Who are you?" she asked.

[Illustration: "Who are you?" she asked.]

His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked past her out of the window. Then
he said politely:

"The Countess Strahni is well within her rights in asking that question.
I am Captain Leo Goritz."

That meant nothing to her and she found herself repeating her question.

He deliberated a moment.

"I see no reason why I should not tell you," he said at last. "I do not
desire a misconception of my personal motives--which I beg you to
understand are of the highest. I am merely carrying out my orders to
bring the Countess Strahni with all dispatch within the borders of the
German Empire."

"You--you are----" she paused in dismay.

"Of the German Imperial Secret Service," he said quickly.

Marishka sank back into her seat breathless with apprehension, the
warnings of the hated Herr Windt dinning in her ears.

"Then you sent----" She fingered the scribbled note which had not left
her fingers.

"I regret, Countess, that the situation made deception necessary. One of
my men in the tree above the chimney. My orders were urgent."

Marishka glanced about the machine helplessly, her thoughts, in spite of
herself, recurring to Hugh Renwick, who must before long discover her
absence and guess its cause. But there seemed no chance of escape. To
open the door and leap forth into the road at this speed was only
courting injury, and the calm appearance of Captain Leo Goritz seemed
only the mask for a resoluteness of purpose with which she could not
dare to cope. To cry out seemed equally futile for the road was deserted
except for a few market wagons, the occupants of which were country
louts who only stared dully as they passed. But in a flash the
inspiration came to her. Germany! Germany could help her carry out her
purpose to warn the Duchess before she reached Sarajevo. She glanced at
her companion and found that his brown eyes had turned as though by
prescience to hers.

"Captain Goritz," she stammered, "I--I seem to be in your power.
Whatever your authority for this--this restraint of my liberty--I submit
myself----"

He showed his fine teeth in a smile.

"I regret that the Countess Strahni should have been put to this
inconvenience."

She made a motion of deprecation.

"I beg that you will spare yourself meaningless civilities. I do not
know the meaning of this outrage."

"The Countess Strahni is far too clever to suppose that I can believe
her-