His niece--poor young lady!--can that be?
Surely not!" "Why not ?" I asked.
But the woman gave me no reason; she only exhibited her palms and sighed.

She seemed to have compassion upon the girl I sought; her heart was really softer than I had believed it to be.
"Where does this Baron live ?" I asked, surprised that he should occupy so high a place in Russian officialdom--the representative of the Czar, with powers as great as the Emperor himself.
"At the Government Palace, in Helsingfors." "And Elma Heath is here--in this grim fortress! Why ?" "Ah, m'sieur, how can I tell?
By reason of family secrets, perhaps.

They account for so much, you know." "That is exactly my opinion," I said.

"She has been brought here against her will." "Most probably.

This is not a cheerful place, as you see.