hates Zouroff with only
a few degrees less hatred than myself."

"It is quite intelligible, Ivan. Please go on."

"Now I am getting to the point where you come in," explained the
outlaw. The four patient men were still watching the prolonged
interview, with their pistols ready to be discharged at a moment's
notice, should this burly stranger show any suspicious movement.

"These men conduct their conversation in French; that much Stepan
knows. On the nights of these assemblies, both the vestibule and inner
chamber are very dimly illuminated. Stepan could manage to hide me
there to overhear. But, as you know, Signor, I speak French very
imperfectly myself and it would be impossible for me to follow them. I
often have to ask you to repeat your words slowly, to catch the
sense."

Corsini admitted that it was so.

"Now, Signor, here comes the strange thing, a coincidence that must
have been fashioned by Providence to direct our ends. In a dim light,
you and Stepan are as alike as two peas; it was this resemblance that
put the idea into my head. I will not say that in the broad daylight
the difference between you might not be discernible."

Corsini drew a deep breath. He was beginning to have an idea of the
scheme which had worked in Ivan's cunning brain. "You want to dress me
up as Stepan, put me in his place, and overhear what they are
plotting, so that I can communicate it to the police?"

"Precisely, Signor. Is it not a great idea?"

"It sounds pretty well, my friend, but there are one or two little
things that might confound your scheme. Has it occurred to you that,
since the Prince might communicate with me by signs, I might not be
able to understand the alphabet."

"I have arranged for all that, Signor," replied the big man, who was
pretty full of resource. "There is a fair-sized cupboard in the
vestibule in which Stepan can hide himself while you are listening.
You pull open the cupboard and he can change places with you when you
please. You can do this as often as you like in the twinkling of an
eye."

Corsini smiled. "Admirably thought out, Ivan, but there will be no
need. I know the alphabet perfectly; I learned it when a boy, and
since my short sojourn here I have picked up a fair amount of Russian.
Of course Zouroff speaks Russian to Stepan."

The outlaw smiled gleefully. "No, Signor; everything, I see, is
working most smoothly for our plans. Zouroff had the boy very well
educated; he can speak Fr