The Green Forest tribune., 1915-10-22

guest as long as you desiran
 am sure it is very good of vor princess I said gratefully. Miss i1eath Is the victim of a vile and das. taroly conspiracy. When I tell von that she has been afflicted as she is oy her enemies-that an oneration was performed upon her in Italy vbila she was unconscious-you will readily see Tn what deadly peril she is."
 What" she cried. Have her enc mics actually done this? Horrible!"
 She will perhaps tell you of the strange romance that surrounds her a mystery which have not yet been able to fathom. She is q Russian subject, although she has been edu. cated in England. Baron Oberg him. self is, l believe, her worst and most bitter enemy"
 An! the Stranglerl" she exclaimed with a quick flash in her dark eyes. But his end is near The movement is active in Helsingfors. At any mo, ment now we may strike our blow for freedom"
 Who is this man Martin Wood roffe, of whom she speaks?" asked the princess presently, turning to me.
 T have met him twice-only twice." l replied, and under strange circum- stances" Then, continuing, I told her something concerning the incl dents of the yacht Lola.
 He may be in love with her, and desires to force her into marriage" she suggested, expressing amazement at the curious narrative l had related.
 T think not, for several reasons. One is because I know she holds some secret concerning him, and another because he is engaged to an English girl named Muriel Leithcourt"
 "Leitheourt? Leithcourt?" repeated the princess, knitting her brows with a puzzled air Do you happen to know her fathers name?"
 1 was telling the story of the Leith- courts when the long, white doors of the handsome salon were thrown open and there entered a man whose hair fell over the collar of his heavy over coat, but whom, in an instant rec ognized as Otto Kampf.
 sI come, princess, in order to ex- plain to you" he said "Mademoiselle fears rearrest, and the only house in Petersburg that the police never sus- pect is this. Therefore 1 send her to you, knowing that with your gen. erosity you will help her in her dis tress"
 "It is all arranged" was her high ness response. She will remain here, poor girl, until it is safe for her to go out of Russia" Then, after some further conversation, and after my well-beloved had made signs of heartfelt gratitude to the man known from end to end of the Russian em- pire as "The Red Priest" the princess turned to me, saying:
 q would much like to know what occurred before the Leithcourts left Scotland.
 "The Leithcourts!" exclaimed Kampf in utter surprise. Do you know the Leithcourts-and the Eng fish officer Durnford?"
 I looked into his eyes in amazement. What connection could Jack Durnford of the marines have with the adven- turer. Philip Leithcourt? l, however, recollected Jacks word, when l de- scribed the visit of the Lola to Leg horn and further I recollected that very shortly he wocld be back in Lon don from his term of Mediterranean service.
 well" I said after a pause, T bannen to know Captain Durnford we'll but I had no idea that he was friendly with Leithcourt."
 The Red Priest smiled, stroking his white beard.
 "Exnlain to her highness what she desires to know, and l will tell you"
 My eyes met Elma's, and saw how intensely eager and interested she was watching the movement Of my ,ins and trying to make out what words I uttered.
 Well" I said, "a mysterlous 'rae su occurred on the edge Of a wooo ne.r tbe house rented by Leithcourt- !, tragedy which has puzzled the DO, Hoo to this day. An Italian named santini and his wife were fouhu hiui dered." a.or+;no
 "santini!" gasped Kampf, starting "Rut surely he is not dead?
 "No That's the curious part or the affair. The man who was Killed was :. man disguised to represent the ltai- ian while the woman was actually the uaiter,s wife herself. happen to know the man Santini well, for botn ha ond his wife were for some years in my employ
 The princess and the director or the Russian revolutionary movement GA changed glances. It was as tnougn her highness implored kampf to re vea, to me the truth, while he, on nis nort was averse to doing so.
 "And upon whom does suspicion rest ?" asked her highness.
 "As far as can make out the po- lice have no clue whatever. except nno At the spot was found a tiny .inio,ura cross of one of the Russian