hem. Have I your word?"

"I have no wish but to help you."

He examined her keenly.

"I regret that the terms of our contract must be more explicit."

"In what?"

"I exact your word of honor to remain under my orders, to make no
attempt to escape, to speak no word as to my identity or your own----"

"Have I not told you that my own fate is unimportant if I succeed in
reaching the Duchess of Hohenberg?"

"And after that?" he asked keenly.

"What do you mean?"

"Merely that the same conditions as to yourself shall continue to
exist."

Marishka hesitated. What lay before her? It was incredible that harm
could come to one of her condition at the hands of the servants of a
great and Christian nation like Germany. She glanced at Captain Goritz.
He was still examining her gravely, impersonally. There seemed little
doubt as to the genuineness of his intentions.

"And the alternative?" she asked.

His expression changed and he looked slowly away from her at the flying
landscape. "I regret that you are still oblivious to your danger. You
and one other person in Europe were the witnesses to the meeting at
Konopisht. His Majesty's government does not deem it expedient at this
time that you should be at liberty to discuss the matter----"

"But I have already spoken----"

"That matters nothing if the witnesses are eliminated."

His tones were quiet, but there was no doubt as to his meaning and she
started back from him in dismay.

"You mean that you would----"

She halted again, wordless.

"Political secrets are dangerous--their possessors a menace."

"You--you would destroy----?" she gasped.

"The evidence!" he finished.

His voice was firm, his lips compressed, and he would not look at her.
But she was still incredulous. Civility such as his and violence such as
he suggested were incongruous. She took refuge from her terror in a
laugh.

"You are trying to--to frighten me," she stammered.

"If you are frightened, I am sorry. You are in no danger, if you will do
what I ask. I shall spare no courtesy, neglect no pains for your
comfort."

"Thanks. That is kind of you. You will gorge the goose that it may be
the more palatable."

He gave a slight shrug.

"I am but doing my duty. In my position, Countess, one is but a piece of
thinking machinery."

"Yet it has been said that even machinery has a soul."

He glanced around at her quickly, but she was looking straight before
her at the narrow ribbon of