The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-04-07
THE SUN

barren wind.swept country whence the
meager harvest had already been gar.
nered. There were no villages. All
around was q houseless land, rolling
miles of brown and green, broken and
checkered by bits of forest and clumps
of dark melancholy pines. The road ran
ever and anon right down to where the
cold, green waves broke upon the rocky
shore. In few weeks that coast would
be ice-bound and snow-covered, and then
the silence of the God.forsaken country
would be complete.
After five miles or so, the driver pulled
up and descended to readjust his harness,
whereupon / got out and asked him in
the best Russian could command:
"Where are we goingw
ITO Nystad."
"How far is that?"
"Sixty-eight," was his reply.
/ took him to imply kilometers, as be-
ing Finn, he would not speak of versts
'The Chief of Police has given you
directionsp l asked.
"His high Excellency has told me ex-
actly what to do" was the mans answer,
as he took out his huge wooden pipe and
filled it, "You wish to see the young
LADY,"
EYES," / answered, "to first see her,
and do not know whether it will be
necessary for me to make myself known
to her. Where is shef"
"Beyond Nystad," was his vague an
swer with wave of his big fat hand in
the direction of the dark pine forest
that stretched before us. "We shall be
there about an hour after shutdown"
Then / re-entered the stuffy old con-
veyance that rocked and rolled as we
dashed away over the uneven forest road,
and sat wondering to what manner of
place was being conducted.
Elma Heath was in hiding. Why?
recollected her curious letter and re-
membered every word of it. She wished
Horribly to know that she had never re-
vealed her secret. What secret, I won
dered?
l lit an abominable cigar, and tried 10
smoke, but was too filled with anxiety,
too bewildered by the maze of mystery
in which l now found myself. Two
hours later we pulled up before long
log-built post-house just beyond small
town in hollow that faced the sea. and
| alighted to watch the steaming horses
being replaced by trio of fresh ones.
The place was Dadendal, l was informed,
and the proprietor of the place, when !
entered and tossed off liqueur-glass
OF cognac, pointed out to me a row of
granite buildings fallen much to decay
as the ancient convent.
Then, resuming our journey, the short
day quickly drew to a close. the sun
sank yellow and watery over the tower
ing pines through which we went mile
after mile, dense, interminable forest
wherein the wolves lurked in winter.
often rendering the road dangerous.
The temperature fell, and it froze
again. Through the window in front I
could see the big Finn driver throwing
his arms across his shoulders to promote
circulation, in the same manner as does
the London "cabby."
When night drew on we changed horses
again at small, dirty post. house in the
iorest at the edge OF a lake, and then
pushed forward again, although it was
already long past the hour at which he
had said. we should arrive.
Time passed slowly in the darkness.
for we had no light, and the horses
seemed to find their way by instinct.
The rolling of the numbering old vehicle
after six hours had rendered me sleepv.
thnK' ior l recollect closing my eyes
and conjuring up that strange scene on
board the Lola.
Indeed, l suppose / must have slept,
Tor was awakened by light shining
into my face and the driver shaking me
by the shoulder When reused myself
and, naturally, inquired the reason. he
placed his finger mysteriously upon my
lips, saying:
Hush. your high nobility, hush!
Come with me- Rut maEa No ,o;,o