The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-09-24
CHAPTER xvII-continued.

I'm sheer desperation I went to the
ministry OF the interior and sought
an interview with the baron, who,
when / told him OF the disaster, ap.
peared greatly concerned, and went at
once to the notice department to make
inquiry. Next day, however he came
TO me with the news that the charge
against my mother had been proved
by statement of the woman Ship
rom herself, and that she had already
started on her long journey to ST.
Deria-she had been exiled to one OF
those dreaded Arctic settlements be-
yond fakutsk, place where it is al
most eternal winter, and where the
conditions OF life are such that half
the convicts are insane. The baron,
however, declared that, as my fathers
friend, 1t was his duty to act as guar
dian to me, and that as my father had
been English / ought to be put to an
English school. Therefore, with his
self-assumed title of uncle, he took
me TO chichester. For years ! re-
NAMED there, until one day he came
suddenly and fetched me away TAX
Ing me over to Helsingfors-for the
car had now appointed him governor
general to Finland. There, for the
nrst time, he introduced me to his son
Michael, pimply-faced lieutenant Of
cavalry, and said in a most decisive
manner that ! must marry him. I
naturally refused to marry a man Of
whom l knew so little, whereupon,
flnding me obdurate. he quickly al
tered his tactics and became kind
ness itself. saying that as was young
ne would allow me year in which to
make up my mind.
"A week later, while living In the
palace at Helsingfors, / overheard a
conversation between the governor
general and his son, which revealed to
me staggering truth that had never
suspected. 1t was Oberg himself who
had denounced my mother to the
minister of the interior, and had
made those cruel, baseless charges
against her! Then / discerned the
reason. She being exiled, her fortune.
as well as that of my father, came to
me. The reason they were scheming
for Michael to marry me was in order
to obtain control of my money, and
then. after the necessary legal for
malities, should, on a trumped-up
charge Of conspiracy, share the same
fate as my mother had done"
The Internal scoundrel!" I ,jacu-
lated, when l read her words while
from Jack, who had been looking over
my shoulder escaped fierce and for
chile vow OF vengeance.
The baron took me with him to
Petersburg when he went on official
business, and we remained there near
ly a month" the narrative went on.
while there received a secret mes
sage from The Red Priest, the unseen
and unknown power Of nihilism. who
has for so many years baffled the po-
lice. I went to see him. and he re-
vealed to me how Oberg had con-
trived to have my mother banished
upon a false charge. He warned me
against the man who had pretended to
be my fathers friend, and also told
me that he had known my father in
timately, and that IL / got into any
further difficulty / was to ccmmuni-
cate with him and he would assist
me- Oberg took me back to Helsing-
fors a few months later, and in sum-
mer we went to England. He was a
marvelously clever diplomatist. His
tactics he could change at will. When
/ was at school he was rough and bru-
tai in his manner towards me, as he
Ill A,,t he fn "a
endeavoring to inspire my confidence
by treating me with kindly regard
and pleasant affability.
"In London, at Claridge's, we met
my old schoolfellow Muriel and her
father-a friend of Oberg's-and in
response to their invitation went for
a cruise on their yacht, the Iris, from
Southampton Our party was a very
pleasant one, and included Woodroffe
and Chatter, while our cruise across
the Bay of Biscay and along the Portu-
guese coast proved most delightful
One night, while we were lying outside
Libson, Woodroffe and Chatter, togeth-
er with Olinto, went ashore, and when
they returned in the early hours of
the morning they awoke me by cross
ing the deck above my head. Then
heard someone outside my cabin door
working as though with a screw
driver, unscrewing a screw from the
woodwork. This aroused my interest,
and next day made minute exam
nation of the paneling, where, In one
part. I found two small brass screws
that had evidently been recently re-
moved. Therefore I succeeded In get
ting hold OF a screwdriver from the
carpenters shop. and next night,
when everyone was asleep. crept
out and unscrewed the panel. when TO
my surprise saw that the secret
cavity behind was filled with beauti-
full jewelry. diamond collars, tiaras,
necklets, fine pearls. emeralds ana
turquoises, all thrown In indiscrim-
inately.
II replaced the panel and kept care
full watch. At Marseilles, where we
called, more jewelry and heavy bag
.A rH ~