The Green Forest tribune., 1915-10-15
CHAPTER XIV.
Spelling the Spotler
Martin Woodroffe. ]"

went to the railway station, and rom the timetable gathered that if I left Apo by rail at noon I could be in Petersburg an hour before noon on the morrow, or about four hours ha- lore the arrival of the steamer by which the silent girl and her comnan- Ion were passengers. This decided upon doing, but before leaving I paid visit to my friend, Boranski. who. to my surprise and delight. handed me my wallet with the czar's letter intact. saying that it had been found upon German thief who had been ar rested at the harbor on the previous night. The fellow had, no doubt. stolen It from my pocket believing carried my paper money in a flap.
 The affair of the English lady is a most extraordinary one," remarked the chief of police, toying with his pen as he sat at his big table She seems to have met this Englishman up at Tammerfors, or at some place farther north. yet it is curious that her pass port should be in order even though she fled so precfpltately from Kaiana There is mystery connected with her disappearance from the wood cut ter's hut that confess cannot fathom"
 Neither can l." l said. T know the man who is with her, and cannot help fearing that he is her bitterest enemy-that he Is acting in concert with the baron."
 Then why is he taking her to the capital-beyond the jurisdiction of the governor general?"
 q am going straight to Petersburg to ascertain" I said q have only come to thank you for your kindness in this matter. Truth to tell l have been somewhat surprised that you should have interested yourself on my behalf" added. looking straight at the uniformed official
 Tt is not on yours. but on hers" he answered. somewhat enigmatically "I know something of the affair. but it was my duty as man to help the poor girl to escape from that terrible place She has. know. been uniustly condemned for the attempted assassi nation of the wife of a general-con. demned with a purpose, of course. Such a thing Is not unusual in Fin land"
 "Abominable!" I cried. "Oberg is a veritable fiend."
 But the man only shrugged his shoulders, saying
 "The orders of his excellency the governor general have to be obeyed, whatever they are. We often regret but we dare not refuse to carry them out"
 "Russian rule Is a disgrace to our modern civilization" I declared hotly. .I have every sympathy with those who are fighting for freedom"
 "Ah, you are not alone in that" he sighed, speaking in low whisper and glancing around. His majesty would order reforms and ameliorate the con dition of his people. if only II were possible. But he. like his officials Is powerless. Here we speak Of the great uprising with bated breath. buf we. alas know that it must come one day-very soon-and Finland will be first to endeavor to break her bonds and the Baron Oberg first to fall.
 For nearly an hour l sat with him. surprised to find how, although ms ex- terior was so harsh and uncouth' yet his heart really bled for the poor starving people he was so constantly forced to oppress.
 q have ruined this town of Abo. he declared, quite frankly. "To my own knowledge five hundred innocent per sons have gone to prison. and another two hundred have been exiled to Si- beria Yet what I have done is only at direct orders from Helslngfors- orders that are stern pitiless and un- inst Men have been torn from the'r fomilies and sent to the mines, women ,,oyo heen arrested for no offense and shinped off to Saghalien. ana mere children have been cast into prlsoh oh charges of political conspiracy "''n thoir eIders-ip order to russity the nrovincel Only" he added anxiousiY, q trust you will never repeat wna. tell you. You have asked me wEy assisted the English mademoiseiie 'o