There was a new light in his little eyes--a gloating light. It sent a shiver through her. “There is a reward of ten thousand rubles for your arrest. Madame”--he bowed to her--“I thank you for those ten thousand rubles!” His words, the gleam of his eyes, left no doubt of his purpose. She steadied herself and looked at him with calm eyes. “But you are not going to arrest me,” she said. “To let me go, to help free Borodin, will mean much more to you than ten thousand rubles.” She tossed a packet of notes upon the desk. His face grew black again, and he did not even glance at the notes. “You try to bribe me!” “I suggest that you look at the money.” But he held his menacing scowl upon her. “There is fifteen thousand rubles there,” said she. “And there will be five more, twenty thousand rubles in all, when the work is completed.” His gaze grew even blacker. “What--you dare insult me!” “Twenty-five thousand.” “I tell you my honour is not for sale!” And he raised his hand above the bell. “Thirty thousand,” said Sonya, “would be our limit.” The hand paused--then sank to his side. He glowered at her, stormed at her--then at length he said: “Why, even if I were willing, it could not be safely done!” Twenty minutes later she left the Fortress, the agreement made, though the plan was but vaguely formed. She drove swiftly home, bringing vast relief to Drexel, and with him hurried off to The White One’s where Dr. Razoff and Pestel were already waiting in anticipation of the meeting. Sabatoff was not present; his position in the Ministry of the Interior was too valuable to the Committee for him to endanger it by running any avoidable risks. They discussed the plan for half the night, and discussed it the next night, and the next; and Sonya had further interviews with the governor to perfect the Fortress arrangements. Sonya and Drexel went over the plan with Freeman several times in the house in Three Saints’ Court. Freeman was full of keen, able suggestions and was of tireless energy in arranging the details of Borodin’s flight.