Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-08-05

Next second. however. l held my
breath. and | think ! must have turned
pale. Ny pocket was empty Ny
wallet had been stolenl Entirely and
helplessly / had fallen into the hands
Of the tyrant Of the car.
We faced each other, and I looked
straight into his gray, bony face. and
answered in a tone Of defiance:
"Ah! you surely do not think that ],
after ten years service In the British
diplomatic service, would dare to come
to Finland upon this quest-would
dare to face the rotten and corrupt
officialdom which Russia has placed
within this eountry-without first TAX
ing some adequate precaution? No,
baron. Therefore l defy you, and ]
leave H~elsingfors tonight"
You will not. You are under ar
rest"
1 laughed heartily and snapped my
fingers. saying: Before you give me
over to your police. first telegraph to
your minister of finance, Monsieur de
White, and inquire of him who and
what l am"
Il don't understand you"
you have merely to send my name
and description to the minister and
ask for a reply" / said. HE will give
you instructions-or, if you SO desire.
ask his majesty yourself"
"And why, pray, does his majesty
concern himself about you?" he asked,
at once puzzled.
"You will learn later, after / am
confined in Kajana and your secret ID
known in Petersburg"
What do you mean?"
II mean" l said, Il mean that | have
taken all the necessary steps to be
forearmed against you. The day l am
~incarcerated by your order the whole
truth will be known. / shall not be
the sufferer-but you will"
My words, purposely enigmatical.
misled him. He saw the drift OF my
argument, and being of course una
ware of how much / knew, he was still
in fear Of me. Ny only uncertainty
was of the actual fate of poor Elma.
NV wallet had been stolen-with a
purpose, without a doubt-for the
thief had deprived me of that most I'M
portant of all documents, the open
sesame to every closed door, the ukase
of the cza
"You defy mel" he said hoarsely,
turning back to the window with the
written order for my imprisonment as
a political still in his hand. But we
shall see." {.
"You rule Finland" / said in a hare
tone, "but you have no power over
Gordon Gregg"
a" have power, and intend to exer'
it."
"For your W ruin" I remarked
with a self-confident smile. The czai
may be your patron, and you his ia
vorite, but his majesty has no toler
ance Of officials who are guilty o.
what you are guilty of. You talk OF
arresting mel" l added with a smile
why, you ought rather to go on your
knees and beg my silence"
He went white with rage at my cut
ting sarcasm. He literally boiled over
for he saw that I was quite cool and
had no fear of him or of the terrible
punishment to which he intended tt
consign me. Besides which, he was
filled with wonder regarding the exac'
amount Of information which Elm'
, had impaired to me.
ARREST me if you like. Denounct
: me by means of any lie that arises II
your lips, but remember that the trutl
is known beyond the confines OF TN
Russian empire, and for that reason
traces will be sought of me and full
, explanation demanded. have take1
precaution, Xavier Oberg," l added
therefore do your worst. repea
again that l defy you'll"
He paced the big room, his thin
| clawlike hands still c%lenched, his vel
> low teeth grinding, his dark, deep-se
+ eyes fixed straight before him. If b
had dared he would have struck m
! down at his feet. But he did not dare
E l saw too plainly that eve though m,
wallet was gone / still held the trum,
card-that he feared me.
had led him to believe that l kneN
everything, and that his future was i
u my hands, while he, on his part, wa
f anxious to hold me prisoner, and ye
dared not do so.
The baron had halted, and was lool
ing through one of the great window
6 down Upon the courtyard below, wher
d sentries we're pacing. The palace wa
for him a gilded prison, for he dare
n not go out for a drive in m or othe
Of the parks or for a row on the WI
n ter across to Hogholmen or Dagger
10 being compelled to remain there fl
k months without showing himself pu'
d licly. People in Abo had told me tn,
n when he did go out into the streets
10 Helsingfors it was at night, and /
usually disguised himself in the I'm
ID form of a private soldier of IL
guard, thus escaping recognition
those who, driven to desperation
q. Injustice, sought his life.
a CTo BE CoNTINUED)
Is Robbery That Hurt.