apel, followed again by the employees of the
Company, to whom he had granted a holiday, he suddenly found his hand
taken possession of, and looked up to see himself confronted by a
dissipated-looking person in plain clothes. His hand became so limp
that it was dropped as if it had put forth a sting, and he narrowed his
eyes and demanded with a bend of his mouth that brought the blood to
the face of the intruder:

"And who are you, may I ask?"

The man threw back his head defiantly. "I am Lieutenant Sookin of the
Imperial Navy of Russia," he said in a loud, defiant tone.

"And I am Chamberlain of the Russian Court and Commander of all
America," replied Rezanov coolly. "Now go to your quarters, dress
yourself in your uniform, and present your report to me an hour hence."

The officer, concentrating in his injected eyes all the lively hatred
and jealousy of his service for the Russian-American Company in this
region where it reigned supreme and cared no more for the Admiralty
than for some native chieftain covered with shells and warpaint, glared
at its plenipotentiary as if calling upon his deeper resources of
insolence; but the steady, contemptuous gaze of the man who had dealt
with his kind often and successfully overcame his sodden spirit, and he
turned sulkily and slouched off to his quarters to console himself with
more brandy. Rezanov shrugged his shoulders and went on to his tent.

There was no furniture in it as yet, and he was obliged to receive
Davidov and Khostov standing, but this he preferred. They followed him
almost immediately, apprehensive and nervous, and before speaking he
looked at them for a moment with his strong, penetrating gaze. He well
knew the power of his own personality, and that it was immeasurably
enhanced by the fact that of all with whom he had to do in these
benighted regions his will alone was never weakened by liquor. These
young men, clever, high-bred, with an honorable record not only in
Russia, but in England and America, looked upon a hilarious night as
the just reward of work well done by day. Brandy was debited to their
account by the "bucket" (a bucket being a trifle less than two
gallons), and they found little fault with life. But the profligacy
gave a commanding spirit like Rezanov's an advantage which they did not
under-estimate for a moment; and they alternately hated and worshiped
him.

"I think you have an inkling of what I am going to ask you to do." The
C