The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-04-28

the country anyhow; secondly. and
chiefly, because you are foreigner
and q mere girl You will pass un-
needed, unsupported, where others
would not that is to say, if you can
keep your self-possession when it is
needed, and I think you can, for
though you are so young, you have
nerve, character - you are to be
trusted"
She did not speak for moment.
but thought deeply and rapidly, with
her gaze upon the floor.
Womanlike, she shrank at the idea
of danger and was about to refuse:
then she thrust all thought of self
aside, and only remembered her
mother, her sister, the man she loved,
and what such q sum of money could
do for them and held her tongue.
Give me $4,000 and will do it. "
You know how to ask, Miss PEN
treath.
II won't jeopardize my safety for
less" she said firmly IF I were
alone in the world l should refuse al
together; but want the money for
the sake of those who are very dear to
me-"
Very well,'' he answered after
pause, .'you shall have your $4,000
directly l receive advice that you
have fulfilled your part OF the con-
tract. l will give you the papers the
morning you sail.
when you arrive you must wear a
white rose, an imitation one will do
very we'll. Your responsibility will
cease and your reward will be won,
when you have delivered the packet
safely into the hands of man with
similar one pinned in his coat. who
will contrive to ask you-how, when,
or where, l cannot tell you-for
the present from his friend in Lon
don.''
Two days later Cecil found herself
on the deck of an outward bound
steamer, the parting over, the voyage
begun.
On the ship the time seemed end
less to her, and she could settle to
nothing. Every day seemed week.
She was in fever of impatience to
reach her destination, and get the
critical period over. Yet, such is
human nature, when she was told by
a fellow-passenger that they would
arrive the next morning she would
have given as much to retard their
progress as previously she would have
given to accelerate it.
She was awakened about s o'clock
in the morning by the sudden cessa-
tion of the accustomed motions as the
Korniloff came to standstill beside
the quay at Odessa
Already the deck was strewn with
luggage, crowded with passengers,
and in wild state of commotion.
Officials in uniform were atfixing
large seals to all trunks and pack
ages, large and small, prior to des-
patching them to the custom house to
be opened and searched.
Other officials were searching
every hole and corner of the steamer
itself, and one stood in the gangway
apparently to prevent anyone from
going ashore.
''Do they always search the ships
like this?" asked Cecil of one of the
officers with whom she had grown
friendly during the voyage.
''No, it isn't usual. You see they
are on the alert just now to stop GER
tain papers getting into the country.
The passengers-some of them, at
least-will very likely be searched
too. Nobody has been allowed to
land YETI
She felt herself turn red and then
white, and she nervously fingered the
imitation rose which she had that
morning pinned for the first time at
her threat.
''Mrs:- Petrow1tch will be waiting
for me. Surely they'll let me land
now"
Il dare say they will. I'll find out
for you,' said the sailor, kindly.
He went up to one of the custom
house men and spoke to him in
Russian.
"This young English lady wishes
to go ashore at once. There is moth
ing to detain her, suppose?''
The official called another, and the
two eyed Cecil and consulted to-
gether. Of course she could not
understand a word of what was pass
ing, and in consequence had to endure
awful suspense with assumed indif-
ference.
1t was evident to her at last, how
ever. that they had not the least
suspicion of her, for one shrugged
his shoulders and the other asked
her in French, as mere matter of
form:
"Have you anything about you
any papers?''
1t was only for an imperceptible
instant she hesitated and then she
told the first deliberate lie she had
ever told with calm face and the
blood tingling to the very finger tips.
mo"
Every good, mademoiselle. You
need not remain"
Mrs. Petrowltch and one of her
girls met her and took her home.
She was an amiable woman, and no
doubt the governess would have been
very comfortable beneath her roof:
but all the same, if she could secure
her $4,000, Cecil did not intend to
remain long in Russia.
The following morning about 8
O'Clock the front door was thrown
\