“Don't you know,” she cried again hysterically, “that in the cathedral I received my sentence of death? For it means death to me! I cannot face dishonour!”
Wild and uncontrolled as the girl's words were, there was a convincing ring of truth in them, and Westerham for the first time in his life knew what fear meant.
“But who,” he asked with dry lips, “who in this world could possibly have the power to order you such a fate?”
“You know!” cried Kathleen, fiercely, her eyes starting from their sockets in terror, “you must know that it is by order of the Czar!”
[CHAPTER XVI
STRANGE HAPPENINGS]
“By order of the Czar!”
Westerham repeated the words, and his face was blank in its amazement. Lady Kathleen caught his expression and her own face changed. She saw that Westerham's surprise was entirely genuine. She saw that he did not know!
“By order of the Czar!”