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Show mams spy1 The Mystery of a Silent Lovg i -Chevalier WILLIAM II QlJtlJX ? (J AUTHOR J""TnE CLOSED DOCK," ETC- X7 I L, LI J5TPAT ION5 C-D:RnODE5gf CC'PrSGrtT BY .TIC SMART ST PLBL JHYC CO UffO' W W W tciious look In those magnificent eyes, and the incomparable grace of all her movements, combined to render her the most perfect woman I had ever met perfect iu all, alas! save speech and hearing, of which, with such dastard das-tard wantonness, she had been deprived. de-prived. , She touched her red lips with the tip of her forefinger, opened her hands and shrugged her shoulders with a sad gesture of regret. Then turning quickly to some paper on the table at her side she wrote something with a gold pencil and handed it to me. It read : "Surely Providence has sent you here! Mr. Woodroffe must have followed fol-lowed you from England. He is my enemy. You must take me from here and hide me. They intend to send me into exile. Have you ever been in Petersburg before? Do you know anyone any-one here?" Then when 1 had read, she handed me her pencil and below I wrote: "I will do my best, dear friend. 1 have been once in Petersburg. Hut is it not best that we should escape at one? from Russia?" "Impossible at present," she wrote. "We should both be arrested at the frontier. It would be best to go into hiding here in Petersburg. I believed TVoodroffe to be my friend, but I have found only this day that he is my en-eiey. en-eiey. He knew that I was in Kajana, ane was in Abo when he learned of my .escape. He went with two other men in search of us, and discovered us that night when we sought shelter at the wood cutter's hut. Without making his presence known, he waited outside until you were asleep, and then he came and looked in at my window. At first I was alarmed, but quickly I saw that, be was a friend. He told me that the police were in the vicinity into the Jong, dark hall and closed the door with an apology that the gas was not lighted. But, striking a match, he led me up the broad staircase and into a small, cosy, well-furnished room on the second floor, evidently the sitting sit-ting room of some studious persorj, judging from the books and critical reviews lying about. For a few minutes I waited thera, until the door reopened, and there entered en-tered a man of medium height, with a shock of long, snow-white hair and almost patriarchal beard, whose dark eyes that age had dimmed flashed out at me with a look of curious inquiry, and whose movements were those of a person not quite at his ease. "1 have called on behalf of Mademoiselle Mademoi-selle Elma Heath, to give this letter to .Madame Stassulevitch, or if she is absent to place it in the hands of the Red Priest," I explained iu my best Russian. "Very well, sir," the old man responded re-sponded in quite good English. "1 am the person you seek," and taking the letter he opened it and read it through 1 saw by the expression on his furrowed fur-rowed face that its contents caused him the utmost consternation. His countenance, already pale, blanched to the lips, while in his eyes there shot a fire of quick apprehension. The thin, almost transparent hand holding the letter trembled visibly. "You know mademoiselle eh?" he a:ked in a hoarse, strained voice as he turned to me. "You will help her to escape?" "I will risk my own life iu order to save hera," I declared. "And your devotion to her is prompted prompt-ed by what?" he inquired suspiciously. I was silent for a moment. Then I confessed the truth. "My affection." "Ah!" he sighed deeply. "Poor young lady! She, who has enemies on every hand, sad V needs a friend. But can we trust you have you no fear?" "Of what?" "Of being implicated in the coming revolution in Russia? Reme:nber, I am the Red Priest. Have you never heard of me? My name is Otto Kampf." Otto Kampf! (TO BE CONTINUED.) SYNOPSIS. 13 Gordon ryec;. dtr Ing aboard w.iti Hornby, Horn-by, tin: ya, hi Kola s owner, u:-ij- n I :i 1 1 V hecs n torn photo,': iph of a ytturx i-'lrl. That ril;;ht the cult' tll .l safe is r-ajbed. Tin! police find thm Hornby la a fraud find tti.- Kola's nan.:; a false inc. In London fii' Kt,' Is Ira.oped nearly -'. t his death by a former f.-r.arit, ullnlo. Visiting Visit-ing in Ininifir-H Gi'.-i; meets Yuriel Kcithcourt. Hornby appears and iv. iriel introduces liiin uh .Martin Woodrofie, her father's friend. tlrel-; cees a copy of the 1"rti photograph on to- I.ola and f.nds that Id, yonnK irl k Muriel's fri. nd. U'oodroll'r, dlsnpp, ars. (iri-xl4 discovers the body .of a murdered woman In R;an-noch R;an-noch wooo. Tin bodv dl appears and In Us place ,i found I lie i,udy of OlinM. Muriel anfl Oi'-l: Keareh ilannooh wood together, and Jind llie biwjv of Armidu, Ollnln's wife. When the p,..lce go to the wood (he bov.y has d Isappefc red. In London Lon-don (Jreei, meets lilluto, ailve and well, lirece; tiaoes -the yomiK Kin of the torn photograph, and (inds that ihe is Klma Heath, nleeo tr Baron Obvu'. who has taken her Abo. Finland, and that she holds a seeret is I'fecli iifi Wnoirofl'e. On Ids return to Itannooh OreijK finds the J.cllheourls lied ffulii Ilylum Citater, whn had called there. Ho Roes to ivbo, and " n or a lilt with tU- police chief. Is conducted con-ducted (0 Kajana, v here lie finds Klma In prison. A suru'lcal operation has made chang'id her dress, and was all in black. They lunched together at me Restaurant du N'ord opposite the lauding laud-ing stage, and an hour later left ty steamer for Petersburg." "An Englishman!" I. tried. "Did you not Inform the chief of police. Lio-ranski Lio-ranski ?" "Yes, your excellency. But he said that their passports being in order, it was better to allow the lady to proceed. pro-ceed. To deiay her might mean her rearrest in Finland," he added. "Then their passports were viseed here on embarking?" I exclaimed. "What was the name upon that of the Englishman ?" "I have it here -written down, excellency. excel-lency. I cannot pronounce your difficult diffi-cult English names." And he produced pro-duced a scrap of dirty paper whereon was written in a Russian hand the name "Martin Woodroffe." her deaf and dumb, ile escapes with her. I'ursiiors overtaking them. Klma escapes Into tin- forest a ml (irr-(,'i; is taken to Alio, where hu Is released i'.nd finds that the bnroi Is iisini every effort to arrest Klma. He calls on l'.ar.vn OherK and accuses ac-cuses him of slleucliiK and Imprisoning Klmn" to prevent her frun telling; of bis fcecret misdeeds. CHAPTER XIII Continued. A long silence had fallen between us, and It now occurred to me to take advantage of his hesitation. 1 said in a firm voice, ixi French: "I think, baron, our interview is a? nn end, is it not? Therefore 1 wish you good-day." He turned upon me suddenly with an evil flash in his dark eyes, and a snarling imprecation in Russian upon his lips. His hand still held the order committing me to the fortress. "Hut before I leave you will destroy that document. It may fall into other hands, you know," and 1 walked toward him with quick determination. "I shall do nothing of the kind!" he snapped. Without further word 1 snatched the paper from his thin, white fingers and (ore it up before his face. His countenance coun-tenance went livid. I do not think I have. ever seen a man's face assume If '1111 escape '-rr, Kajana. anJ I have ex plained the reason." We ate a hearty meal t:i company at the Sampalinna, a restaurant built like a Swiss chalet, and at noon I entered en-tered the train on the first stage of my slow, tedious journey through the great, silent forests and along the shores of the lakes of southern Finland, Fin-land, by way of Tavesteiras and Vi-bcrg, Vi-bcrg, to Petersburg. At four o'clock next day 1 was out ! upon the quay in that city, straining my eyes seaward for any sign of smoke, ijut could see nothing. It was after ten o'clock when a light I shone afar off, and the movtment of the police and porters on tnc quay told me that it was the vessel. Then alter a further anxious quarts:-- of an hour it canw. amid great shouiiiig and mutual imprecations, slowly alongside the quay, and the passengers at last began to disembark in the pelting rain. Suddenly I caught sight of two figures fig-ures one a mun in a big tweed traveling trav-eling coat and a golf cap, and the other the slight figure of a woman in a long, dark cloaA and a woolen tatc-o'-shanter. The electric rays fell upon them as they came up the wet gangway together, and there once agaiii I saw the sweet face of the silent woman whom I had grown to love with such fervent desperation. The man behind her was the same who had entertained me on board the Lola the man who was said to be the lover -of the fugitive Muriel Leith-court. Leith-court. Without betraying my presence, I watched them pass through the passport pass-port office and custom house, and then, overhearing the address which Martin Woodroffe gave the ishvost-chik, ishvost-chik, 1 stood aside, wet to the skin, and saw them drive away. At eleven 'o'clock on the following day I found myself installed in the Hotel de Paris, a comfortable hostelry in the Little Morskaya. I was beneath the same roof as Elma, although she was in ignorance of my presence. Anxious to communicate commu-nicate with her without Woodroffe's knowledge, I was now awaiting my opportunity. op-portunity. He had, it appeared, ta.ken for her a pleasant front room with sitting sit-ting room adjoining, on the first floor, while he himself occupied a room on the third floor. As far as I could gather from the French waiter whom I judiciously tipped, he appeared to treat her with every consideration and kindness. "Has the Englishman, received any visitors?" I asked. "One man a Russian an official of police, I think." "If he receives anyone else, let me know," I said. "And I want you to give mademoiselle a letter from me in secret." "Bien, m'sieur." I turned, to the little writing table and scribbled a few hasty lines to my love, announcing my presence, and asking her to grant me ttn interview in secret as soon as Woodroffe was absent. I also warned her of the seajch for her instirae4by the baron, ancNd her to send iJre a line in reply. The note was delivered into her hand, but although I waited in suspense sus-pense nearly all day she sent no reply. While Woodsirfffe was in the hoteLT dared not show myself lest he should"" recognize me, therefore I was compelled com-pelled to sham indisposition and to eat my meals alone in my room. For several hours ! sat at my win-daw win-daw watching the life and movement down in the street below, my mind full ofVvonder and dark forebodings. Was Martin Woodroffe playing her false? Just after half-past six o'clock the waiter entered, and handing me a note on a salver, said: "Mademoiselle has, I believe, only this momeut been able to write in secret." I tore it open and read as follows: Dear Friend I am so surprised. I thought you were still in Abo. Woodroffe has an appointment at eiylit o'clock on the other side of the city, therefore come to me at 8:15. I must see you. and at once. I am in peril. ELMA HEATH. My love was in peril! It was just as 1 had feared. I thanked Providence that I had been sent to help her and extricate her from that awful fate to which "The Strangler of Finland ' had consigned her. At the hour she named, after the waiter had come to me and announced the Englishman's departure, 1 descended de-scended to her sitting room and entered en-tered without rapping, for if 1 had rapped she could not, alas! have heard The apartment was spacious and comfortable, thickly carpeted, witn heavy furniture and gilding. From her low lounge chair a slim, wan figure sprang up quickly and came forward to greet me, holding out both her hands and smiling happily. I took her hands in mine, and held them tightly in silence for some mo ments, as I looked earnestly into those wonderfully brilliant eyes of hers. She turned away laughing, a slight flush rising to her cheeks in her confusion. Then she led me to a chair, and motioned mo-tioned me to be seated. Ours was a silent meeting, but her gestures and the expression of her eyes were surely more eloquent than mere words. I knew well what pleasure pleas-ure that re-e;counter caused her equal pleasure with that it gave to me. Until that moment I had never really loved. I had admired and flirted with women. What man has not? Indeed, I had admired Muriel Leithcourt. But never until now had I experienced in my heart the real flame of true, burning burn-ing affection. The sweetness of her expression, tne tender caress of those soft, tapering hands, the deep, mys- 1 n j mm?- - ! tffTVff-' Vl rtgl' 1 MJ x n Wr CHAPTER XIV, Spoiling the Spoiler. I went to the railway station, and from the time-table gathered that if I left Abo by rail at noon I could be in Petersburg an hour before noon on the morrow, or about four hours before be-fore the arrival of the steamer by which the silent girl and her companion compan-ion were passengers. This I decided upon doing, but before leaving I paid a visit to my friend, Boranski, who, to my surprise and delight, handed me my wallet with the czar's letter intact, saying that it had been found upon a German thief who had been arrested ar-rested at the harbor on the previous night. The fellow had, no doubt, Stolen it from my pocket believing I carried my paper money in a flap. "The affair of the English lady is a most extraordinary one," remarked the chief of police, toying with his pen as he sat at his big table. "She seems to have met this Englishman up at Tammerfors, or at some place farther north, yet it is curious that her passport pass-port should be in order even though she fled so precipitately from Kajana. There is a mystery connected with her disappearance from the wood cutter's cut-ter's hut that I confess I cannot fathom." "Neither can I," I said. "I know the man who is with her, and cannot help fearing that he is her bitterest enemy thahe is acting in concert with the bar&4 "Then why is -he" taking her to the capital beyond the jurisdiction of the governor general?" "I am going straight to Petersburg to ascertain," I said. "I have only come to thank you for your kindness in this matter. Truth to tell, I have been somewhat surprised that you should have interested yourself on my behalf," I added, looking straight at the uniformed official. "It is not on yours, but on hers." he answered, somewhat enigmatically "I know something of the affair, but it was my duty as a man to help the poor girl to escape from that terrible .lace. She has, I know, been unjustly ondemned for the attempted assassi nation of the wife of a general condemned con-demned with a purpose, of course uch a thing is not unusual In Finland." Fin-land." " "Abominable!" 1 cried. "Oberg is a veritable fiend." But the man only shrugged his shoulders, saying "The orders of his excellency the governor general have to be obeyed, whatever they are. We often regret but we dare not refuse to carry them out." "Russian rule is a disgrace to our modern civilization," I declared hotly. "I have every sympathy with those who are fighting for freedom." "Ah, you are not alone in that," he sighed, speaking in a low whisper, and glancing around. "His majesty would order reforms and ameliorate the condition con-dition of his people, if only it were possible. But he, like his officials, s powerless. Here we speak of the great uprising with bated breath, but we, alas! know that it must come one day very soon and Finland will be first to endeavor to break her bonds and the Baron Oberg first to fall." For nearly an hour 1 sat with him. surprised to find how, although his exterior ex-terior was so harsh and uncouth, jet his heart really bled for the poor, starving people he was so constantly forced to oppress. "I hive ruined this town of Abo," he declared, quite frankly. "To my own knowledge five hundred innocent per-I per-I sons have gone to prison, and another two hundred have been exiled to Si-j Si-j beria. Yet what I have done is only at direct orders from Helsingfors orders that are stern, pitiless and unjust. un-just. Men have been torn from their families and sent to the mines, women have been arrested for n'o offGfJse and ; shipped off to Saghalien, and mere children have been cast into prison on charges of political conspiracy with their elders in order to russify the i province! Only," he added anxiously, I "I trust you will never repeat what I j tell you. You have asked me why 1 . assisted the English mademoiselle to She Touched Her Red Lips With the Tip of Her Forefinger. uid intended to raid the hut, therefor? Tfed with him, first down to Tammerfors Tammer-fors and then to Abo. and on here. At that time I did not see the dastardly-trap dastardly-trap he had laid in order to get me out of the baron's clutches and wring from me my secret. If I confess, he intends to give me up to the police, who will send me to the mines." "Does your secret concern him?" I asked in wrjiing. "Yes," she wrote in response. "It would be equally in his interests a3 well as those of Baron Oberg if I were sent to Saghalien and my idep tity effaced. 1 am a Russian subject, as I have already told you, therefore with a ministerial order against me I am in deadliest peril." "Trust in me," I scribbled quickly "I will act upon any euggestion you make. Have you any female friend in whom you could trust to hide you until this danger is past?" "There is one friend a true friend Will you take a note to her?" she wrote, to which I instantly nodded in the affirmative. Then rising, she obtained some ink and pen and wrote a letter, the contents con-tents of which she did not show me before she sealed it. I watched her write the superscription superscrip-tion upon the envelope: "Madame Olga Stassulevitch, modiste, Scredni Prospect, Pros-pect, 231, Vasili Ostroff." I knew that the district was on the opposite side of the city, close bo the Little Neva "Take a drosky at once, see her and await a reply. In the me:in!ime I will prepare to be ready li"i! you return." she wrote "If ul'.a is no: at home, ask to see the Red Priest in Russian.' Krasny-p;:stor." Return quickly, quick-ly, as I fear Wordroffe may icine back If so, I am lost " I assured her I would not lose single instant, and five minutes later I was tearing down the Morskaya i a tlrosky along the canal and across the Nicholas bridge to the address upon the envelope. The house was, I found, somewhat smaller than its neighbors, but not let out in flats as the others. Upon the door was a large brass plate bearing bear-ing the name, "Olga Stassulevitch' Modes." I pressed the electric button, and in answer a tall, clean-shaven Russian servant opened the door. "Madame is not home," was his brief reply to my inquiry. "Then I will see the Red Priest," 1 said in a lower tone. "I come from Elma Heath." Thereupon, without further word, the man admitted me Without Further Words I Snstched the Paper From His Thin, White Fingers. such an expression of fiendish vindic-tiveness. vindic-tiveness. It was as though at that instant hell had been let loose within his heart. But I turned upon my heel and went out. I had escaped by means of my own diplomacy and firmness. The czar's representative the man who ruled that country feared me. and for that reason did not hold me prisoner. Yet when 1 recalled that evil look of revenge re-venge on my departure, I could not help certain feelings of grave apprehension appre-hension arising within me. I took the midnight train back to Abo, arriving at the hotel next morn ing. After an hour's rest I set out anxiously in search of Felix, the dros-kv dros-kv driver. I found him in his log-built log-built house in the Luilno quarter, and when he asked me in 1 saw, from his face, that he had news to impart. "Well?" 1 inquired "And what of the lady? Has she been found?" "Ah! your excellency. It is a pity you were not here yesterday," he said with a sigh. "Why? Tell me quickly. What has happened?" "I have been assisting the police as spy, excellency, as I often do, and 1 ;have seen her." "Seen her! Where?" I cried in quick anxiety. ' "Here, in Abo. She arrived yesterday yester-day morning from Tammerfors accompanied accom-panied by an Englishman. She had |