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A half hour later Tarzan was ushered into the room；
and presently his hostess entered； smiling； and with
outstretched hands。
〃I am so glad that you came；〃 she said。
〃Nothing could have prevented；〃 he replied。
For a few moments they spoke of the opera； of the topics
that were then occupying the attention of Paris； of the
pleasure of renewing their brief acquaintance which had had
its inception under such odd circumstances； and this brought
them to the subject that was uppermost in the minds of both。
〃You must have wondered；〃 said the countess finally； 〃what
the object of Rokoff's persecution could be。 It is very simple。
The count is intrusted with many of the vital secrets of the
ministry of war。 He often has in his possession papers that
foreign powers would give a fortune to possesssecrets
of state that their agents would commit murder and
worse than murder to learn。
〃There is such a matter now in his possession that would
make the fame and fortune of any Russian who could
divulge it to his government。 Rokoff and Paulvitch are
Russian spies。 They will stop at nothing to procure this
information。 The affair on the linerI mean the matter of the
card gamewas for the purpose of blackmailing the knowledge
they seek from my husband。
〃Had he been convicted of cheating at cards； his career
would have been blighted。 He would have had to leave the
war department。 He would have been socially ostracized。
They intended to hold this club over himthe price of an
avowal on their part that the count was but the victim of the
plot of enemies who wished to besmirch his name was to have
been the papers they seek。
〃You thwarted them in this。 Then they concocted the
scheme whereby my reputation was to be the price； instead
of the count's。 When Paulvitch entered my cabin he explained
it to me。 If I would obtain the information for them
he promised to go no farther； otherwise Rokoff； who stood
without； was to notify the purser that I was entertaining a
man other than my husband behind the locked doors of my
cabin。 He was to tell every one he met on the boat； and
when we landed he was to have given the whole story to the
newspaper men。
〃Was it not too horrible？ But I happened to know something
of Monsieur Paulvitch that would send him to the gallows
in Russia if it were known by the police of St。 Petersburg。
I dared him to carry out his plan； and then I leaned
toward him and whispered a name in his ear。 Like that〃and
she snapped her fingers〃he flew at my throat as a madman。
He would have killed me had you not interfered。〃
〃The brutes！〃 muttered Tarzan。
〃They are worse than that； my friend；〃 she said。
〃They are devils。 I fear for you because you have gained
their hatred。 I wish you to be on your guard constantly。
Tell me that you will； for my sake； for I should never forgive
myself should you suffer through the kindness you did me。〃
〃I do not fear them；〃 he replied。 〃I have survived grimmer
enemies than Rokoff and Paulvitch。〃 He saw that she knew
nothing of the occurrence in the Rue Maule； nor did he
mention it； fearing that it might distress her。
〃For your own safety；〃 he continued； 〃why do you not turn
the scoundrels over to the authorities？ They should make
quick work of them。〃
She hesitated for a moment before replying。
〃There are two reasons；〃 she said finally。 〃One of them
it is that keeps the count from doing that very thing。
The other； my real reason for fearing to expose them； I have
never toldonly Rokoff and I know it。 I wonder；〃 and
then she paused； looking intently at him for a long time。
〃And what do you wonder？〃 he asked； smiling。
〃I was wondering why it is that I want to tell you the
thing that I have not dared tell even to my husband。
I believe that you would understand； and that you could tell
me the right course to follow。 I believe that you would not
judge me too harshly。〃
〃I fear that I should prove a very poor judge； madame；〃
Tarzan replied； 〃for if you had been guilty of murder I
should say that the victim should be grateful to have met
so sweet a fate。〃
〃Oh； dear； no；〃 she expostulated； 〃it is not so terrible as that。
But first let me tell you the reason the count has for not
prosecuting these men； then； if I can hold my courage； I
shall tell you the real reason that I dare not。 The first is
that Nikolas Rokoff is my brother。 We are Russians。
Nikolas has been a bad man since I can remember。 He was
cashiered from the Russian army； in which he held a captaincy。
There was a scandal for a time； but after a while it was
partially forgotten； and my father obtained a position for him
in the secret service。
〃There have been many terrible crimes laid at Nikolas' door；
but he has always managed to escape punishment。 Of late
he has accomplished it by trumped…up evidence convicting
his victims of treason against the czar； and the Russian
police； who are always only too ready to fasten guilt of
this nature upon any and all； have accepted his version
and exonerated him。〃
〃Have not his attempted crimes against you and your
husband forfeited whatever rights the bonds of kinship might
have accorded him？〃 asked Tarzan。 〃The fact that you are his
sister has not deterred him from seeking to besmirch your honor。
You owe him no loyalty； madame。〃
〃Ah； but there is that other reason。 If I owe him no loyalty
though he be my brother； I cannot so easily disavow the
fear I hold him in because of a certain episode in my life of
which he is cognizant。
〃I might as well tell you all；〃 she resumed after a pause；
〃for I see that it is in my heart to tell you sooner or later。
I was educated in a convent。 While there I met a man whom
I supposed to be a gentleman。 I knew little or nothing about
men and less about love。 I got it into my foolish head that
I loved this man； and at his urgent request I ran away with him。
We were to have been married。
〃I was with him just three hours。 All in the daytime and
in public placesrailroad stations and upon a train。
When we reached our destination where we were to have been
married； two officers stepped up to my escort as we descended
from the train； and placed him under arrest。 They took me
also； but when I had told my story they did not detain me；
other than to send me back to the convent under the care of
a matron。 It seemed that the man who had wooed me was no
gentleman at all； but a deserter from the army as well as
a fugitive from civil justice。 He had a police record in
nearly every country in Europe。
〃The matter was hushed up by the authorities of the convent。
Not even my parents knew of it。 But Nikolas met the man
afterward； and learned the whole story。 Now he threatens
to tell the count if I do not do just as he wishes me to。〃
Tarzan laughed。 〃You are still but a little girl。 The story
that you have told me cannot