A Rock in the Baltic

m she saw, lying upon the table, a letter with a Russian stamp, but addressed in an unknown hand to her friend Katherine Kempt. She surmised that here was the first communication from the

merging from her room, to see Katherine standing by the table, a black book in her hand. On the table lay a large package from New York, recently opened, displaying

olume in her hand. "Steele's 'Fourteen-Weeks' Course in Chemistry,' an old book, but fasci

istry?" ask

rine firmly, "and, inci

've got the wrong text-books. You shou

followed her example, Steele's "Four

erine, "should have a g

m wo

t are deceptive, and

sententious, Kate.

ily taken in. He is too honest for cra

ou been delu

, I am a

hy la

ut that. You couldn't do a mean or ung

ld reform?" she asked, bre

o man who is worthy of you. That's a woman's opinion; one who knows you well, and there

he same more or less, I receiv

he table, and surmi

I remember how I have deluded that poor, credulous young man, in making him believe I understood even the fringe of what he spoke about, it fills me with grief

orothy

former frivolity dog my steps through life? When I call to mind that I made fun to

cious remark in your life, Kate. Don't make me defend you against yourself. You have determined, I take it, to plunge into the sub

he same. I like people to believe in me, even if I sometimes lo

you'd ra

u, but you will understand when you have hea

on Chemistry, and from this volume she extracted it, pressed it for a mo

my first l

crisp, thin p

t pertain to the subject of the volume in question, and yet was so illuminative to any student of chemistry. They have done a great deal wit

ked across at her auditor, an expression

under heaven

truck by the ludicrousness of any young and beautiful w

rocess, Dorothy?" beseeched Katherine

n with the l

on my liquid limestone, instead of waiting upon slow evaporation, I could turn out building stone faster than

ak I am? It was bad enough to cozen with my heedless, random markings of the book, but to think tha

herine, go

arly blew the roof off the shop, and quite startled poor Drummond out of a year's growth. However, no real harm has been done, while I have been taught a valuable lesson; to take into account all the elements I am usin

see her friend in the same position. You would ask me if I am in lo

te sure of t

had, except my own father, and I willingl

if that

all, Ka

m in this letter, which I would read

ent. Jack is his best friend, and perhaps a lover would weaken the influence which Tolstoi exerts over an em

hat, you are all right, Dorothy. No, there is no

ve he is being hoodwinked by the Foreign Minister. What I fear is that he will be bludgeoned on the street some dark night, or involved in a one-sided duel. Twice I have rescued him from an imminent danger which he has not even seen. Once in a restaurant a group of officers, apparently drunk, picked a quarrel and drew swords upon him. I had the less difficulty in getting him away because he fears a broil, or anything that w

ks. Lieutenant Drummond's mission to

k says, for Jack knows Russia, and he doesn't. Still, let us hope he will come saf

rhaps she would have confessed even to her closest friend, when she saw the twopence-halfpenny English stamp on the envelo

ISS AM

eived no answer. Taking a candle, I went downstairs, but everything was exactly as usual, the doors locked, and not even a bench overturned. I called aloud, but only the echo of this barn of a room replied. I lit the gas and made a more intelligent search, but with no result. I unlocked the door, and stood out in the street, which was quite silent and deserted. I began to doubt that I had heard anything at all, for, as I have told you, my nerves lately have been rather prone to the jumps. I sat up all night waiting for him, but he did not come. Next day I went, as had been previously arranged, to the Foreign Office, but was kept wai

hat Alan Drummond was ever