The Yale expositor., 1915-09-09
CHAPTER xWl-continued.


ministry Of the interior end sought
an interview with the baron, who,
when | told him Of the disaster, APP.
peared greatly concerned, and went at
once TO the notice department to make
Inquiry. Next day, however, he came
TO me with the news that the charge
against my mother had been proved
by a statement of the woman Ship
rolf herself, and that she had already
started on her long journey to ST.
beria-she had been exiled to one OF
those dreaded Arctic settlements be-
yond Yakutsk, a place where 1t is al
most eternal winter, and where the
conditions of life are such that half
the convicts are insane. The baron,
however, declared that, as my fathers
friend, 1t was his duty to act as guar
dian to me, and that as my father had
been English ought to be put to an
English school Therefore, with his
self-assumed title of uncle, he took
me 10 Chichester. For years ! re-
manned there, until one day he came
suddenly and fetched me away, TAX.
ing me over to Helsingfors-for the
car had now appointed him governor
general to Finland. There, for the
first time, he introduced me to his son
Michael, a pimply-faced lieutenant of
cavalry, and said in a most decisive
manner that | must marry him. |
naturally refused to marry a man of
whom ! knew so little, whereupon,
nnding me obdurate, he quickly al
tered his tactics and became kind
ness itself, saying that as l was young
he would allow me year in which to
make up my mind.
"A week later, while living in the
palace at Helsingfors, overheard a
conversation between the governor
general and his son, which revealed to
me staggering truth that had never
suspected 1t was Oberg himself who
had denounced my mother to the
minister of the interior, and had
made those cruel. baseless charges
against her! Then l discerned the
reason. She being exiled, her fortune,
as we'll as that of my father, came to
me. The reason they were scheming
for Michael to marry me was in order
to obtain control of my money, and
then, after the necessary legal for
malities, l should. on a trumped-up
charge of conspiracy, share the same
fate as my mother had done"
The internal scoundrel!" ,jacu-
lated when | read her words while
from Jack, who had been looking over
my shoulder, escaped a fierce and for
chile vow Of vengeance.
THE baron took me with him to
Petersburg when he went ON official
business, and we remained there near
ly a month";" the narrative went on.
while there received a secret mes
sage from The Red Priest the unseen
and unknown power of nihilism, who
has for so many years bafiled the po-
lice. went to see him, and he re-
vealed to me how Oberg had con-
trived to have my mother banished
upon a false charge. He warned me
against the man who had pretended to
be my fathers friend, and also told
me that he had known my father in
IlndIelY, duu ludI IL 6Ol llllO olAg
further difficulty l was to commune
cate with him and he would assist
me- Oberg took me back to Helsing-
fors a few months later. and in sum
mer we went to England. He was a
marvelously clever diplomatist His
tactics he could change at will When
/ was at school he was rough and bru
tai in his manner towards me, as he
was to all; but now he seemed to be
endeavoring to inspire my confidence
by treating me with kindly regard
and pleasant affability.
"In London, at Claridge's, we me-
nv old schoolfellow Muriel and hel
father-a friend of Oberg's-and il
response TO their invitation went fol
a cruise on their yacht, the Iris. from
Southampton Our party was a yer!
pleasant one. and included Woodrow,
and Chatter. while our cruise acros!
the Bay of Biscay and along the Portu
guese coast proved most delightful
One night. while we we're lying OUTSIDE
Libson. Woodroffe and Chatter, togeth
er with Olinto, went ashore, and whel
thew returned in the early hours o
the morning they awoke me by cross
ing the deck above my head. Then
eeard someone outside my cabin doc
working as though with a screw
driver. unscrewing a screw from tn
woodwork. This aroused my Interest
and next day made a minute exam
nation OF the paneling, where. in on
part. I found two small brass screw
that had evidently been recently r.
moved. Therefore succeeded in ge
ting hold of a screwdriver from tn
carpenters shop, and next nigh
when everyone was asleep. creI
out and unscrewed the panel. when
my surprise saw that the seere
cavity behind was filled with beaut
full jewelry. diamond collars, tiara
uecklets, fine pearls, emeralds an
turquoises, all thrown in indiscrir
lnately.
Il replaced the panel and kept car
full watch. At Marseilles. where "
called. more jewelry and heavy ba
81 - .oiata xvaa brought aboard an