“But we have no time to spare. The Ataman’s men may be at the door at any minute. Before that we must win this stranger to our side, and before he can discover who we are, slip away with him to Vladivostok—to Harbin—to——”
“Vladivostok! You expect an enemy to take us to Vladivostok? To Harbin? Why, I would sooner, than that——”
“He wants to find you. What if I tell him you may be found in Harbin? Or Vladivostok?”
Michael thrust aside a cloud of smoke that had gathered before him, and squinted his eyes at his daughter, as if he really doubted her sanity now.
“And how could you find me in Vladivostok, when I am here in this rat-hole in Chita? Truly, my ears hear strange words. They are not worth a last year’s egg.”
“You do not understand. If this stranger looks to me to help him find Michael Kirsakoff, and he does not know you for Michael Kirsakoff, what is to prevent our telling him that we can take him to some other city—to find you?”
Michael cocked his head to one side and pursed his lips. Then a smile broke over his face as he began to comprehend.
“We have no time to spare,” pressed Katerin. “It must be done before he can learn by any mischance who we are. Once we are free of the city, his chances of discovering our ruse diminish.”
“But how can he take us away, even if what you say is true? The Ataman would prevent us—he would betray us. There would be some slip—and we would be in the hands of our enemy, or delivered into the hands of the Ataman. We double our danger and gain nothing,” objected Michael.
“The Ataman would not dare stop an American officer. We must chance that. This stranger would give his eyes to find you. Very good, then! We shall fall in with his desires and turn them to our advantage. We must take him away under the pretext that he is to find you, then in reality he will be aiding our escape from the city.”