uperintendent into my confidence, as far as to say
that I wished to assume a false character for the remainder of the
journey in order to be better able to play the spy on the object of
my suspicion. We agreed that one of the train attendants should be
put off at Tomsk, and that I should take his place.

After my scene with the Colonel, I could not venture to do much in
the way of overlooking them. But I made the best use of my friendship
with Marie, and she reported to me regularly what she observed of the
doings of her mistress.

"It is my belief that Sophy is going to marry that stupid Colonel,"
she informed me, not long after I had heard of the engagement. "Why?
I can't think. He has no brains, not much money, and I am certain she
is not in love with him."

"There has been a quarrel of some kind between those two," she
reported later on. "Colonel Menken has been questioning Sophy about
her reason for going to Port Arthur just now, when it may be attacked
by the Japanese."

All this time the Princess had made no move to possess herself of the
despatch which Menken was carrying--the real object of her presence
on board the train.

When Tomsk was reached, I went off into the town and procured
different hair and beard so as to effect a complete change in my
appearance. The disguise was clumsy enough, but, after all, neither
the Colonel nor his companion had had many opportunities of studying
my personal appearance.

In the little cabin of my friend the superintendent I carried out the
transformation, and finished by donning the livery of the railway
restaurant service.

Thus equipped, I proceeded to lay the table at which the betrothed
pair usually took their meals together.

As soon as the next meal, which happened to be dinner, was ready, I
proceeded to wait upon them. They noticed the change of waiters, and
asked me what had become of my predecessor.

"He got off at Tomsk," I told them. This was true--the getting rid of
the waiter whose place I wished to take had been a simple matter. It
must be remembered that I found myself everywhere received as an
inspector attached to the secret police, the dreaded Third Section,
and, in consequence, my word was law to those I had to deal with.

I added with an assumed air of mysterious consequence, "The Inspector
of Police also left the train at Tomsk. It is asserted that he is
going to make an important arrest."

Colonel Menken laughed. Then turning to the beaut