e was a reason."

"Why?"

"I have told you, Excellency. She is in hiding."

"Where?"

"I regret that much as I desire, I dare not appear to have any
connection with your quest. But I will direct you. Indeed, I will give
you instructions to a second person to take you to her."

"Is she in Abo?"

"No. Away in the country. If your Excellency will be down at the end of
the quay to-morrow at noon you will find a carriage in waiting, and the
driver will have full instructions how to take you to her and how to
act. Follow his directions implicitly, for he is a man I can trust."

"To-morrow!" I cried anxiously. "Why not to-day? I am ready to go at any
moment."

The Chief of Police remained thoughtful for a few moments, then said--

"Well, if I could find the man, you might go to-day. Yet it is a long
way, and you would not return before to-morrow."

"The roads are safe, I suppose? I don't mind driving in the night."

The official glanced at the clock, and rising exclaimed--

"Very well, I will send for the man. If we find him, then the carriage
will be at the same spot at the eastern end of the quay in two hours."

"At noon. Very well. I shall keep the appointment."

"And after seeing her, you will of course keep your promise of secrecy
regarding our little misunderstanding?" he asked anxiously.

"I have already given my word," was the response; and the man bowed and
left, much, I think, to the surprise of the hotel-proprietor and his
staff. It was an unusual thing for such a high official as the Chief of
Police to visit one of their guests in person. If he desired to
interview any of them, he commanded them to attend at his office, or
they were escorted there by his gray-coated agents.

The day was cold, with a biting wind from the icy north, when after a
hasty luncheon I put on my overcoat and strolled along the deserted quay
where I lounged at the further end, watching the approach of a great
pontoon of pine logs that had apparently floated out of one of the
rivers and was now being navigated to the port by four men who seemed
every moment in imminent danger of being washed off the raft into the
sea as the waves broke over and drenched them. They had, however, lashed
themselves to their raft, I saw, and now slowly piloted the great
floating platform towards the quay.

I think I must have waited half an hour, when my attention was suddenly
attracted by the rattle of wheels over the stones, and turning I sa