“You can see me quite well enough here; but as you will. Ivan, remember, three lives for mine,” I called, and I went down deliberately and stood face to face with them at very close range; and a very ugly-looking lot they were.
“He is not the Emperor, God curse him,” cried one of the gang.
“I am not even a Russian,” I said.
“Your name?” demanded the leader sternly.
“Is my own concern.”
“I will know it,” he insisted threateningly.
“While you threaten me, I’ll see you damned before I’ll tell you.” This was only another bluff. It would be useless to deny my name. Helga had spoken it before Vastic’s companion. But I dared not yield to the man’s threats. A single symptom of weakness and the whole bluff would be exposed.
“You carry things daringly,” he said.
“There are three reasons for it—up there,” I retorted grimly. “You can take my life if you will and if you dare. You are all known well enough, and foreigners of my position are not murdered in cold blood without full penalties being exacted. Shoot, if you’ve a mind to face the public executioner. If you haven’t, let’s put an end to this.”
“You killed our comrade.”