thimblefuls of local liquor attendant at
their elbows. Digestion, for a while, stood in the way of discourse,
and the tally was naturally indolent, somnolent.

Presently, after having sufficiently watched the rings of smoke flatten
themselves against a black, studded rafter, Carter gave a slight rein to
his speculations.

"Why," he said, holding up his cigarette to gaze squintingly at the
ember at its head, "why is the Count Sobieska antagonistic to Josef?"

Zulka stretched himself further back in his heavy chair. Very much at
his ease, he could have dispensed with questions just then.

"Professional jealousy, I suppose," he replied. "When it comes to
knowledge of Russian movements," he went on to explain, "that's
Sobieska's department, mind you, but somehow Josef is always hours ahead
of him through some source of his own. Naturally Sobieska takes the
chance to rub a miscue in on the old chap."

"Why should he be interested in Carrick's antecedents, Paul?"

"Cal, you are like the youngster, who after exhausting all other
questions, asked his dazed parent, 'Father, why is why?' Tell me all
that happened," he said, seeing the slightly nettled expression on his
friend's face. "You see the circus was all over before I arrived."

Carter related the affair from the time of their first meeting with
Josef, at that very inn, to the time when Zulka's timely appearance put
an end to their trial. "The rest you know," he concluded.

Zul