"No," said Count Blowinski slowly; "that is the trouble; they escaped." "Escaped!" Jack repeated incredulously. "What! you allowed them to escape?" Count Blowinski grew somewhat angry. "We didn't let them escape purposely, you may be sure of that," he declared. "Possibly not," admitted Jack, "but how many of you were there in the room?" "Well, enough to have taken them," returned the count, his face somewhat red, "if that's what you are driving at. There were possibly fifty of us." "Fifty of you and you let two men escape?" ejaculated Jack. "Count, I fear for the success of your plans." "But this was unavoidable," protested the count, apparently thinking much of Jack's good opinion. "They acted so suddenly and they had us at a disadvantage." Jack decided that he had wounded the count enough. So he said: "I can see, count, that you were at some disadvantage. But now that these men have escaped, are you not afraid that your plans may be betrayed?" "Not at all," was the reply. "I have taken all precautions. I have ordered that no messages be accepted by telegraph companies; I have thrown a cordon around the town through which no man could pass; I have notified the railroads that no man without a passport signed by me be allowed to leave the city." "You have done well, count," declared Jack. "But your man may slip through. Take me or my friend for example. We both carry passports signed by yourself. Why not another?" "Because, besides the passports held by yourselves, I have signed no other." "Then your plans are in no danger," said Jack briefly. "Of course not. But the reason I have disturbed you to-night is that I would give you the privilege of being on my staff when I go to meet the Czar to-morrow." "I shall be delighted, count, and I thank you for your thoughtfulness. It will give me pleasure. But, by the way, count, supposing the Czar comes in force?" "Ah, but he will not." "You cannot be positive on that score. He may send thousands of troops ahead of his special train. How many men can you count on?" "Enough, I believe. Say five thousand." "Hardly enough to seize the Czar if he comes properly attended," said Jack dryly. "It is enough," protested the count. "It must be enough. I cannot fail now. To do so would lose me favor with the German emperor, as you know. And I should be discredited here. There would be nothing left for me in Russia." "Nor any other place, count," added Jack. "No, nor any other place," said the count slowly. He turned and left the room without another word. CHAPTER XV. THE CZAR IS WARNED. When Frank left Jack he made all haste toward the railway station and purchased a ticket for Klaw, the railway division point he had mentioned to Jack. It still lacked an hour to midnight and Frank paced up and down in the station. The train left at twelve sharp and Frank ascertained that it would reach Klaw five hours later, barring accidents.