If spies have not followed you, then you shall
remain my guest as long as you desire."
"I am sure it is very good of you, Princess," I said gratefully. "Miss
Heath is the victim of a vile and dastardly conspiracy. When I tell you
that she has been afflicted as she is by her enemies--that an operation
was performed upon her in Italy while she was unconscious--you will
readily see in what deadly peril she is."
"What!" she cried. "Have her enemies actually done this? Horrible!"
"She will perhaps tell you of the strange romance that surrounds her--a
mystery which I have not yet been able to fathom. She is a Russian
subject, although she has been educated in England. Baron Oberg himself
is, I believe, her worst and most bitter enemy."
"Ah! the Strangler!" she exclaimed with a quick flash in her dark eyes.
"But his end is near. The Movement is active in Helsingfors. At any
moment now we may strike our blow for freedom."
She was an enthusiastic revolutionist, I could see, unsuspected,
however, by the police on account of her high position in Petersburg
society.
Pages:
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383