This impressed him, as I intended it should.
“I’ll go and see what I can do,” he answered.
He was a very pleasant young fellow, so I ventured a step further.
“Is there not some place where we could be more private than here? In a confidential matter of this sort——”
I left the rest to his imagination.
“Will you come to my apartments? I shall be delighted.”
Of course I agreed, but felt rather like a shame-faced impostor at having to trick so frank and good-natured a fellow. There was too much at stake, however, for me to hesitate, and we went away together, talking gaily, up the stairs and along the corridors to his room.
I was going to win after all, in spite of old Kalkov and his Argus eyes, and my spirits rose as success came nearer and nearer within my grasp.
We sat chatting for a few minutes, the young officer exhibiting a strong curiosity on the subject of American newspapers, what information I wished to obtain, the use I should make of it, and so on; and I did my best to satisfy him.
He was satisfied at length apparently, for he went off on his search for the colonel and left me alone.