o surmise nothing, Mr. Wynn. I only ask what you know!"

"Well, I know that some member of the League, the organization, that
this represents," I pointed to the flower, "murdered an Englishman."

"Mr. Carson, a journalist. You knew him?" he exclaimed.

"Yes, and I am going to Petersburg as his successor."

"Then you have great need to act with more caution than--pardon me--you
have manifested so far," he rejoined. "Well, what more?"

"One of the heads of the League, a man named Selinski, who called
himself Cassavetti, was murdered in London a week ago."

That startled him, I saw, though he controlled himself almost instantly.

"Are you sure of that?"

"I found him," I answered, and thereupon gave him the bare facts.

"And the English police, they have the matter in hand? Whom do they
suspect?" he demanded.

"I cannot tell you, though they say they have a clue."

He paced to the window and stood there for a minute or more with his
back towards me. Then he returned and looked down at me.

"I wonder why you have told me this, Mr. Wynn," he said slowly. "And how
you came to connect me with these affairs."

"I was told that your Highness was also in danger, and I wished to warn
you."

"I thank you. Who was your informant?"

"I am not at liberty to say. But--there is another who is also in
danger."

I paused. My throat felt dry and husky all at once; my heart was
thumping against my ribs. I had told myself that I was not jealous of
him, but--it was hard to speak of her to him!

He misconstrued my hesitation.

"You may trust me, Mr. Wynn," he said gravely. "This person, do I know
him?"

I stood up, resting my hand on the table for support.

"It is not a man. It is the lady whom some speak of as _La
Mort_,--others as _La Vie_."

CHAPTER XIV

A CRY FOR HELP

A dusky flush rose to his face, and his blue eyes flashed ominously. I
noticed that a little vein swelled and pulsed in his temple, close by
the strip of flesh-colored plaster that covered the wound on his
forehead.

But, although he appeared almost equally angry and surprised, he held
himself well in hand.

"Truly you seem in possession of much information, Mr. Wynn," he said
slowly. "I must ask you to explain yourself. Do you know this lady?"

"Yes."

"How do you know she is in danger?"

"Chiefly from my own observation."

"You know her so well?" he asked incredulously. "Where have you met
her?"

"In London."

The angry gl