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 CHAPTER XIX

MY ARREST

I had not ridden more than a couple of miles towards the city when a thought occurred to me and caused me to draw rein suddenly and call to my companions to halt.

"Anything wrong?" asked Zoiloff, looking about him anxiously.

"It has just occurred to me that, as I'm going to put my head in the lion's mouth by going to General Kolfort, I had better not go unprepared, and I have just thought of a precaution I can take."

"What is it?"

"I can't at present explain to you fully, but you or Spernow can help me. I must find some place before I enter Sofia where I can write for an hour or two. Where can I go?"

He thought a moment, and said:

"The safest place would be back to where you passed the night. I am sure of those people, and they know how to hold their tongues;" and, changing our direction, we set off for the house at a brisk trot.

My intention was to write out a full report now for the British Foreign Office, giving a detailed account of the position of matters in regard to the Russian scheme, of the part I had played in it, and of what I believed to be the Russian designs against me. I did not forget the condition that if I failed the Foreign