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“You heard us speaking to-night of the incident. I owe him probably my life, and certainly an escape from serious injuries. We Americans don’t go back on a call, and I admit it’s up to him to call now. But this is such an odd thing.”

“Think it over. It is a national characteristic of your countrymen to be prompt. Shall I return, say, in an hour?”

“Wait a minute, Prince,” I said as he rose, and pushing my chair back I took a few turns up and down the room.

We were in the apartments which had been assigned to me in the Palace, and the Prince had interrupted me as I was planning out my projected journey to Khiva. It was nearly midnight, and my maps and papers lay open on the table.

“I am quite at your disposal, M. Denver,” he replied courteously as he resumed his chair and watched me.

“Let me see that I’ve got the hang of the thing right,” I said after a while. “You say this man, Boreski, is really dangerous; but I thought you had a quick method of dealing with dangerous men in Russia.”

“It is not a case for ordinary methods, M. Denver, or I should not have come to you. I wish to deal with you with complete frankness, and have spoken unreservedly as to a personal friend of my master.”