F A WOMAN 205

XV. THE MURDER OF A SOUL 216

XVI. THE MOMENT OF VENGEANCE 234

XVII. LOVE, HONOR AND OBEY 249

XVIII. THE POWER OF THE FRATERNITY 265

XIX. PRINCE MICHAEL'S ANGER 276

XX. IN DEFIANCE OF THE CZAR 288

XXI. ONE EVENTFUL NIGHT 299

XXII. THE COMBAT IN THE SNOW 312

XXIII. WHAT THE CZAR FORGOT 322

XXIV. SABEREVSKI'S PROPHECY 335

PRINCESS ZARA

CHAPTER I

A LADY OF QUALITY

The steamship Trave of the North German Lloyd docked at its Hoboken
pier at eight o'clock one morning in December. Among the passengers who
presently departed from the vessel was a woman who attracted unusual
attention for the reason that she was accompanied by a considerable
suite of retainers and servants who were for a time as busy as flies
around a honey pot, caring for their mistress' baggage, and otherwise
attending to the details of her arrival. Nor was it alone for this
reason that all eyes were from time to time turned in her direction.
There was about her a certain air of distinction, wealth, power and
repose, which impressed itself upon the observers. Many there were who
sought eagerly an opportunity to scan the features of this young
woman's face, for that she was young, was immediately apparent, and the
fact added not a little to the interest that was manifested in her.

The young woman, whoever she was, maintained an air of reserve which
raised a barrier beyond which none of the curious might penetrate; and
as if insolently disdainful of the attention she attracted, her face
remained veiled; not too thickly, but effectively enough to set at
naught these efforts of the curious throng.

A view of her face was, however, not required to determine in the minds
of the beholders that she possessed more than ordinarily, the
attractive feminine qualities. Her very presence told that; the air
with which she moved about among her servitors; the simple gestures she
made in giving her directions, and the quiet but resourceful and
effective methods she used in administering her affairs, indicated that
not only was she