The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-05-05
CHAPTER XII.
"TIIE sTRANdLER."

.at "THE sTRANdLER."
Where was Elmai What was Tn,
cause OF her inexplicable disappearance,
into the gloomy forest while we hat
slepti
returned to the hotel where I hat
stayed on my arrival, comfortable
place called the Phoenix, and lunched
there alone. Both Felix, the Finn, and
my host, the wood-cutter, had received
their douceurs and left, but to the last.
named l had given instructions to re.
turn home ut once and report by tele.
graph any news of my lost one.
A thousand conflicting thoughts arose
within me as sat in that crowded sale.
a.manger filled with gobbling crowd of
the commercial men OF Abo. I had. !
recognized, now to deal with the most
powerful man in that country, and /
suffered n distinct disadvantage by being
IN ignorance of the reason he held that
sweet English girl prisoner The trao.
edy OF the dastardly manner in which she
had been wilfully manned caused INV
blood to boil within me. had never be.
lleved that in this civilized twentieth
century such things could be.
Michael Boranski had given his pledge
10 assist me, yet he had most plainly ex.
planned to me his fears. The Baron was
intent upon again getting Elma into his
power. Was it at his orders, I won.
dered, that the sweet'faced girl had been
deprived OF speech and hearingi Had
she fallen an innocent victim to his in.
famous schemingY
About me men were eating strange
dishes and talking in Finnish. while
others were smoking and drinking their
vodka; but / was in no mood for obser.
Vation. My only thought was of she who
was now lost to me. '
why had she disappeared without
warning | was at loss to imagine. vet
'ouid only surmise that her fight Ind
'een compulsory. Some women possess
mysterious sense of intuition, n eurious
md indescribable faculty of knowinr
vhen evil threatens them, that presents
strange and puzzling problem to our
CHEMISTS. 1t is unaccountable, and vet
many women possess it in very marked
.eegree. Was it, therefore, possible that
lima had awakened and being warmed
4 her peril had fled without arous;na
s' The suggestion was possible, but 7 |
cared improbable -
Another very curious feature in Tho
Hair was the sudden manner in which
iichael Boranski had exerted his mower
nd influence in order to render me thst
nryice. He had actually bribed Tho
yards OF kajana; he had instructed tho
aithful Felix, he had provided our boot
nd ne had ordered The nun to open the
alter gate to me. Whyf
There was, / felt convinced, some hid.
IN motive in all that sudden and
arked friendliness. That he res,ir
.ted the English / had seen pla;niy
hen we had first met, and l had com.
lied him TO serve me by presenting the
rder signed by the Emperor. which
AIDE me his guest within the Russian
Even that document did not
count for the length he had gone 10 40.
ire the release Of the woman nov, )
we'd in secret. The more I tbonobt =,
er, the more anxious did | become I;
uld discern no motive for his friendli. 3
IS, and, truth to tell, | always dis. /,
dst those who are too friendly. What .
faight and decided line of action should
takel Carefully went over all the =
range events that had happened a. :, :,
gland, and while anxious to obtain n