still. The boats returned to the shore. Count Orloff gave his
hand to the handsome Madame Dyke, to assist her in landing.

"To-morrow, madame," he whispered, "I will wait upon you with the thanks
of my empress. You have rendered us an essential service."

The people at the landing received them with howls, hisses, and
curses!--but Count Orloff, with a contemptuous smile, strewed gold among
them, and their clamors ceased.

Tranquil and still lay the Russian fleet in the haven. But the ports
of the admiral's ship were opened, and the yawning cannon peeped
threateningly forth. No boats were allowed to approach the ship; but
some, impelled by curiosity, nevertheless ventured it, and at the cabin
window they thought they saw the pale princess wringing her hands, her
arms loaded with chains. Others also asserted that in the stillness of
the night they had heard loud lamentations coming from the admiral's
ship.

On the next day the Russian fleet weighed anchor for St. Petersburg!
Proudly sailed the admiral's ship in advance of the others, and soon
became invisible in the horizon.

On the shore stood Count Alexis Orloff, and, as he saw the ships sailing
past, with a savage smile he muttered: "It is accomplished! my beautiful
empress will be satisfied with me!"

CONCLUSION

She was satisfied, the great, the sublime empress--satisfied with the
work Alexis Orloff had accomplished, and with the manner in which it was
done.

In the presence of her confidential friends she permitted Orloff's
messenger, Joseph Ribas, to relate to her all the particulars of the
affair from the commencement to the end, and to the narrator she nodded
her approval with a fell smile.

"Yes," said she to Gregory Orloff, "we understand women's hearts, and
therefore sent Alexis to entrap her. A handsome man is the best jailer
for a woman, from whom she never runs away." And bending nearer to
Gregory's ear, she whispered: "I, myself, your empress, am almost your
prisoner, you wicked, handsome man!"

And ravished by the beauty of Gregory Orloff, the third in the ranks of
her recognized favorites, the empress leaned upon his arm, whispering
words of tenderness in his ear.

"And what does your sublime majesty decide upon respecting the
prisoner?" humbly asked Joseph Ribas.

"Oh, I had almost forgotten her," said the empress, with indifference.
"She is, then, yet living, this so-called daughter of Elizabeth?"

"She is yet alive."

The empr