ng the terrible pressure under which Carter was laboring, the nurse
came forward at this juncture and sent Saunderson away. For some
unaccountable reason Carter could not force the conviction on himself
that serious evil had befallen Trusia. Hope departs only with life.
Paradoxical as it may seem, he worried not about her safety, but about
the dangers which, without his aid, she could overcome only with great
difficulty. Such is the egotism of love. He reverted anxiously to the
story of her questionable rescue. Who could the Cossack have been--why
hadn't he returned to his comrades? Why,--why,--why? Question followed
question, like the alarm bells at a fire. At last he wearily fell
asleep.

He opened his eyes the second time to find the day was gathering
darkness from the corners and niches of the room.

"Nurse," he called. In an instant, silent as the gloaming, she
approached the bed. "Might I have my mail? It must have been
accumulating for months."

"You must not read," she said firmly.

"Then read for me," he urged.

Wise as any daughter of Eve, she selected intuitively that one letter
which she knew would satisfy him so that he would forget there were
others. It bore the post-mark "Wien."

"Here is one from Vienna," she explained, "shall I read that?"

"Yes, yes," he acceded, tingling with anticipation. She tore off the
edge with feminine precision. "Who wrote it?" he queried, unable to
await its perusal. He was partly up now, leaning forward on his elbow,
his white face gleaming through the dusk. The green shade of the lamp
accentuated his pallor.

"It is signed 'Sobieska,'" she replied, after turning to the
subscription.

"Oh," he said in evident disappointment, and sank back on the pillow.

"Here's what he says:

"MY DEAR MAJOR CARTER:

"When Her Grace, under your escort, left us on the road to the
charcoal burner's we had a desperate fight. Muhlen-Sarkey, after
giving a good account of himself, fell like the noble gentleman he
was and jested with death. Zulka was killed in a three-to-one
fight. Delmotte fell badly wounded but not seriously. Casimir and
the rest were killed. A cut over the head rendered me unconscious
and I fell across Delmotte. Supposing that we were dead, anxious
for repairs themselves, the Russians did not disturb us. About dusk
I came to and aided Delmotte across the frontier. I returned,
determined to reinforce you and