, with a meaning glance at the four men assembled in
the small parlour. "The place is full of police. They have surrounded
the carriage. They will be inside in a moment."

The two younger men of the party took the hint at once, escaped
through a side door and bolted somewhere away in the darkness of the
night. The other two, staggered by the unexpected course of events,
had not wit or agility enough to save themselves. In a second they
were seized and handcuffed by the agents of the law.

Corsini's inanimate form was carried in. General Beilski had taken the
precaution to send a doctor along with the police. He had accurately
guessed that those who wanted to "deport a certain person," would take
the precaution of drugging him first and keeping him under narcotics
during the journey.

So heavily had the unfortunate young man been drugged, that it was
some time before the doctor could bring him to a waking state. At last
he opened his dazed eyes and gazed wonderingly round at the narrow
little room in which he had been laid.

"Where am I?" he ejaculated slowly. His senses were not yet well
ordered. He had hazy recollections of the Zouroff Palace, of a
conversation with the Princess Nada, a confession to her of his
ambition to be a great composer as well as a great executant, of a
walk through the silent streets, the sudden appearance of some men.
Then a blank.

The doctor bent over him and spoke in a soothing voice. In spite of
the ashen and livid face, he recognised him at once. The doctor came
from St. Petersburg in the company of the police, and he had seen the
portrait of the new Director of the Imperial Opera in several
newspapers. Here was some subtle mystery to which he had not the key.

"You are amongst friends, Signor Corsini. I am going to give you
another injection, and after that you will have a little light food
before we take you back to St. Petersburg."

Corsini's tired eyes wandered round the room. He saw the kind,
compassionate face of the doctor bending over the sofa on which he had
been laid. He saw also three men in police uniform and a tall, bearded
man who was evidently the leader of the party. Then his eyes closed
again and he relapsed into insensibility.

The doctor swore under his breath and turned to the tall, bearded man.

"They have nearly done for him with their infernal doping, but in an
hour from now I shall have him in trim to take back to the General.
Have you got all those scou