The Spectator. (Ozark, Ark.) 1911-1916, 1915-08-06
have held the woman q prisoner for
my own ends!"

| NOC only 10 i TepedI tudt, baioh
Oberg." said quickly. "But ! 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 and
| hearing"
He laughed again, but uneasily,
| forced laugh, and leaned against the
edge of the big writing table near the
window.
We'll. what next?" he inquired, pre-
| tending to be interested in my allega-
tions. What do you want of me?"
81 desire you to give Mademoi-
| selle Heath her complete freedom"
| | said.
But her future is not in my hands.
The minister in Petersburg has de-
creed her removal to Saghalien 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?" / demanded.
"She is held prisoner by the state
IOr conspiracy d6aihSS NuoSioh AuiS
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-
gler of Finland!' But l will avenge
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
threateningly, his fists clenched in his
rage. "Recollect, m'sieur. that you
have insulted me. Recollect that l
am governor general of Finland"
IF you were car himself, l should
not hesitate to denounce you as the
tyrant and mutilator of 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,
M'sieur 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 chair and scrubbed some
thing rapidly upon paper. appending
his signature in his small, grabbed
handwriting.
81 do not threaten" said in open
defiance, II 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: in 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
fgrimly.
"Oh! And where am I 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!"
/ 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 it as my trump card.
Next second. however. l held my
breath, and l think must have turned
pale. My pocket was empty! My
wallet had been stolen! Entirely and
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. and
answered in a tone Of defiance:
ALI you surely do not think that 1.
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 country-without first TAX
ing some adequate precaution? No,
baron. Therefore l defy you. and |
leave Helsingfors tonight"
You win not You are under ar
rest"
laughed heartily and snapped my
fingers. saying: Before you give me
over to your police. first telegraph to
your minister Of finance. Monsieur de
Witte and inquire of him who and
what am
Il don't understand you"
You have merely to send my name
and description to the minister and
ask for reply" said. HE will give
YOU instructions-or. II you so desire.
ask his majesty yourself"
And why. pray. does his majesty
concern himself about your" he asked,
at once puzzled.
You viii learn later, after ] am
confined in Kajana and your secret is
known in Petersburg"
What do you meant"
Il mean," said. II mean that have
taken all the necessary steps to be
forearmed against you. The day | am
incarcerated by your order the whole