You have asked me why I assisted the English Mademoiselle to
escape from Kajana, and I have explained the reason."
We ate a hearty meal in company at the _Sampalinna_, a restaurant built
like a Swiss chalet, and at noon I entered 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, by way of Tavestehus and
Viborg, to Petersburg.
I was alone in the compartment, and sat moodily watching the panorama of
wood and river as we slowly wound up the tortuous ascents and descended
the steep gradients. I had not even a newspaper with which to while away
the time, only my own apprehensive thoughts of whither my helpless love
was being conducted.
Surely to no man was there ever presented such a complicated problem as
that which I was now trying so vigorously to solve. I loved Elma Heath.
The more I reflected, the deeper did her sweet countenance and tender
grace impress themselves upon my heart. I loved her, therefore I was
striving to overtake her.
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