athered that Sophia had switched off some of the lights in order
to make it more difficult for Petrovitch to detect her fraud, and
again I took courage.

Some muttered words helped me to understand the plan of the desperate
woman.

"I will give him one chance. He shall choose. Men do not die for love
in these days."

There was little doubt that she intended to lock me up in her oratory
and hold me a prisoner till I consented to sacrifice my faith to her
Japanese rival.

Satisfied that there was little risk of any immediate violence, I
waited calmly for the arrival of Sophia's colleague, or master.

The head of the Manchurian Syndicate lost no time on the way. Very
soon I heard the door open and the familiar voice, with its slightly
affected accent, saying,

"Permit me to offer you the expression of my sincere regrets, dear
Princess!--And my sincere congratulations," he added in a more
business-like tone, as the door closed again.

A sigh was the only audible response.

"It has cost you something, I can see," the man's voice resumed
soothingly. "That fact gives you a still stronger claim on our
gratitude. I confess I began to fear seriously that you were
deceiving us, and that would have been very dangerous."

Another obscure sound, between a sigh and a sob, from the woman.

"Now we can proceed with light hearts. Within three months from now
Russia and Great Britain will be at war. I do not mind answering for
it. There was only one man in Europe who could have prevented it, and
he lies there!"

"You would have it so! I still say it would have been enough to
imprison him somewhere."

"You talk foolishly, believe me, Princess. A man like that is not to
be imprisoned. There is no jailer in the world who would venture to
undertake to keep the famous A. V. under lock and key."

"I would have undertaken it," came the answer. "I would have locked
him in my oratory, the key of which never leaves my bosom."

"Nevertheless if it was important to that man to steal it from you,
it would not remain in your bosom very long."

A startled cry interrupted the speaker, and told me that Sophia had
made the fatal discovery of the loss of her key.

I held my breath in the most dreadful suspense. Everything now
depended on this woman. If she allowed the least hint, I knew that
Petrovitch would never leave the room without at least an attempt to
change my supposed trance into death.

Fortunately the Princess was equal to