At the start of the book, Barnwell is seen boarding the steamship Baltic, excitedly leaving America for Europe. As he meets his friends and enjoys a lively send-off, a mysterious man named Paul Zobriskie approaches him, asking for a favor to deliver an important envelope to Prince Mastowix in St. Petersburg. Despite warnings from his friends about the dangers associated with Zobriskie, Barnwell naively accepts this request. The opening portion sets up a thrilling narrative that intertwines themes of idealism, political struggle, and personal jeopardy, making it clear that the journey will take him far beyond mere sightseeing. As he navigates through high-stakes encounters with secret societies and Russian authorities, readers can anticipate an engaging exploration of the fight for freedom and the costs that come with it. (This is an automatically generated summary.)