             ,,*APT] ,,III           #CD
     ,,MI*AEL ,,/ROG(F ,,MEETS ,,!
                 ,,CZ>

  ,,! DOOR (! IMP]IAL CAB9ET 0 AG OP5$ &
,G5]AL ,KISS(F 0 ANN\NC$4
  8,! C\RI]80 9QUIR$ ! ,CZ> EAG]LY4
  8,HE IS "H1 SIRE10 REPLI$ ,G5]AL
,KISS(F4
  8,H Y F.D A FITT+ MAN80
  8,I W ANSW] = HM 6YR MAJE/Y40
  8,HAS HE BE5 9 ! S]VICE (! ,PALACE80
  8,YES1 SIRE40
  8,Y "K HM80
  8,P]SON,Y1 & AT V>I\S "TS HE HAS
FULFILL$ DI6ICULT MIS.NS ) SU3ESS40
  8,ABROAD80
  8,IN ,SIB]IA XF40
  8,": DOES HE -E F80
  8,F ,OMSK4 ,HE IS A ,SIB]IAN40
  8,HAS HE COOL;S1 9TELLIG;E1 C\RAGE80
  8,YES1 SIRE2 HE HAS ALL ! QUALITIES
NEC 6SU3E$1 EV5 ": O!RS MI<T POSSIBLY
FAIL40
  8,:AT IS 8 AGE80  8,?IRTY40                          #CE
  8,IS HE /R;G & VIGOR\S80
  8,SIRE1 HE C BE> COLD1 HUNG]1 ?IR/1
FATIGUE1 6! V LA/ EXTREMITIES40
  8,HE M/ H A FRAME ( IRON40
  8,SIRE1 HE HAS40
  8,&A HE>T80
  8,A HE>T ( GOLD40
  8,HIS "N80
  8,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F40
  8,IS HE R1DY 6SET \80
  8,HE AWAITS YR MAJE/Y'S ORD]S 9 !
GU>D-ROOM40
  8,LET HM -E IN10 SD ! ,CZ>4
  ,9 A FEW MO;TS ,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F1 !
C\RI]1 5T]$ ! IMP]IAL LIBR>Y4 ,HE 0 A
TALL1 VIGOR\S1 BROAD-%\LD]$1 DEEP-*E/$
MAN4 ,8 P[];L H1D POSSESS$ ! F9E F1TURES
(! ,CAUCASIAN RACE4 ,8 WELL-KNIT FRAME
SEEM$ BUILT =! P]=M.E ( F1TS ( /R5G?4 ,X
WD H BE5 A DI6ICULT TASK 6MOVE S* A MAN
AG/ 8 W1 = :5 8 FEET 7 ONCE PLANT$ ON !
GR.D1 X 0 Z IF !Y _H TAK5 ROOT4 ,Z HE
D(F$ 8 ,MUSCOVITE CAP1 LOCKS ( ?ICK
CURLY HAIR FELL OV] 8 BROAD1 MASSIVE=EH1D4 ,:5 8 ORD9>ILY PALE FACE      #CF
2CAME AT ALL FLU%$1 X >OSE SOLELY F A M
RAPID AC;N (! HE>T4 ,8 EYES1 (A DEEP
BLUE1 LOOK$ ) CLE>1 FRANK1 FIRM GAZE4 ,!
SLI<TLY-3TRACT$ EYEBR[S 9DICAT$ L(TY
H]OISM--8! H]O'S COOL C\RAGE10 AC 6!
DEF9I;N (! PHYSIOLOGI/4 ,HE POSSESS$ A
F9E NOSE1 ) L>GE NO/RILS2 &A WELL-%AP$
M\?1 )! SLI<TLY- PROJECT+ LIPS : DENOTE
A G5]\S & NO# HE>T4
  ,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F _H ! TEMP]A;T (! MAN (
AC;N1 :O DOES N BITE 8 NAILS OR SCRAT* 8
H1D 9 D\BT & 9DECI.N4 ,SP>+ ( GE/URES Z
( ^WS1 HE ALW /OOD MO;N.S L A SOLDI] 2F
8 SUP]IOR2 B :5 HE MOV$1 8 /EP %[$ A
FIRM;S1 A FREEDOM ( MOVE;T1 : PROV$ !
3FID;E & VIVAC;Y ( 8 M9D4
  ,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F WORE A H&"S MILIT>Y
UNI=M "S?+ RESEMBL+ T (A LI<T-CAVALRY
(FIC] 9 ! FIELD--BOOTS1 SPURS1 HALF
TI<TLY-FITT+ TR\S]S1 BR[N PELISSE1
TRIMM$ ) FUR & ORNA;T$ ) YELL[ BRAID4
,ON 8 BR1/ GLITT]$ A CROSS & S"EAL
M$ALS4
  ,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F 2L;G$ 6! SPECIAL CORPS(! ,CZ>'S C\RI]S1 RANK+ Z AN (FIC]   #CG
AM;G ^? PICK$ M54 ,8 MO/ 4C]NI# "*I/IC--
"PICUL>LY 9 8 WALK1 8 FACE1 9 ! :OLE
MAN1 & : ! ,CZ> P]CVD AT A GL.E--WAS1 T
HE 0 8A FULFILL] ( ORD]S40 ,HE "!=E
POSSESS$ "O (! MO/ S]VICEA# QUALITIES 9
,RUSSIA--"O :1 Z ! CELEBRAT$ NOVELI/
,T\RGU5EFF SAYS1 8W L1D 6! HI<E/ POSI;NS
9 ! ,MUSCOVITE EMPIRE40
  ,9 %ORT1 IF ANY"O CD A3OMPLI% ? J\RNEY
F ,MOSC[ 6,IRKUTSK1 ACR A REBELLI\S
C.TRY1 SURM.T OB/ACLES1 & BRAVE P]ILS (
ALL SORTS1 ,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F 0 ! MAN4
  ,A CIRCUM/.E ESPECI,Y FAVORA# 6!
SU3ESS ( 8 PLAN WAS1 T HE 0 ?OR\<LY
ACQUA9T$ )! C.TRY : HE 0 AB 6TRAV]SE1 &
"U/OOD XS DI6]5T DIALECTS--N ONLY F HAV+
TRAVEL$ "! 2F1 B 2C HE 0 ( ,SIB]IAN
ORIG94
  ,8 "F--OLD ,PET] ,/ROG(F1 D1D T5 YE>S
S9CE--9HABIT$ ! T[N ( ,OMSK1 SITUAT$ 9 !
GOV]N;T (! SAME "N2 & 8 "M1 ,M>FA
,/ROG(F1 LIV$ "! /4 ,"!1 AMID ! WILD
/EPPES (! PROV9CES ( ,OMSK & ,TOBOLSK1
_H ! FAM\S HUNTSMAN BR"\ UP 8 SON,MI*AEL 65DURE H>D%IP4 ,PET]         #CH
,/ROG(F 0 A HUNTSMAN 0PROFES.N4 ,SUMM] &
W9T]--IN ! BURN+ H1T1 Z WELL Z :5 ! COLD
0 "S"TS FIFTY DEGREES 2L Z]O--HE SC\R$ !
FROZ5 PLA9S1 ! ?ICKETS ( BIR* & L>*1 !
P9E =E/S2 SETT+ TRAPS2 WAT*+ = SMALL
GAME ) 8 GUN1 &= L>GE GAME )! SPE> OR
KNIFE4 ,! L>GE GAME 0 NO?+ LESS ?AN !
,SIB]IAN BE>1 A =MIDA# & F]OCI\S ANIMAL1
9 SIZE EQUAL+ XS FELL[ (! FROZ5 S1S4
,PET] ,/ROG(F _H KILL$ M ?AN ?IRTY-N9E
BE>S--T IS 6SAY1 ! =TIE? _H FALL5 "U 8
BL[S2 &1 AC 6,RUSSIAN LEG5DS1 MO/
HUNTSM5 :O H BE5 LUCKY 5 UP 6! ?IRTY-N9?
BE>1 H SU3UMB$ 6! =TIE?4
  ,PET] ,/ROG(F _H1 H["E1 PASS$ ! FATAL
NUMB] )\T EV5 A SCRAT*4 ,F T "T1 8 SON
,MI*AEL1 AG$ ELEV5 YE>S1 N"E FAIL$
6A3OMPANY HM 6! HUNT1 C>RY+ ! RAGAT9A OR
SPE> 6AID 8 "F1 :O 0 >M$ ONLY )! KNIFE4
,:5 HE 0 F\RTE51 ,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F _H
KILL$ 8 F/ BE>1 Q AL"O--T 0 NO?+2 B AF
/RIPP+ X HE DRA7$ ! GIGANTIC ANIMAL'S
SK9 6HIS "F'S H\SE1 _M V]/S 4TANT1
EXHIBIT+ REM>KA# /R5G? 9 A BOY S "Y4  ,? /YLE ( LIFE 0 ( GRT B5EFIT      #CI
6HM1 & :5 HE >RIV$ AT MANHOOD HE CD BE>
ANY AM.T ( COLD1 H1T1 HUNG]1 ?IR/1 OR
FATIGUE4 ,L ! ,YAK\T (! NOR!RN C.TRIES1
HE 0 MADE ( IRON4 ,HE CD G F\R-&-TW5TY
H\RS )\T EAT+1 T5 NI<TS )\T SLEEP+1 & CD
MAKE HMF A %ELT] 9 ! OP5 /EPPE ": O!RS
WD H BE5 FROZ5 6D1?4 ,GIFT$ ) M>VEL\S
ACUTE;S1 GUID$ 0! 9/9CT (! ,DELAW>E (
,NOR? ,AM]ICA1 OV] ! :ITE PLA91 :5 E
OBJECT IS HI45 9 MI/1 OR EV5 9 HI<]
LATITUDES1 ": ! POL> NI<T IS PROL;G$ =
_M "DS1 HE CD F9D 8 WAY :5 O!RS WD H _H
NO IDEA :I!R 6TURN4 ,ALL 8 "F'S SECRETS
7 "KN 6HM4 ,HE _H LE>NT 6R1D ALM
IMP]CEPTI# SIGNS--! =MS ( ICICLES1 !
APPE>.E (! SMALL BRAN*ES ( TREES1 MI/S
RIS+ F> AWAY 9 ! HORIZON1 VAGUE S.DS 9 !
AIR1 4TANT REPORTS1 ! FLI<T ( BIRDS "? !
FO7Y ATMOSPH]E1 A ?\S& CIRCUM/.ES : >E S
_M ^WS 6^? :O C DECIPH] !M4 ,MOREOV]1
TEMP]$ 0SN[ L A ,DAMASCUS BLADE 9 !
WAT]S ( ,SYRIA1 HE _H A FRAME ( IRON1 Z
,G5]AL ,KISS(F _H SD1 &1 :AT 0 NO LESS
TRUE1 A HE>T ( GOLD4  ,! ONLY S5TI;T ( LOVE FELT         #DJ
0,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F 0 T : HE 5T]TA9$ = 8
"M1 ! AG$ ,M>FA1 :O CD N"E 2 9DUC$ 6L1VE
! H\SE (! ,/ROG(FS1 AT ,OMSK1 ON ! BANKS
(! ,IRTI%1 ": ! OLD HUNTSMAN & %E _H
LIV$ S L;G TGR4 ,:5 H] SON LEFT H]1 HE
W5T AWAY )A FULL HE>T1 B PROMIS+ 6-E &
SEE H] :5"E HE CD POSSIBLY D S2 & ?
PROMISE HE _H ALW RELIGI\SLY KEPT4
  ,:5 ,MI*AEL 0 TW5TY1 X 0 DECID$ T HE
%D 5T] ! P]SONAL S]VICE (! ,EMP]OR (
,RUSSIA1 9 ! CORPS (! C\RI]S (! ,CZ>4 ,!
H>DY1 9TELLIG5T1 Z1L\S1 WELL-3DUCT$ "Y
,SIB]IAN F/ 4T+UI%$ HMF ESPECI,Y1 9 A
J\RNEY 6! ,CAUCASUS1 "? ! MID/ (A
DI6ICULT C.TRY1 RAVAG$ 0"S RE/.S
SU3ESSORS ( ,S*AMYL2 !N LAT]1 9 AN
IMPORTANT MIS.N 6,PETROPOL[SKI1 9
,KAMTS*ATKA1 ! EXTREME LIMIT ( ,ASIATIC
,RUSSIA4 ,DUR+ ^! L;G J\RNEYS HE 4PLAY$
S* M>VEL\S COOL;S1 PRUD;E1 & C\RAGE1 Z
6GA9 HM ! APPROB,N & PROTEC;N ( 8 *IEFS1
:O RAPIDLY ADV.ED HM 9 8 PROFES.N4
  ,! FURL\<S : 7 8 DUE AF ^! 4TANT
MIS.NS1 HE N"E FAIL$ 6DEVOTE 6HIS OLD"M4 ,HAV+ BE5 M* EMPLOY$ 9 ! S\? (   #DA
! EMPIRE1 HE _H N SE5 OLD ,M>FA = ?REE
YE>S--?REE AGES6--! F/ "T 9 8 LIFE HE _H
BE5 S L;G ABS5T F H]4 ,N[1 H["E1 9 A FEW
"DS HE WD OBTA9 8 FURL\<1 & HE _H ACLY
ALR MADE PREP>,NS = DE"PURE = ,OMSK1 :5
! EV5TS : H BE5 RELAT$ O3URR$4 ,MI*AEL
,/ROG(F 0 "!=E 9TRODUC$ 96! ,CZ>'S
PRES;E 9 -PLETE IGNOR.E ( :AT ! EMP]OR
EXPECT$ F HM4
  ,! ,CZ> FIX$ A P5ETRAT+ LOOK ^U HM )\T
UTT]+ A ^W1 :IL/ ,MI*AEL /OOD P]FECTLY
MO;N.S4
  ,! ,CZ>1 APP>5TLY SATISFI$ ) 8
SCRUT9Y1 MO;N$ 6! *IEF ( POLICE 6S1T
HMF1 & DICTAT$ 9 A L[ VOICE A LR ( N M
?AN A FEW L9ES4
  ,! LR P5N$1 ! ,CZ> RE-R1D X
ATT5TIVELY1 !N SIGN$ X1 PREC$+ 8 "N )!
^WS 8,BYT PO SEM\10 :1 SIGNIFY+ 8,S 2
X10 3/ITUTES ! DECISIVE =MULA (!
,RUSSIAN EMP]ORS4
  ,! LR 0 !N PLAC$ 9 AN 5VELOPE1 : 0
S1L$ )! IMP]IAL >MS4
  ,! ,CZ>1 RIS+1 TOLD ,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F6DRAW NE>4                           #DB
  ,MI*AEL ADV.ED A FEW /EPS1 & !N /OOD
MO;N.S1 R1DY 6ANSW]4
  ,! ,CZ> AG LOOK$ HM FULL 9 ! FACE & _!
EYES MET4 ,!N 9 AN ABRUPT T"O1 8,?Y "N80
HE ASK$4
  8,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F1 SIRE40
  8,?Y RANK80
  8,CAPTA9 9 ! CORPS ( C\RI]S (! ,CZ>40
  8,?\ DO/ "K ,SIB]IA80
  8,I AM A ,SIB]IAN40
  8,A NATIVE (80
  8,OMSK1 SIRE40
  8,HA/ ?\ REL,NS "!80
  8,YES SIRE40
  8,:AT REL,NS80
  8,MY OLD "M40
  ,! ,CZ> SUSP5D$ 8 "QS =A MO;T4 ,!N1
PO9T+ 6! LR : HE HELD 9 8 H&1 8,"H IS A
LR : ,I *>GE !E1 ,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F1
6DELIV] 96! H&S (! ,GR& ,DUKE1 & 6NO O!R
B HM40
  8,I W DELIV] X1 SIRE40
  8,! ,GR& ,DUKE IS AT ,IRKUTSK40
  8,I W G 6,IRKUTSK40  8,?\ WILT H 6TRAV]SE A REBELLI\S   #DC
C.TRY1 9VAD$ 0,T>T>S1 ^: 9T]E/ X W 2
69T]CEPT ? LR40
  8,I W TRAV]SE X40
  8,ABV ALL1 2W>E (! TRAITOR1 ,IVAN
,OG>EFF1 :O W P]H MEET !E ON ! WAY40
  8,I W 2W>E ( HM40
  8,WILT ?\ PASS "? ,OMSK80
  8,SIRE1 T IS MY R\TE40
  8,IF ?\ DO/ SEE ?Y "M1 "! W 2 ! RISK (
2+ RECOGNIZ$4 ,?\ M/ N SEE H]60
  ,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F HESITAT$ A MO;T4
  8,I W N SEE H]10 SD HE4
  8,SWE> 6ME T NO?+ W MAKE !E AC"KL$GE
:O ?\ >T1 NOR :I!R ?\ >T GO+40
  8,I SWE> X40
  8,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F10 3T9U$ ! ,CZ>1 GIV+
! LR 6! "Y C\RI]1 8TAKE ? LR2 ON X
DEP5DS ! SAFETY ( ALL ,SIB]IA1 & P]H !
LIFE ( MY BRO!R ! ,GR& ,DUKE40
  8,? LR % 2 DELIV]$ 6HIS ,HI<;S ! ,GR&
,DUKE40
  8,!N ?\ WILT PASS :AT"E HAPP5S80
  8,I % PASS1 OR !Y % KILL ME40
  8,I WANT !E 6LIVE40  8,I % LIVE1 & ,I % PASS10 ANSW]$   #DD
,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F4
  ,! ,CZ> APPE>$ SATISFI$ ) ,/ROG(F'S
CALM & SIMPLE ANSW]4
  8,G !N1 ,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F10 SD HE1 8G =
,GOD1 = ,RUSSIA1 = MY BRO!R1 &= MYF60
  ,! C\RI]1 HAV+ SALUT$ 8 SOV]EIGN1
IMMLY LEFT ! IMP]IAL CAB9ET1 &1 9 A FEW
M9UTES1 ! ,NEW ,PALACE4
  8,Y MADE A GD *OICE "!1 ,G5]AL10 SD !
,CZ>4
  8,I ?9K S1 SIRE10 REPLI$ ,G5]AL
,KISS(F2 8& YR MAJE/Y MAY 2 SURE T
,MI*AEL ,/ROG(F W D ALL T A MAN C D40
  8,HE IS 9DE$ A MAN10 SD ! ,CZ>4

