The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-07-30
CHAPTER X.
] Show My Hand.

On my return to London next day ]
made inquiry at the admiralty and
learned that the battleship Bulwark
was lying at Palermo, therefore tele-
graphed to Jack Durnford, and late
the same afternoon his reply came at
the Cecil
Due in London twentieth. Dine with me
at club that evening.-Jack.
The twentieth! That meant nearly
a month Of inactivity. In that time
could cross to Abo, make inquiries
there, and ascertain, perhaps, IL Elma
Heath were actually dead as Chatter
had declared.
Two facts struck me as remarkable:
Baron Oberg was said to be Polish.
while the dark-bearded proprietor Of
the restaurant in Westbourne Grove
was also of the same nationality.
enameled cross that Mackenzie had
found in Rannoch Wood. and 1t sud-
denly occurred to me that It might
possibly be the miniature of one Of the
European orders of chivalry. In the
club library at midnight found copy
of Cappelletti's Storia degli Ordini
Cavallereschi, the standard work on
the subject, and on searching the illus
trations I at length discovered a pic
ture of 1t. 1t was a Russian order
the coveted Order of Saint Anne, be-
slowed by the car only upon persons
hn nrxin
to the state and to the sovereign. One
fact was now certain, namely, that the
owner of that tiny cross, the small re-
plica of the fine decoration, must be a
person of high official standing.
The autumn days were dull and
rainy, and the streets were muddy and
unpleasant, as they always are at the
fall of the year. Compelled to remain
inactive, idled in the club with the
recollection of that pictured face ever
before me-the face of the unfortunate
girl who wished her last message to
be conveyed to Philip Horribly. What,
I wondered, was her secret? What
was really her fate?
This latter question troubled me
until I could bear it no longer. I felt
that it was my duty 70 go to Finland
and endeavor to learn something re-
garding this Baron Oberg and his
niece.
Duty-the duty of man who had
learned strange facts and knew that a
defenseless woman was a victim
called me. Therefore. with my pass
port properly vised and my papers all
in order, one night left Hull for
Stockholm, whence on the following
day took the small steamer which
plies across the Gulf of Bothnia
to Korpo, and through the intricate
channels and among those low-lying
islands to the gray lethargic town of
Abo.
II was not the first occasion on
which I had trod Russian soil, and
knew too we'll tire annoyances of the
bureaucracy. Finland, however, is
perhaps the most severely governed of
any Of the cars dominions, and had
my first taste of its stern, relentless
offlcialdom at the moment of landing
In the wooden Passport office the
uniformed official. on examining my
passport, discovered that at the Rus.
sian consulate general they had forget
ten to date the wise which had been
impressed with rubber stamp. II
was signed by the consul general
but the date was missing, whereupon
the man shook his head and handed
back the document curtly, saying In
Russian, which understood fairly
we'll, although I spoke badly:
"This is not in order. 1t must be
returned to London and dated before
you can proceed"
but 1t Is not my fault" protested
1T is the fault of the clerk at the con
sulate general"
"You should have examined 1t be
fore leaving. You must send it to Lon
don, and return to Stockholm by to
nights boat"
"But this is outrageous!" / cried, as
he had already taken the papers of a
passenger behind me and was looking
at them with unconcern.
Enough" he exclaimed, glazing at
me. "You will return tonight, or II
you choose to stay you will be arrested
for landing without passport"
81 shall not go back!" I declared de-
family. "Your consul general vised my
passport, and I claim, under interna
tional law, to be allowed to proceed
without hindrance."
"The steamer leaves at six o'clock,
he remarked without looking up. III
you are in Abo after that remember n
will be at your own risk"
"Yes," said menacingly. Il shall
recollect IT," And I turned and went