Part 26 (1/2)

”We shall decide that for ourselves. You visited her upon the barge of the German merchant, Petermann. He is now in custody and has confessed as much. What did she say to you when you were alone with her?”

”She asked me to help to set her father free.”

”An honest admission--we shall do very well, I see. When she spoke of his excellency the Count, she said--”

”I am not afraid to tell you. She did not like him and asked me to take her away from Warsaw, disguised as my servant.”

”That was not clever, sir. As if we should not have known--but I pa.s.s it by. You left her and then--”

”I spent the day with the Count and returned with him to the hotel at three o'clock in the morning.”

”There was no one with him, then?”

”Yes, his valet was with him.”

”Did you leave them together when you went to bed?”

”He always helped the Count to undress. I cannot remember where I left him.”

”You have not a good memory, I perceive.”

”Not for that which happened at three o'clock in the morning.”

Zaniloff permitted the merest suspicion of a smile to lurk about the corners of a sensual mouth.

”It is difficult,” he said dryly--and then, ”your memory will be better later on. Did the girl tell you that his excellency would be a.s.sa.s.sinated?”

”You know very well that she did not.”

”I know?”

”Certainly, you have had too much experience not to know.”

”Most flattering--please do not mistake me. I am asking you these questions because I wish that justice shall be done. If you can do nothing to clear Lois Boriskoff, I am afraid that we shall have to flog her.”

”That would be a cowardly thing to do. It would also be very foolish.

She has many friends both here and in England. I don't think they will forget her.”

”Wild talk, Mr. Kennedy, very wild talk. I see that you will not help me. We must let the Governor know as much and he will decide. I warn you at the same time that it will go very hard with you if the Count should die--and as for this woman, we will try other measures. She must certainly be flogged.”

”If you do that, I myself will see that her friends in England know about it. The Governor will never be so foolish--that is, if he wishes to save Mr. Gessner.”

”Gessner--Gessner--I hear the name often--pardon me, I have not the honor of his acquaintance.”

”Telegraph to the Minister at St. Petersburg and he will tell you who Mr. Gessner is. I think you would be wise to do so.”

Zaniloff could make nothing of it. The cool effrontery of this mere stripling was unlike anything he had heard at the bureau in all the years he had served authority. Why, the bravest men had gone down on their knees to him before now and almost shrieked for mercy. And here was this bit of an English boy plucking the venerable beard of Terror as unconcernedly as though he were a sullen-eyed Cossack with a nagaika in his hand. a.s.suredly he could be no ordinary traveller. And why did he harp upon this name Gessner, Richard Gessner! Reflection brought it to Zaniloff's mind that he had heard the name before. Yes, it had been mentioned in a dossier from the Ministry of Justice. He thought again and recalled other circ.u.mstances. The Government had been anxious to do the man a service--they had commanded the arrest of the Boriskoffs--why, at this very Gessner's bidding! And had not the Count warned him to treat the young Englishman as his own son--merely to play a comedian's part and to frighten him before opening the doors with profuse apologies. Zaniloff did not like the turn affairs had taken. He determined to see the Governor-General without a moment's loss of time.

Meanwhile there could be no earthly reason why the girl should not be flogged. Whatever happened the Minister would approve that.