ped by the assassin," I said.

The police had, it seemed, succeeded in discovering the unfortunate
woman after all, and had found that she was his wife.

"You know a man named Leithcourt?" I asked a few moments later. "Now,
tell the truth. In this affair, Olinto, our interests are mutual, are
they not?"

He nodded, after a moment's hesitation.

"And you know also a man named Archer--who is sometimes known as Hornby,
or Woodroffe--as well as a friend of his called Chater."

"Si, signore," he said. "I have met them all--to my regret."

"And have you ever met a Russian--a certain Baron Oberg--and his niece,
Elma Heath?"

"His niece? She isn't his niece."

"Then who is she?" I demanded.

"How do I know? I have seen her once or twice. But she's dead, isn't
she? She knew the secret of those men, and they intended to kill her. I
tried to prevent them taking her away on the yacht, and I would have
gone to the police--only I dare not."

"Why?"

"Well, because my own hands were not quite clean," he answered after a
pause, his eyes fixed upon mine the while. "I knew they intended to
silence her, but I was powerless to save her, poor young lady. They took
her on board Leithcourt's yacht, the _Iris_, and they sailed for the
Mediterranean, I believe."

"Then the name and appearance of the yacht was altered on the voyage,
and it became the _Lola_," I said.

"No doubt," he smiled. "The _Iris_ was a steamer of many names, and had,
I believe, been painted nearly all the colors of the rainbow at various
times. It was a mysterious vessel, but she exists no more. They scuttled
her somewhere up in the Baltic, I've heard."

"And who is this Oberg?" I inquired, urging him to reveal to me all he
knew concerning him.

"He stands in great fear of the poor young lady, I believe, for it was
at his instigation that Leithcourt and his friends took her on that
fatal yachting cruise."

"And what was your connection with them?"

"Well, I was Leithcourt's servant," was his reply. "I was steward on the
_Iris_ for a year, until I suppose they thought that I began to see too
much, and then I was placed in a position ashore."

"And what did you see?"

"More than I care to tell, signore. If they were arrested I should be
arrested, too, you see."

"But I mean to solve this mystery, Olinto," I said fiercely, for I was
in no trifling mood. "I'll fathom it if it costs me my life."

"If the signore solves it himself, then I cannot be ch