“It might be possible—with your help.” Her face took on a trace of color as her heart began to respond to her rising hope that what she planned with Peter could be carried through. At least, he had interposed no objection to going to Harbin to find Kirsakoff, and actually had in mind a willingness to take her and her father along. “But could we find him when we got there?” he asked. “We have friends there who know where he could be found. It should not be difficult—there are not so many Russians in Harbin, after all.” “You are a brave woman,” he said quietly. “You must know that this whole plan holds naked menace for your father—and yourself.” “There is greater menace here,” she replied, looking steadily into his eyes. He wondered if she could mean that he was part of the menace. It was possible that she knew Lutoff had been talking—and that what Lutoff had said was already known to her. If the latter were true, she must realize that it would be impossible to manipulate Peter so that he would save them from Zorogoff. He dismissed the thought—she was bent now on leading him on a fool’s errand to Harbin, and once safe from the Ataman, disappear in the Manchurian city. It now struck Peter that it might be wise to get away from the Valley of Despair with the Kirsakoffs. Harbin offered possibility not only to the Kirsakoffs, but to himself. He could hardly expect to kill Kirsakoff in Chita and cover his own tracks. “Have you a plan for escape from the city?” he asked. “We have talked it over with Slipitsky—the Jew. But my father is averse to having any hand in putting you into danger.” Peter smiled. “Your father need not worry about that,” he said lightly. “Did we not arrange last night?” “True, but——” She hesitated to go on, and turned her face from him. “Has your father changed his mind since last night?” asked Peter, alert at once. “Oh, no,” she said, looking at the floor. “We—we thought you might change yours. You have not been sleeping—and perhaps you gave thought to——” “I have not changed my mind about Kirsakoff,” he said when it was plain that she was not going to finish her sentence. “I am still determined to—find him.” “We thought you might have changed your mind about helping us.” She lifted her head, and smiled at him. He saw at once that her reluctance to avail herself of his help was only feigned. She was too subtle to be over-eager in a matter which concerned her own safety and the safety of her father. She intended that Peter should be the insistent one, so that any suspicions he might have that they sought their own safety rather than Kirsakoff, would be allayed. She wished the trip to Harbin to be made on his wishes instead of out of their own selfish, if natural, desire to escape the Ataman. Peter laughed without mirth. “We might not be able to find Kirsakoff in Harbin,” he suggested.