You know better than myself," he laughed.

"The offense for which she was condemned to confinement in a fortress was the attempted assassination of Madame Vakuroff, wife of the General commanding the Uleaborg Military Division." "Assassination!" I cried.

"Have you actually sent her to prison as a murderess ?" "I have not.

The Criminal Court of Abo did so," he said dryly.

"The offense has since been proved to have been the outcome of a political conspiracy, and the Minister of the Interior in Petersburg last week signed an order for the prisoner's transportation to the island of Saghalien." "Ah!" I remarked with set teeth.