You needn't have
done that. I don't suppose you took my money--you don't need it--but you
let your underlings take it."

"I do not know that you ever had the money you say was taken from you,"
said Suvaroff, controlling himself. "It is easy for you to make such a
charge. But the officers who arrested you deny that they found any money
in your possession. There is no reason to take your word against them."

Fred stared at him curiously for a moment.

"Gee! You do hate us--and me!" he said, slowly. "I think you really
believe all you've said about me! Well, I'm glad if that's so. It gives
you a sort of excuse for behaving the way you have to me. And I'd
certainly hate to think that any relative of mine could act like you
unless he thought he was in the right, anyhow!"

Suvaroff strangled with anger for a moment. His cruel eyes became
narrow.

"I have changed my mind!" he cried, suddenly. "Seize him! Bring him
back!"

Fred stood perfectly still as two or three policemen and a couple of
soldiers in the white uniform coats of Russia came toward him. He knew
that it would be useless either to run or to fight. But, as it turned
out, there was no need for him to do either, for from behind him a sharp
order was snapped out by a young man who had been listening with
interest. Quietly a file of German soldiers with spiked helmets stepped
forward.

"Your pardon, excellency," said the German officer. "It is, of course,
quite impossible for us to permit Russian officials or soldiers to make
an arrest on our side of the line!"

"A matter of courtesy--" began Suvaroff.

"Pardon again," said the German, very softly. "Just at this moment
courtesy must be suspended. With a general mobilization in effect upon
both sides--"

Suvaroff suppressed the angry exclamation that was on his lips. For a
moment, however, he seemed about to repeat his order, though his men had
halted at the sight of German bayonets.

"I should regret a disturbance," said the German, still speaking in his
quiet voice. "My orders are to permit my men to do nothing that might
bring on a clash, for just now the firing of a single shot would make
war certain. Yet there is nothing in my orders to forbid me to resist an
act of aggression by Russia. We are prepared for war, though we do not
seek it."

Fred, almost losing interest in his own pressing troubles at this sudden
revelation of a state of affairs of which he had known nothing whatever,
looked fixedly