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In an upstairs rooton Ministry three men sat in conference One, a stout, bearded man, was seated behind a flat-top desk on which he constantly thru hidouid indifference, effectually veiling their keenness The expression of his mouth was lost in the dark moustache, and in the beard combed froaht have been carved out of ice Without ever a hint of harshness or loudness, his voice was one to coh it came out soft and velvety, it ith the half assurance that it could ring like steel if the occasion arose The occasion never arose The hands, whose fingers thru, and always uely that you had touched oil--and you had

Both of the other host of a moustache on his upper lip He was dapper, clean and deferential The other was short and soainly in build, and his face showed evidence of the recent shaving off of a heavy beard He had no graces, and evidently no thoughts but of service--service of any kind, so long as he recognized the authority deh, but they were not his kind A soldier of the ranks, a sailor before the ed clothes with this man and profited in values, while the other would certainly have profited in looks

"You did not see the other, then, Ivan?" the fat uest

"I did not, Excellency He came at me too quickly, and I had no idea there was anyone there besides myself and--and the person who--"

"Yes, yes The person who is noithout a nae tree that seemed to form part of a wall, when the two, the person and a lady, caether She--"

"Did they act as if they knew one another?"

The man smiled "Excellency, they acted as if they knew one another quite well They embraced"

"That you did not see, Ivan?"

"No, Excellency, of course, I did not see that"

"Proceed, Ivan"

"After they--parted, Excellency, the lady opened the tree and went into it"