y friends, therefore,
would not wish to call upon General Potiorek, the governor, for soldiers
or police, if my liberty can be secured quietly--without commotion. I am
willing to meet you upon any reasonable grounds."

Marishka paused, for the man had risen and was pacing the floor slowly.

"Ah, Excellency, I, too, will waste no further speech, for I see that
you are a woman of the world, and I, Beg of Rataj, am only a seller of
rugs. But I am placed in a difficult position. It has pained me deeply
to see you constrained to stay in my poor house against your will. And
yet, what would you? His Excellency has done me many favors, and
gratitude is one of the strongest traits in a nature which suffers much
misuse. I do not know anything of politics, or of the controversy
between you, and I have simply obeyed the dictates of my heart in giving
his Excellency some proof--some return of his kindnesses to me. But
since I have seen you, heard your voice, felt the distinction of your
presence in my poor house, I am torn between my emotions--of gratitude
and of pity."

"How much do you want?" said Marishka quietly.

"Excellency, the brutality of the words!"

"I mean them. How much?"

The man's keen eyes appraised her quickly and then looked away, but he
sank upon his cushion again, wagging his head and breathing a deep sigh
to measure his humiliation.

"I am but a poor man, Excellency," he sighed again.

Upon Marishka's wrist was a bracelet set with diamonds. She slipped it
off quickly and handed it to him.

"You are a poor man," she said. "I give you this--for Yeva."

"Ah, yes. For Yeva." But his eyes were regarding the bracelet, which he
was weighing in his hand.

"And if you do what I wish, I shall give you fifteen thousand _kroner_
more."

"Fifteen thou----!" he whispered. "Excellency, a fortune----"

"If you do what I wish----"

"Anything--Excellency has but to speak."

Marishka deliberated a moment and then, "You will first remove the guard
at the foot of the private stairway to this----"

"Excellency, the hour is late. If you can be comfortable in my house
until the morning, all shall be arranged. For tonight I have
planned----"

"No. It must be as I wish. You will also take a message addressed to Mr.
Hugh Renwick at the Hotel Europa, and find him----"

"And he will give me money?" the man broke in quickly, his bony fingers
clutching like talons at the bracelet. "He will give me fifteen thousand
_kro