"
"I believe I am considered honest, Madam."
"Then why do you come to me asking ten thousand dollars for a letter
which you say was written to me, and which naturally belongs to me?"
The man's face deepened into a mahogany brown, and he shifted his cap
uneasily in his hands.
"Madam, I am not acting for myself. I am Secretary of the Russian
Liberation Society. They, through their branch at St. Petersburg, have
conducted some investigations on your behalf."
"Yes, for which I paid them very well."
Johnson bowed.
"Our object, Madam, is the repression of tyranny. For that we are in
continual need of money. It is the poor, and not the millionaires, who
subscribe to our fund. It has been discovered that you are a rich
woman, who will never miss the money asked, and so the demand was
made. Believe me, Madam, I am acting by the command of my comrades. I
tried to persuade them to leave compensation to your own generosity,
but they refused. If you consider their demand unreasonable, you have
but to say so, and I will return and tell them your decision."
"Have you brought the letter with you?"
"Yes, Madam."
"Must I agree to your terms before seeing it?"
"Yes, Madam."
"Have you read it?"
"Yes, Madam."
"Do you think it worth ten thousand dollars?"
The sailor looked up at the decorated ceiling for several moments
before he replied.
"That is a question I cannot answer," he said at last.
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