omfortable
and sleepless journey.

At nine o'clock I stood in the big bare office of Michael Boranski,
where only a few days before we had had such a heated argument. As soon
as the Chief of Police entered, he recognized me under arrest, and
dismissed my guards with a wave of the hand--all save the officer who
had brought me there. The Finnish driver and the old wood-cutter were in
another room, therefore I stood alone with the police-officer of
Helsingfors and the Chief of Police at Abo. The latter listened to the
officer's story of my arrest without saying a word.

"The prisoner, your Excellency, desired to be brought here to you before
being taken to Helsingfors. He said you would be aware of the facts."

"And so I am," remarked Boranski, with a smile. "There is no conspiracy.
You must at once release this gentleman and the other two prisoners."

"But, Excellency, the Governor-General has issued orders for the
prisoner's arrest and deportation to Helsingfors."

"That may be. But I am Chief of Police in Abo, and I release him."

The officer looked at me in such blank astonishment that I could not
resist smiling.

"I am well aware of the reason of this Englishman's visit to the north,"
added Boranski. "More need not be said. Has the lady been arrested?"

"No, your Excellency. Every effort is being made to find her. Colonel
Smirnoff has already been relieved of his post as Governor of Kajana,
and many of the guards are under arrest for complicity in the plot to
allow the woman to escape."

"Ah, yes. I see from the despatches that a reward is offered for her
recapture."

"The Governor-General is determined that she shall not escape," remarked
the other.

"She is probably hidden in the forest, somewhere or other."

"Of course. They are making a thorough search over every verst of it. If
she is there, she will most certainly be found."

"No doubt," remarked Boranski, leaning back in his padded chair and
looking at me meaningly across the littered table. "And now I wish to
speak to this Englishman privately, so please leave us. Also inform the
other two prisoners that they are at liberty."

"But your Excellency does this upon his own responsibility," he said
anxiously. "Remember that I brought them to you under arrest."

"And I release them entirely at my own discretion," he said. "As Chief
of Police of this province, I am permitted to use my jurisdiction, and I
exercise it in this matter. You are liberty