connected with the
cylinder, and that it was undoubtedly pouring whatever gas the cylinder
contained through the hole into Room A. For a moment she had difficulty
in repressing a shriek; but realizing how perfectly helpless she was,
even if an alarm were raised, she fought down all exclamation. She saw
that the man who was regulating the escape of gas was not the one who
had spoken to the conductor. Then, fearing that he might turn his head
and see her eye at the small aperture, she reached up and covered the
lamp, leaving her own room in complete darkness. The double covering,
which closed over the semi-globular lamp like an eyelid, kept every ray
of light from penetrating into the compartment she occupied.

As Jennie turned to her espionage again, she heard a blow given to the
door in Room A that made it chatter, then there was a sound of a heavy
fall on the floor. The door of Room B was flung open, the head of the
first Russian was thrust in, and he spoke in his own language a single
gruff word. His assistant then turned the cock and shut off the gas from
the cylinder. The door of Room B was instantly shut again, and Jennie
heard the rattle of the key as Room A was being unlocked.

Jennie jumped down from her perch, threw off her hat, and, with as
little noise as possible, slid her door back an inch or two. The
conductor had unlocked the door of Room A, the tall Russian standing
beside him saying in a whisper,--

"Never mind the man, he'll recover the moment you open the door and
window; get the box. Hold your nose with your fingers and keep your
mouth shut. There it is, that black box in the corner."

The conductor made a dive into the room, and came out with an ordinary
black despatch-box.

The policeman seemed well provided with the materials for his
burglarious purpose. He selected a key from a jingling bunch, tried it;
selected another; then a third, and the lid of the despatch-box was
thrown back. He took out a letter so exactly the duplicate of the one
Jennie possessed that she clutched her own document to see if it were
still in her pocket. The Russian put the envelope between his knees and
proceeded to lock the box. His imagination had not gone to any such
refinement as the placing of a dummy copy where the original had been.
Quick as thought Jennie acted. She slid open the door quietly and
stepped out into the passage. So intent were the two men on their work
that neither saw her. The tall man gave th