With iron fist, Senov rapped twice upon the door; then waited for a few tense seconds, and struck again.
It was a Bolshevik signal — one which Marcus Holtmann had noted when Ivan Motkin had unwisely taken him to this place. This was the acid test of Senov’s scheme. Of all the vital information that he had obtained from Frederick Froman, this bit was most important.
Only the most trusted officials of the Moscow government knew that signal. Not even the patrolling watchers were familiar with it. Senov waited.
A grating sound came from the other side of the door. Bolts were being withdrawn. The door opened inward, very slowly. All was dark inside the house. Senov had withdrawn softly; but his two supporters were still there — one on each side of the door.
The entrance remained open. Two whispered voices came from within. One guard was speaking to another. They seemed perplexed that no one had advanced into the house. At last, a man emerged into the alley.
Instantly, Senov’s men pounced upon him. There was a crushing sound as an iron bar descended upon the Bolshevist’s head.
A hasty exclamation came from beyond, and the door swung shut, but too late. With a mighty leap, Senov himself hurdled the fallen body of the first victim, and threw his powerful frame upon the barrier.
The door shot inward, and Senov precipitated himself upon the man beyond. His iron hand caught a wrist in the dark. A mighty twist and a revolver clattered to the floor.
Senov had frustrated his adversary, but that was not enough to suit his desires. He could have taken the man prisoner; instead, he threw his opponent to the floor, and beat the victim’s head furiously against the stone paving.
Senov did not rise until the beaten form lay motionless. Even then the Czarist’s fury continued. With heavy, nailshod boot he stamped fiendishly upon the victim, trampling the man’s head and body in a mad desire to stamp out the last spark of life.