at
her father is dying. It seems that he has been in failing health for
some years; and at last the terrible climate, the roughness of the
living, and the knowledge that he was hopelessly cut off for the rest
of his existence from all he held dear in the world, has resulted in a
complete collapse. To hope to obtain a pardon from the Russian
Government would be worse than futile. All that remains is to get him
away."

"But, surely, my dear old Browne," said Jimmy, who had listened aghast,
"it cannot be possible that you dream of assisting in the escape of a
Russian convict from Saghalien?"

"That is exactly what I _do_ think," replied Browne, with unusual
earnestness. "Come what may, if it costs me all I am worth in the
world, I am going to get the man out of that hell on earth. Try to
think, my dear fellow, how you would feel if you were in that girl's
place. Her father, the man whom she has been brought up to believe has
been sacrificed for his country's good, is dying. She declares it is
her duty to be with him. How can I let her do that?"

"I admit it is impossible."

"Well, what remains? Either she must go to him, or he must come to
her."

"In plain words, she wants you to risk your good name, all you have in
the world, your happiness, your very life indeed, in order to get a
fanatic out of the trouble he has brought upon himself."

"You can put it how you like," said Browne; "but that is practically
what it means. But remember she is the woman who is to be my wife. If
I lose her, what would life be worth to me?"

This was the crucial part of the interview. For the first time it
struck Browne that he was figuring before his friend in rather a
selfish light.

"I wanted to see you," he began, "in order to find out whether you
would care to accompany me to the Farther East. Remember, I don't want
you to pledge anything. All that I ask of you is to say straight out
whether you would care to come or not. I shall sail in the yacht on
Monday next for Japan. We shall touch at Hong-kong _en route_, where I
am to have an interview with a man who, I believe, has brought off one
or two of these little affairs before. He will tell me what I am to
do, and may possibly do it for me. After that we proceed to Japan,
where we are to pick up Madame Bernstein and Miss Petrovitch. From
that moment we shall act as circumstances dictate."

"And now I want you to tell me one thing," said Jimmy; "what is your