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where the American might be? Wulff had once been a very good man. He had covered a lot of wild country long ago. Now he was an administrator and content to be so. "You spoke to him?" "He was cooperative. He went back to the house of Zhikarev with me, but Zhikarev was gone." "Gone?" "Not at home." "You went inside?" "We did. Everything looked much the same, except that the bale of furs had been unpacked and placed with other furs of their kind. There were no signs of hurried packing. It looked like he had just stepped out." Page 90 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html "But you do not believe it?" "I do not. I think Stegman frightened him. I think he is gone. I may be wrong, but I do not believe he will come back. Or, let us say, I do not think he planned to come back." "But he may?" "As a precaution I suggested to their commanding officer that the border guards be replaced for a few days. That the guards be given some leave and others put in their places." She smiled. "Just in the event that Zhikarev had made some friends along the border." "Good! Very, very good! A friend of Zhikarev might also befriend a friend of his. You ordered the arrest of Zhikarev?" "I did." Zamatev walked to the window and looked out. The little car was farther down the street tonight. He gave it a glance only. This was a lead, although a slim one, scarcely more than that found by Alekhin. If the American was an Indian he must also be a trapper. Were they not all hunters and trappers? If so, he might be catching fur to raise money he would need and to pay his way now. In any event, he could not afford to ignore any lead. "You are tired." "Not too tired." He smiled. "Go home and get some rest. It will be busy around here tonight." "We know nothing," she warned. "It is only the furs." "And the man Zhikarev, who disappeared. It is only the guilty who flee." "It is sometimes as dangerous to be merely suspect," she said. "Zhikarev had been questioned before, by Stegman." "And others." He paused, thinking about it. "We must find him, but Wulff may know something. He is one who always knows more than he says and uses it for his own benefit. This time he will use it for mine." "Be careful of him. He has friends." He got out his maps after she had gone and studied them. Kyra and Stegman had gone to the Sinyaya and found nothing, and so they might be anywhere. They had sold their furs in Aldan. Because it was nearby? Or because they knew a buyer who would ask no questions? Of course, for the profit that could be made, there might be many such. But supposing they were near Aldan? He drew a mental circle around the area and began studying the streams. It was wild country once one got away from the city itself. The Sinyaya was far from Aldan. It was not even close. It was closer to Yakutsk. He considered that. A possible buyer in Yakutsk? Of course, in such a large Page 91 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html place there was certain to be one or more than one. Stegman would know. He had worked out of Yakutsk at one time and knew them all. It was three o'clock in the morning before Alekhin arrived. He came quietly, sat down, and listened. He had only just come from the taiga, and when Zamatev told him of the furs his face revealed nothing, but he was smiling inwardly. Of course! The man was an Indian. He could hunt and trap. If he had found a good place to hide and a way to sell the furs he trapped, he should have made some money before warm weather. With money in his pocket and a change of clothes he would be harder to find. He might even leave the forest. Zamatev shook his head. Not Makatozi. He would stay in the forest. Besides he did not know the language. How long to learn to speak Russian? Even a little bit? "You do not believe in the furs?" Zamatev demanded. "I believe. This man is a good trapper, I think. I think you waste time, Alekhin can catch him. Only Alekhin." "I want him alive." Alekhin shrugged. "Always somebody died. Some like to fight me, so I kill. Why not?" "A man named Borowsky came with the furs. He was not alone. They came to Aldan." Alekhin considered that. There would be tracks. Borowsky was not the American, who knew so well how to hide a trail. Borowsky would have left something, but finding where he had come into the town would be difficult. "I will look." Alekhin looked over at Zamatev. "He will fight, this one. If he fights, I kill him." "I do not want him killed! Do you understand? I want him alive!" He paused. "You are a shrewd man, Alekhin. You have trapped animals, why not a man? Trap him, and bring him to me. When he has told me what I want, you can have him." Alekhin considered that. To trap him? That would be amusing. He would like to
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