"William Barnwell. My name is on your books, and you personally saw my passport."
At that moment the Russian officers entered.
"Ah! I defy you now! The Stars and Stripes once more wave above me!" shouted Barnwell, as the officers approached him.
CHAPTER XII.
A FREE MAN ONCE MORE.
"Stand aside, officers, until I investigate this case," said the American minister, in a tone of command that the tyrannical minions of the law knew too much to disobey, for at that time the United States and Russia were on exceedingly friendly terms.
"Now, what is your story?" he asked, turning to young Barnwell.
"It is this, sir," he answered, and thereupon he proceeded to give the representative of his native land the history of his case, so well known to the reader.
It was a startling story of cruel outrage, as we all know, and the recital of it made the minister very indignant.
Turning to the officers, he said: