CHAPTER XIX.

FRANK STARTS TO THE RESCUE.

After Count Blowinski's attempt on the life of the Czar had failed, it was several hours before Frank and Lord Hastings found themselves in the presence of the Russian Emperor. They had kept out of sight immediately after the Czar's arrival in Moscow, for all feared that should the count chance to see the lad, it would spoil everything. Therefore, when they were summoned to the Czar's presence, it was to find Count Blowinski there as well, though disarmed, nursing a wound in his shoulder and guarded by a squad of troops.

"I have summoned you, my lord," said the Czar, "so that your officer here, Mr. Chadwick may confront the count, and thus prove to him the uselessness of further denials."

He signaled to Frank and the boy stepped forward. Approaching close to Count Blowinski, Frank gazed at him quietly.

"Have you anything more to say, Count?" asked the Czar, with a cold smile.

"Nothing," was the sullen response, "except this."

Before any one could realize what he was up to, the count leaped forward, and, throwing his left arm around Frank's neck, struck him heavily in the face three times.

In vain the lad struggled to release the grasp. The count's hold was like a grip of iron.

The Russian troopers sprang forward at a word from their officer and laid hold of the count, who struggled viciously and clung to Frank's neck tenaciously.

But the grip of the soldiers told at last and the count was dragged away, muttering fierce imprecations to himself.

"You see, my dear Count," said the Czar softly, "it is no use. You have played right into my hands; and now that you have played, you must pay the piper."

"I assure your Majesty----" began the count, straightening himself up and maintaining an air of ruffled dignity.

"Tut, tut, Count!" protested the Czar, with a wave of his hand. "Why deny what is so plainly apparent. You are guilty and I know it. Why, I have had proof for days. I just laid this little trap to catch you as you were about to strike. But, my dear Count, I assure you that after this, your claws will not be sharp enough to scratch. What do you say, Count, shall it be death or Siberia?"

"You do not leave me much choice," replied the count, having regained his composure and facing the ruler calmly. "Let it be death."

"In that event," said the Czar, "it shall be Siberia."

"Your Majesty----" again began the count.

The Czar silenced him with a wave of his hand.

"Take him away," he commanded the officer in charge of the squad.

Struggling and kicking frantically, Count Blowinski was dragged from the room.

"Now," said the Czar to Lord Hastings, "I can breathe easier. His very presence had polluted the air. Come. We shall return to my suite."

He arose and the others followed him from the room.

Alone with the Czar, and Lord Hastings, Frank was moved to ask:

"And what do you suppose has become of Jack, sir?"

"By Jove! I don't know," said Lord Hastings. "He should have turned up by this time."

"Well, he hasn't, sir," replied Frank quietly.

"No. Suppose you take a run over to your rooms and have a look for him," instructed Lord Hastings.

Frank disappeared, but returned a few moments later announcing that he could find no trace of his chum.

"Strange!" said the Czar. "But wait. Perhaps he was wounded in the fighting. I shall summon General Burgoff. By this time he will have a list of the injured. He may know something of him."

The Czar immediately despatched an orderly for the general, but it was half an hour later before the officer arrived. In that time Frank's uneasiness had increased to a certainty that his chum was in danger of some kind.

"General," said the Czar, when the officer stood before him, "I am seeking information of a young Englishman, who was in the city when I arrived."

"An Englishman?" repeated the general. "There may be many here, Sire."

"So there may," the Czar agreed, "but only one like the one I am seeking. He has been living with the Count Blowinski for some days. I had thought that he would be with the count. In fact, I saw him just before the trouble occurred. He stood near the count on the palace steps."

"Oh," said the general, "was he big and young?"

"Yes," said the Czar, "he was big and young."

"And you say, Sire, that he was in league with Count Blowinski?"

"Well, I didn't say so," returned the Czar, "but if you know anything of the Englishman, tell me at once."

"I am sure he was in league with Count Blowinski," said the general. "If the Englishman is the one to whom I refer, he is now on his way to Siberia."

The Czar came to his feet with a jump.

"What's that?" he demanded, thinking he had not heard aright.

"I say he is on the way to Siberia, Sire," replied the general.

"And why is he on the way to Siberia, may I ask?" demanded the Czar, his voice very calm.

"Because I ordered him sent there, Sire. I found him on the palace steps flourishing a big revolver, and I had my men seize him. He offered me some strange story for his presence there; but I knew he was lying. I had him transported to Siberia along with a hundred other prisoners at once." "Oh, you did," said the Czar. "By any chance, did this Englishman tell you that he was engaged on a mission for me, General?"

"He did, Sire. But, of course, I didn't believe any such story as that."

"Of course not, General; as you say. But did you think of taking the trouble to investigate his story?"

"Of course not, your Majesty. I knew you did not wish me to take up your valuable time that way. Have I done anything wrong, Sire?"

"Nothing," said the Czar, "except to send to Siberia a British naval officer, a youth, who, by risking his own life, has saved your country and your Czar."

Now it was the general's turn to be astonished. He stepped back in alarm.

"You mean he was telling the truth, Sire?"

"I do."

The general clasped and unclasped his hands nervously.

"And," the Czar continued, "unless he is back here within twenty-four hours, you shall be relieved of your command, General."

The Czar spoke very softly, but the general could see that he was in deadly earnest, and his face grew pale.

"I fear it is impossible, sire," he said at last. "I have instructed the officer in command of the prisoners, to let no one approach them for any reason whatsoever. Even a telegram would not catch them now, sire."

"Then, General, you are in a difficult situation," said the Czar quietly. "And yet I will give you another chance. I shall relieve you of your command temporarily and you shall go after this young Englishman yourself. Bring him back to me safely. Here," and the Czar turned and scribbled a few words on a piece of paper, after which he affixed his seal, "this order, for the moment, appoints you commander-in-chief of all the forces in Siberia. Bring this young Englishman back to me safely, or suffer the consequences."

The general took the paper the Czar extended to him.

"It shall be done, sire," he said quietly.

"And," the Czar continued, "you will make careful inquiry. If the young Englishman has been ill treated, you will seek out the man who is the cause of this ill treatment, arrest him and bring him to me, be he who he may. Yes, even if it be General Surgoff himself!"

Again the general bowed.

"Your Majesty," said Frank at this juncture.

The Czar eyed him in surprise and Lord Hastings disapprovingly. But Frank was not abashed.

"Your Majesty," he said again.

"Well?" said the Czar.

"Can I not go with the general, sire?" he asked. "I would like to go to Jack's aid as fast as possible. He will expect me. He would hunt me out, no matter where I was."

The Czar looked at Lord Hastings.

"What do you think, my lord?" he asked.

Lord Hastings shrugged his shoulders.

"As you please, your Majesty," he replied. "I have no doubt Mr. Templeton would be glad to see him. Neither have I any doubt that Mr. Chadwick here might come in handy."

The Czar turned to General Burgoff.

"What do you think, general?" he asked.

"Well, sire, to tell the truth, I would rather not be bothered with excess."

"In that case, general," said the Czar, with the suspicion of a twinkle in his eye, "and as you have been somewhat lax in your own duties, I shall allow the lad to accompany you. You will see that he is well treated."

General Burgoff bowed low.

"It shall be done, sire," he said.

"Very well. Now, general, you will take with you from Petrograd enough men to assure you that your orders will be obeyed, come what may. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly, your Majesty. I shall take sufficient men."

"And one thing more, general," said the Czar firmly. "Let me impress upon you the utter necessity of being in the right hereafter, before you take too much upon yourself. Men have been shot for less."

The general accepted this rebuke with a bow and a flush of the face.

"I shall obey, sire," he replied.

"Good. Now, make what haste you may. That is all."

The general saluted stiffly, motioned to Frank to follow him, turned on his heel and stalked from the Czar's presence.

Frank stopped a brief moment for a word of farewell to Lord Hastings and then expressed his thanks to the Czar.

"There, there!" said the latter with a laugh. "No thanks are necessary. I am glad to give you a chance of seeing Siberia with an opportunity of coming back. Run along now."

Frank hurried after General Burgoff. And as he moved quickly along he muttered to himself:

"Poor old Jack! All alone away up there in Siberia. I'll bet he is having a terrible time and looking for me. Well, I'll be there before long, Jack, old boy!"