The Yale expositor., 1915-08-05

| nave held the woman a prisoner Ior
my own endsl"
mot only do I repeat that, Baron
Oberg," | said quickly. but l also
allege that it was at your instigation
that in Siena the operation was per
formed upon the unfortunate girl
which deprived her of speech md
hearing"
He laughed again, but uneasily,
forced laugh, and leaned against the
edge OF the big writing table near the
window.
"WeIl, what next ?" he inquired. pre-
tending to be interested in my all"ga-
tions. What do you want of me?"
II desire you to give Mademoi-
selle Heath her complete freedom"
l said.
But her future is not in my hands.
The minister in Petersburg has de-
creed her removal to Saghalten as a
person dangerous TO the state"
"You have posed in England as the
uncle of Elma Heath, and yet you
here hold her a prisoner. For what
reason?" l demanded.
"She is held prisoner by the state
for conspiracy against Russian rule
not by herself personally"
"Who enticed her here? Why, you,
yourself. Who conspired to throw the
guilt of this attempted murder of the
generals wife upon her? You-you,
the man whom they call The Stran-
| - ti,,Io pf Wi ncra
the cruel and abominable affection
you have placed upon her. Her Sc
cret-your secret, Baron Oberg-shall
be published to the world. You are
her enemy-and therefore mine!"
VERY WE'LL" he growled between
his teeth, advancing towards me
threateningIy, his fists clenehed in his
rage. "Recollect, msieur, that you
have insulted me. Recollect that
am governor general of Finland"
"If you were car himself, l should
not hesitate TO denounce you as the
tyrant and mutilator of a poor, de-
fenseless woman"
And to whom, pray, will you tell
this romantic story of yours?" he
laughed hoarsely. ITO your prison
walls below the lake of Kajana? Yes,
Msieur Gregg, you will go there, and
once within the fortress you shall
never again see the light of day. You
threaten me-the governor general of
Finland" he laughed in a strange,
high-pitched key as he threw him
self into a chair and scrubbed some
thing rapidly upon paper, appending
his signature in his small grabbed
handwriting.
81 do not threaten" l said in open
defiance, Il shall act"
and so shall l." he said with an
evil grin upon his bony face as he
blotted what he had written and took
it up. adding: I'm the darkness and
silence of your living tomb you can
tell whatever strange stories you like
concerning me. They are used to
idiots where you are going" he added
grimly.
ooh! And where am l going?"
Back to Kajana. This order con
signs YOU to confinement there as a
dangerous political conspirator, as one
who has threatened met consigns
you to the cells below the lake-for
life!"
l laughed aloud, and my hand sought
my wallet, wherein was that all-pow
erful document-the order of the EN-
peror which gave me, as an imperial
guest, immunity from arrest. | would
produce II as my trump card.
Next second, however, | held my
breath, and think l must have turned
pale. My pocket was empty! Ny
wallet had been stolen! Entirely anC
helplessly had fallen into the hands
of the tyrant of the car.
We faced each other, and l looked
straight into his gray, bony face, ant
answered in 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-woulC
dare to face the rotten and corrupt
officialdom which Russia has placed
4 within this country-without first TAX
ing some adequate precaution? No
q baron. Therefore l defy you, and
leave Helsingfors tonight"
You will not. You are under ar
: rest"
l laughed heartily and snapped my
fingers, saying: Before you give ms
: = over to your police, first telegraph t
| your minister of finance, Monsieur d.
Witte and inquire of him who anC
what am"
81 don't understand YOU"
'You have merely to send my nam'
u and description to the minister ant
ask for a reply" said. "He will giv'
l. you instructions-or, If you so desire
c ask his majesty yourself"
"And why, pray, does his majest,
y concern himself about your" he asked
e at once puzzled.
you will learn later, after | an
e confined in Kajana and your secret /
u known in Petersburg"
h what do you mean?"
n 81 mean" said, 81 mean that hav