crooks of the street, and are ofttimes more to be pitied than blamed,
for after all, environment has been a great factor in their undoing. The
second group are those men who are opposed to all forms of organized
society. They are commonly known as Radicals. There is little to be said
in their favor. Reared, more often than not, in the lap of a society
organized for the welfare of all, they turn ungratefully against the
mother who nurtured and protected them."

As she recalled this, Mazie realized that this group must be a band of
Radicals. Radicals? And one of them had promised to take her to her
friend, Johnny Thompson. Could it be that in Russia, that hotbed of
radicalism, Johnny had had his head turned and was at that moment a
member of this band? It did not seem possible. She would not for a
moment believe it.

She was soon to see, for a man of distinctly Russian type, a short man
with broad shoulders, sharp chin and frowning brow, approached her, and
in a suave manner began to speak to her.

"You have nothing to fear from us, Miss," he began. "We are gentlemen of
the finest type. No harm will come to you during your brief stay with
us; and I trust it may be very brief."

Mazie heaved a sigh of relief. Perhaps there was going to be nothing so
very terrible about the affair after all.

"We only ask a little service of you," the Russian continued as he let
down a swinging table from the wall, and drawing a chair to it, motioned
her to be seated. He next placed pen, ink and paper on the table.