of it, but by the marks on the dead man's
linen it was discovered that he was Polovstoff, one of the highest
Russian officials who had, it was said, been warned on several occasions
by the Nihilists. It was, therefore, concluded that his death had been
due to Nihilist vengeance."

Elma pointed to the paper, and made a sign that I was to read on. This I
did, and the statement ran as follows:

"The real reason why the Baron spared my life was because, if I died, my
fortune would pass to a distant cousin living at Durham. Yet his manner
towards me was now most polite and pleasant--a change that I felt boded
no good. He intended to obtain my money by marrying me to his son
Michael, whose evil reputation as a gambler was well known in
Petersburg. We traveled back to Finland in the autumn, and in the winter
he took me to stay with his sister in Nice. Yet almost daily he referred
to that tragedy at Naples, and threatened me with death if ever I
uttered a single word, or even admitted that I had ever seen the man who
was his rival and his victim."

"Last June," commenced another paragraph, "we were in Helsingfors, when
one day the Baron called me suddenly and told me to prepare for a
journey. We were to cross to Stockholm and thence to Hull, where the
_Iris_ was awaiting us, for Mr. Leithcourt and Muriel had invited us for
a summer cruise to the Greek Islands. We boarded the yacht much against
my will, yet I was powerless, and dare not allege the facts that I had
already established concerning our fellow-guests. Muriel and I, it
seems, were taken merely in order to blind the shore-guards and Customs
officials as to the real nature of the vessel, which when safely out of
the Channel, was repainted and renamed the _Lola_, until her exterior
presented quite a different appearance from the _Iris_.

"The port of Leghorn was our first place of call, and for some reason we
ran purposely upon a sandbank and were towed off by Italian
torpedo-boats. Next evening you came on board and dined, Muriel and
myself having strict orders not to show ourselves. We, however, watched
you, and I saw you pick up my photograph which I had that day torn up.
Then immediately after you had left, Woodroffe, Chater and Mackintosh
went ashore and were away a couple of hours in the middle of the night.
Just before they returned the Baron rapped at the door of my cabin
saying that he must go ashore, and telling me to dress and accompany
him. He would never