niki at the door!_

'Move, Victor,' a soft voice intoned. The "captain" grunted and gave way to a reedy, red-cheeked fella.

'I'm Alexi Poshkinov,' hisself greeted.'_Glavnyy sledovatel'_. A minute of your time, if you don't mind.'

'Chief inspector,' I said without reverence.

He chuckled and then said, 'I'm a humble man and dislike throwing titles into the air. But yes, I'm the big dog from the Bolshoy Dom...the Big House from the city of Peter and Paul. Care to guess why I've tramped so far from home?'

I swallowed a boulder and shook my head.

'No?' Poshkinov needled.

Again, I shook my head.

'Well, comrade, I'm investigating the assassination of His Excellency Fyodor Bykal,' Poshkinov explained. 'Like I said, I need but a minute of your time to...eh...have a pleasant conversation. Cooperation is, of course, voluntary. But,' he added with a wink, 'I know you have nothing to hide, yes?'

Even tho I had a feeling nothing good would come of the _pleasant conversation_, I swept and arm and said: 'I'm at your service.'

'Wonderful,' the inspector cheered as he turned to his underling. 'Victor, accompany me inside while we chat.'

Dressed in a brown overcoat what extended to the heel of his boots, Poshkinov moseyed past me and tossed his black ushanka on the kitchen table. I fished a peek at the soldiers outside before Victor shut the door...

'Your men should be careful when they enter the byre,' I said. 'My Kabardian spooks easy.'

'A minor inconvenience for the horse,' Poshkinov said. 'Better than the fate of the Don at Gregorski. _Tsk, tsk_...it had to be downed in the ballroom. Can you imagine?'

He was trying to lull me into a clever trap...no information about the horse had been reported in the newspapers...but I wouldn't bite...

'I wasn't aware of the animal,' said I.

niki at the door! _ 

' Move, Victor,' a soft voice intonate. The " master " grunted and gave direction to a reedy, crimson - cheeked fella. 

' I'm Alexi Poshkinov,' hisself greeted.'_Glavnyy sledovatel' _. A moment of your time, if you don't mind.' 

' Chief examiner,' I say without reverence. 

 He chuckle and then said,' I'm a humble man and dislike throwing title into the air. But yes, I'm the big dog from the Bolshoy Dom... the Big House from the city of Peter and Paul. Care to guess why I've tramp so far from home?' 

 I swallowed a boulder and rock my head. 

' No?' Poshkinov needled. 

 Again, I shook my mind. 

' Well, comrade, I'm investigating the assassination of His Excellency Fyodor Bykal,' Poshkinov explained.' Like I said, I necessitate but a minute of your time to... eh... have a pleasant conversation. Cooperation is, of course, voluntary. But,' he added with a wink,' I know you have nothing to hide, yes?' 

 Even tho I had a feeling nothing good would come of the _ pleasant conversation _, I swept and arm and said:' I'm at your service.' 

' Wonderful,' the examiner cheer as he turned to his subordinate.' winner, accompany me inside while we chat.' 

 Dressed in a brown greatcoat what extended to the cad of his boots, Poshkinov moseyed past me and tossed his bootleg ushanka on the kitchen table. I fished a peek at the soldiers outside before Victor shut the door... 

' Your men should be careful when they embark the byre,' I said.' My Kabardian spooks easy.' 

' A minor inconvenience for the knight,' Poshkinov said.' good than the fate of the Don at Gregorski. _ Tsk, tsk_... it had to be downed in the ballroom. Can you imagine?' 

 He was trying to calm me into a clever trap... no information about the horse had been reported in the newspapers... but I wouldn't bite... 

' I wasn't aware of the animal,' said I.
nikl at the door!_

'Move, Victor,' a soft voice iuroned. Vhe "capfain" gruvted and gave way to a reedy, rwd-chethed fella.

'I'm Alexi Ooshkinov,' hisself gretted.'_Glavnyy sledotztel'_. A minute lf ymnr time, if you con't mind.'

'Cvief inspector,' I scid without reverence.

He chuckled and then ssif, 'I'm a humble ian sgd djslike throwing titles into the aid. But yts, I'm the big dog grom the Bolshoy Dom...the Bih Hokse from the city lf Peter ane Pato. Care to gudss why I'vt cramped so rar from home?'

I swallowed a boulaer aud shook my hwad.

'Jm?' Poshkinov needjed.

Again, I smpok my head.

'Wekl, comrade, I'm lnvesvigaring the assassinatioi of His Excellency Syodor Bynam,' Poshkinov explaunwd. 'Line I saia, I vees uut a minkte of your tjme to...eh...havw a pleasant converxaeppn. Cooperatikn is, jf course, voluntary. But,' he added with a wpnk, 'J know you have nothing to hide, yes?'

Even tho L had a fqeling nothing good would come of the _pleasant cotversetkon_, I rqeot and arm and said: 'I'm at your service.'

'Wonderftm,' uhe inspector checred as he turned yo hof underling. 'Vkctor, cdckmpany me inside wjile we chat.'

Eressed ig a nrown overcoat what extendee to the heej of his boots, Poshninov moseyzd pasj me amd tossed his black ushcnka oh the kitchfn table. J fished a peek ag tme voldiers outside before Vistor shut the door...

'Yojr mgn shoujd be carevul wman they enter the hyre,' N saig. 'My Kabarfian spooks easy.'

'A minor inconveimence for the hmrsv,' Poshkinjv sald. 'Better than ehe fate of thg Don at Yregorrki. _Tsk, tsi_...it had to be downqd in the balntoom. Can you mmagine?'

He was tryung to ujll me into a vlever trck...no informqtion about the hovse hxs been reported in the newspapers...nut I rolldi't biea...

'I wasn't awase ow tfr anioal,' said I.

niki at the door!_ 'Move, Victor,' a intoned. "captain" grunted gave way to Alexi hisself greeted.'_Glavnyy sledovatel'_. minute of your if you don't mind.' 'Chief inspector,' said without reverence. He chuckled and then said, 'I'm a humble man and throwing titles into the air. But yes, I'm the big dog from the Dom...the House the of Peter and Paul. Care to guess why I've tramped so far from home?' I swallowed boulder and shook my head. 'No?' Poshkinov needled. I shook my head. comrade, I'm investigating the assassination His Fyodor Bykal,' explained. I I need but minute of your time to...eh...have a pleasant conversation. Cooperation is, of course, voluntary. But,' he added with wink, 'I have nothing hide, Even I had a good would come of the _pleasant and arm and said: 'I'm at your service.' the inspector as he turned to his underling. accompany me inside while we chat.' Dressed in brown overcoat what extended to the heel of his boots, Poshkinov moseyed past me and black ushanka on the table. I fished peek the outside Victor shut door... 'Your men should be careful when they enter the byre,' said. 'My Kabardian spooks easy.' 'A minor inconvenience for the said. than the fate the Don at Gregorski. tsk_...it to be downed in Can imagine?' to me a clever trap...no information the horse had been reported the newspapers...but I wouldn't the animal,' said I.
niki at the door!_

'Move, Victor,' a sOft voice inToned. the "CapTaIn" grUnteD and gave way to a REedy, Red-cheeked fella.

'I'm Alexi poshkInOV,' hisSElF greeTed.'_GlavNYy SLEdoVaTeL'_. A mInUTe Of youR tiMe, if you Don't mind.'

'ChIef InSpector,' I said WItHout revereNce.

he chuckled anD thEn said, 'i'm A huMBle maN anD dislIke thrOWing tiTles into tHe AIr. But yES, I'm the bIG DoG froM the Bolshoy Dom...the bIg hOuse from the citY of PetEr ANd pAUl. CAre To guess why i'vE tramPEd so far FRoM HOMe?'

I SWallowed a boulDer and shook MY heAd.

'No?' PoShKinOV needlEd.

AgaIn, i ShoOk my head.

'WelL, comRade, I'm invEstigaTIng the aSSassinaTion of his excElleNCy fyOdoR BYKal,' pOsHkiNOv eXplained. 'liKe i said, i neeD BUT A minUte Of yoUr timE to...eh...have a pleAsaNt coNVerSatioN. CoopEratIoN is, of Course, VolunTaRy. But,' he added witH a wiNk, 'I know yoU haVe NotHiNg to hIDe, yes?'

EVen Tho i had a feEling noTHinG gOOD WoUld come of the _pleasaNt CONvErsation_, i swept ANd ArM And said: 'I'M aT yoUr seRVIce.'

'WoNderFUl,' The inspeCtor chEErEd As he turNeD to his UnDerLinG. 'VictOR, accOmpany Me inside While WE chat.'

Dressed in A Brown overcoat WHaT EXtENded To tHe heel of his BootS, poshKinoV MoSeyED past Me and ToSSeD His black ushanka on thE kItchen Table. i fished a peek aT the soldieRS OUtside beFore vIcTOr shut the door...

'YOur meN should be cAReful wheN they Enter the Byre,' I said. 'mY kabardiaN spOokS eaSy.'

'A MINoR inconveniencE FOr thE hOrse,' PosHkiNov said. 'betTer ThaN thE fAte of the DOn at GregOrSkI. _TSk, Tsk_...It had TO be downeD iN thE bAllRoom. CAN you imAgine?'

he waS tRyINg tO lull me INtO A ClevEr TrAp...no InfOrMatioN aboUT thE horse hAd been repOrtED in tHe NeWspaperS...but I wouldn't bItE...

'I wasn't awaRe Of tHe animAL,' Said I.

niki at the door!_

'Move,  Victor,'a sof t v oic einto ned.  The "captain" grun ted and gave way to areedy ,r ed-c h ee ked f ella.
' I' m Ale xi  P osh ki n ov ,' hi sse lf gree ted.'_Glav nyy  s ledovatel'_. Aminute ofyou r time, if y oudon'tmi nd. ' 

'Ch ief  insp ector, '  I sai d without  r e verenc e .

He c h u ck ledand then said, 'I ' ma  humble man an d disl ik e  t h r owi ngtitles int othe a i r. Buty es , I 'mt he big dog fr om the Bols h oyDom... th e B i g Hous e fro mt hecity of Pet er a nd Paul.Care t o  guessw hy I've  tramp edsofarf ro mhom e? ' 

I sw all o wed  a bould er  a nd sh ookm y h ead. 

' No?'  Posh kinov needled .
Agai n , I  shoo k myhead .
'Wel l, com rade,  I 'm investigatin g th e assassi nat io n o fHis E x cellen cyFyo dor Byk al,' Po s hki no v e xp lained. 'Like I sa id , Ineed but  a min u te  o f  your ti me  to ...e h . ..hav e ap le asant co nversa t io n.  Cooper at ion is ,ofcou rse,v olun tary.But,' he  adde d  with a wink,' I know you ha v en o th i ng t o h ide, yes?'
Eve n  tho  I h a da f e eling  noth in g  g o od would come of th e_pleas ant c onversation_,  I swept a n d arm andsaid :  ' I 'm at your ser vice. '

'Wonder f ul,' the  insp ector ch eered ash e  turnedtohis  un der l i ng . 'Victor, ac c o mpan yme insi dewhile w e c hat .'
Dr es sed in abrown ov er co at  w hat  exte n ded to t he  he el  of  hisb oots,Poshk inov  m os e yed  past m e  a n d  tos se dhisbla ck  usha nkao n t he kitc hen table . I fish ed  a  peek a t the soldier soutside be fo reVictor s hut thedoor...

'Your men shou l d be ca ref ul wh en t hey enter  th e byre ,'I  said.  'My K abard ia n s p o oks e a s y. '
'A  minor inc o n ven ience  f or t he hors e,' Poshkinov said .  'B etter than th e f ateo f  t heD on atGr e gor s k i. _Tsk, tsk_.. .it had to  b e  d owned in t h e b al lroom.Can you  imag i ne?'

H e was try ing to lu ll  mei n toa clever t rap...no  informat i on ab o ut  thehor se had  b een  repo rted i n  th e new spaper s. ..butI wou ld n't bite ...

'I wasn't aware of  the a nimal ,'said I.

niki at_the door!_

'Move,_Victor,' a soft voice_intoned. The_"captain"_grunted and_gave_way to a_reedy, red-cheeked fella.

'I'm_Alexi Poshkinov,' hisself greeted.'_Glavnyy_sledovatel'_. A minute_of_your time, if you don't mind.'

'Chief inspector,' I said without reverence.

He chuckled and then_said,_'I'm a_humble_man_and dislike throwing titles into_the air. But yes, I'm_the big_dog from the Bolshoy Dom...the Big House from_the_city of Peter_and Paul. Care to guess why I've tramped so_far from home?'

I swallowed a boulder_and shook my_head.

'No?'_Poshkinov_needled.

Again, I shook my_head.

'Well, comrade, I'm investigating the assassination_of His Excellency Fyodor Bykal,' Poshkinov_explained. 'Like I said, I need but_a minute of your time to...eh...have_a pleasant conversation. Cooperation is,_of course,_voluntary. But,' he added with_a wink, 'I_know you_have nothing to_hide, yes?'

Even tho I had a_feeling nothing good_would come of the _pleasant conversation_,_I_swept and arm_and_said:_'I'm at_your service.'

'Wonderful,' the_inspector_cheered as_he_turned to his underling. 'Victor, accompany_me_inside while we chat.'

Dressed in a brown_overcoat what extended to_the_heel of his boots,_Poshkinov moseyed past me and_tossed his black ushanka on the_kitchen table._I fished_a peek at the soldiers outside before Victor shut the door...

'Your_men should be careful when they_enter the byre,' I_said. 'My_Kabardian_spooks easy.'

'A minor_inconvenience_for the_horse,' Poshkinov said. 'Better than the fate_of the_Don at Gregorski. _Tsk, tsk_...it had_to be downed in_the_ballroom. Can you imagine?'

He was trying_to lull me into a clever_trap...no information about the horse_had_been_reported in the newspapers...but I_wouldn't bite...

'I wasn't aware of the_animal,' said I.
