“IN THE TOILS,"

Southern Cross, Volume 9, Issue 5, 4 May 1901, Page 13

“IN THE TOILS,"

By John K. Leys, Author of The Lindsays,” &c., &o.

[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.]

A Romance of to-day,

CHAPTER XXXIII. The Bobbery is Discovered. As it happened only three days after the robbery of the Nihilist treasure, Ivan LubinofE received a remittance from abroad, to be added to ‘the fund in his hands. Along with the draft came an intimation j that in the course of the week a deputation from the committee would attend at his house in London, for the purpose of going through his accounts and inspecting the securities belonging to the Society. These audits were not made at stated times,f but at irregular intervals, so as tol ensure greater care and fidelity onl the part of those to whom the Society 1 entrusted its funds. It was Lnbinoil’s duty to buy some stock or shares with the proceeds of the draft sent to him, and add the scrip or blank transfers to the securities in the tin box. He set out for the city, in order to carry out this duty, leaving his sister at home, as usual. An hoar after the time when Veronica expected him to return, a cab drove up to the door, from which Ivan slowly descended. The moment Vera caught a sight of his face she knew that something dreadful had happened. Throwing down her work, she flew to the door, and had it open before he had time to knock. ‘ Ivan, what is it ?’ she asked in a scared whisper —her face nearly as pale as his own. He staggered, rather than walked into the sitting-room. ‘ Do sit down, dear brother !’ She poured out a glass of wine, and then taking one of his hands in hers, she sat down by his side, and waited patiently until he should be able to speak to her. At length he heaved a deep sigh. ‘ All is lost, my sister,’ he said, speaking in Russian —‘ our cause, our honour, it may be our lives —everything.’ ‘ Has something been discovered in Russia P’ she asked. ‘No. The police have made no fresh arrests. It is not that. Something has happened in England.’ ‘ What can it be, brother, to cause you such distress ?’ And she ran over in her mind all the possibilities she could think of without thinking on the right one. ‘ You know,’ he said at length, with another sigh, ‘ that 1 am treasurer for the Society. . Almost all the money is kept in this country, as it is supposed that English bankers are less likely than any others to disclose their customers’ secrets. Well, the money is gone ! The whole fortune of the Society—our sinews of war — it has been stolen !’ ‘ Stolen, Ivan ! I don’t understand. How could it be stolen if yon kept the money at a bank P’ ‘ It was chiefly invested in shares of various kinds, bearing interest; and there were a number of foreign bank-notes, ready for use in case of an emergency. All this treasure, amounting to nearly forty thousand pounds —’ ‘ Forty thousand pounds !’ ‘Yes; as much as that. It was placed in a box and deposited at the bank. I am responsible for its safety —J, you understand, and it is gone.’ ‘ But how ?’ ‘ Some one has forged my name, and those of two other members of tbe Society whose signatures were necessary ; and acting on this forged letter, which was apparently in perfect order, the bank manager handed over tbe box. I cannot blame him.’ ‘ Who caa have done it ?’ ‘l can’t think who can have done it, I called on Petrovitch and An-

drienx, the two whose signatures were on the forged order. Apdrieux was out, but I saw Of course, he knew nothing of p. ije is dreadfully cut up. But Lwfn the one who is responsible.’ . 1 ‘ Oh, Ivan !’ * ‘ Certainly. I am the treasurer. I was not obliged to follow the rule about making the consent of tbe other ndSesaary before removing the box, but I adopted it to make things secure, as I thought. Some one connected with the Society must have done it !’ 1* You have no suspicions ?’ ‘ No, But that is a secondary matter. How am I to account for the loss ?’ ‘ You did your beat, Ivan. No one can reproach you.’ ‘ That is all you know, Veronica,’ said her brother, bitterly. ‘ I have enemies among the members of the committee. They will say —or they will insinuate —that ?, was a party to the theft.’ ‘ You, Ivan ! A LubinofE a thief ! ’ ‘ They will say it. They will declare that I have secretly got somebody to do this, giving them all the necessary information and keeping myself in the background. They will connect this with your withdrawal from tbe Society. Forgive me, Vera; I did not mean to wound you. Indeed, I hardly know what I am saying.’ ‘ Ivan,’ said Veronica, after a pause, have you told the police of the robbery ? ’ ‘ Not yet. Our leaders are very unwilling to appeal to the police at any time. It is hardly possible to do so without letting them know too much. I must write to the committee for instructions.’ ‘ How would it do to consult Mr Hart ? ’ Ivan thought a moment before answering. Hart was a man who had formerly been in the detective service of the London police, and who still occasionally undertook business on bis own account. He had been recommended to LubinofE on a former occasion, when the Russian, then a stranger to England, had been greatlj in need of help, and his services had been most useful. 1 He is a shrewd man,’ said Ivan, thoughtfully, ‘ and he can keep a secret. Besides, having been employed in the police force, he must know many of the criminals of London. He may be able to help me to recover some part of the property, and he can at least advise me as to whether I should seek help from Scotland Yard or not. Yes ; I will go to him.’ ‘ Had you not better go at once, brother ? ’ ‘ You are right. I will go now. But the stain of this dishonour will never be washed away. I feel certain that the money cannot, be recovered.’ ‘ Let us trust in God,’ said Veronica quietly. Ivan looked at her curiously. It had been assumed between them, without any conversation on the subject, that they had each abandoned their religious beliefs, and had adopted the blank denials of the Nihilist party. This reference to the Almighty as one from whom help might be sought came strangely, Ivan thought, from his sister’s lips. ‘ Doesn’t it seem rather mean to fly on the Almighty, if there be an Almighty, when one is in trouble or difficulty, if one has ignored him at other times P’ he asked, lightly. * Better, perhaps, then, than not at at all,’ said the girl, gently, as she threw her arm round her brother’s neck and kissed him. Ivan set out on his errand ; and Veronica, going up to her own room,

fell on her knees, and prayed with all her might that this great trouble which had fallen on them might be relieved by the finding ot the treasure.

Prayer did not come naturally to her lips. She did not revert to the forms taught her in her childhood, as one who had been faithful to her religion would instinctively have done. She did not even say ‘ Our Father; * indeed she had half forgotten it. She did not even feel feel sure that there was any unseen Being listening who could help her. She only poured out her Heart for this one thing, and then some time quietly on her Surely her very, kneeling -sy'is a prayer. / Hart had not changed his abode. He received Ivan Lubinoff in the large, oddly-furnished sitting-room in which George Rayaer bad last seen him. The cupboard, containing suits of clothes fitted for various characters, which he used as disguises, now hardly ever touched, was in its old place in the recess. ‘ Before you mention your errand, M. Lubinoff,’ began the old man, ‘ let me tell you that I have practically given up business.’ Lubinoff’s face fell. ‘ I am sorry to hear that,’ he said, ‘ for I am in sore trouble ; and 1 know of no one else who can help me.’ ‘ What is it about ?’ ‘ I have lost forty thousand pounds, and.it was not my own. I shall be accused of stealing.’ The old man stared at this; and Lubinoff, seeing that his auditor seemed willing to listen, proceeded to tell him the whole story. When he had ended, Hart said promptly —‘ Of course one of your own Society has pat up somebody to do this. Whom do you suspect ?’ ‘No one. Only two knew anything about it; and 1 feel certain of both of them. Might not one of the bank clerks have given the necessary information P,

‘lt is possible. Have you informed the police F’ * No. Do yon think I ought ?’ ‘ It might be of service in a case of this kind; but I -will make a few inquiries myself in the first place.’ ‘ Thank you a thousand times, Mr Hart. It 'will be like a rising from the dead to enable me to restore this property. If it is finally lost, I shall hardly be able to endure the shame, the suspicoins, the misery of it.’ ‘We must hope foa the best,’ said Hart; but I admit that the tracing of a miscellaneous lot of securities is a very difficult, often an impossible task. You have a list of them, of course ?’ ‘ Yes, I have a list at home; but the numbers of the share certificates are not specified in all instances.’ ‘ My®good sir,’ said Hart, in an icy tone, ‘ it seems to me that if you had desired to make things easy for the thief, and to render it next to impossible to recover the securities, you could hardly have acted otherwise than you have done.’ ‘ Don’t you see that is exactly what my enemies will say of me,’ said Lubinoff, sharply. The old man shrugged his shoulders. ‘ Well, we must do our best,’ he said. ‘ Send me as complete a list of the contents of the box as you can, and give me the names and addresses of the two men whose names were forged as well as your own, and describe them, to me.’ This was done. ‘ Now, who, beside these two, knew you had all this money in your keeping P ’

‘No one ; I am certain, at least, that I told nobody not even my own sister.’ ‘ Post the list of securities to me to-night, so that I may have it in the morning,’ said Hart. ‘As soon as I find out anything, I will call on you.’ ‘ I thank you from my heart,’ said Lubinoff, ‘ for consenting to help me. As to y©ur remuneration, I cannot say ranch, for, as you know, I have given up all my property which was not confiscated by the Russians to our Society. But‘if these securities

are recovered, I will do my best to get the committee to make you a proper retnrn for yonr services. The only answer to this was a nod and a wave of the hand on the part of the old detective. And so the conference ended.

Before noon on the following day Hart had proved to his own satisfaction that Andrieux had at least had a hand in the robbery. He had ascertained beyond a doubt that the Frenchman had not been at his lodgings, and had not been seen at any of his old haunts, since the day after the robbery had been committed. The discovery, however, was not of very much importance. It was impossible to trace Andrienx. He had too good a start. He might be concealing himself in. London, or he might have fled to France or to America.

It was not tbe thief Hart wanted, but the stolen treasure.

- In the course of the day he had the list of securities which he had received from LubinofE printed, and copies of it despatched to the exchanges in the provinces. He also made it his business to have it brought under the notice of all the London bankers and stockbrokers. Lastly, he had called at the bank, and got an accurate description of the man who had presented the forged order. From tbe description, he fixed at once on Bracknell, who was the man it may be remembered, who had tried to rob him on the morning when George Rayner had so opportunely come to his assistance. In order to make sure he went to Scotland Yard, and after some trouble he obtained the loan of Bracknell’s photograph, which was, of course, kept there, among the portraits of convicted criminals. Armed with this, he went back to the bank; and tbe bank manager had no difficulty in recognising the photograph as that of the man who carried off the box.

So far, this was satisfactory; bat Hart did not deceive himself; he knew that very little progress had been made. He had no way of discovering Bracknell’s quarters; and even if he had found them, the chances were that Bracknell, as well as, Andrieux, had disappeared. He had hoped he would find that some of the stolen property had been sold or pledged in London; but, in spite of his diligence, be could find no trace of it. After going home that evening he said to bis landlady—- ‘ Alfred at home this evening, Mrs Mawson P’ ‘He is, Mr Hart, and has been at home all day. His holiday has come rather late in the season, unfortunately.’ * His holiday !’ echoed Hart. ‘ I thought Mr Hill had been ’on the Continent. How can Alfred leave the office at the same time ?’ ‘ There was very little doing, sir, Mr Hill being away ; so Mr Hill kindly wrote to Alfred, and said he might take a month, Very considerate of him, no doubt ; yet the beginning of October is so late for the season that ’ ‘ Certainly, Mrs Mawson. Just so. Quite agree with you. I should like to see Alfred at once, please.’ In Jess than a minute the young man was in the room. 4 How is this, Mawson ? You have been absent from the office for some time, I hear; and you have never told me a word about it!’ ‘Really, sir, I thought it of no importance. Mr Hill wrote to me, and said —’ ‘ Have you his letter ?’ ‘ I think I have it upstairs, sir. 5 4 Go and fetch it.’ 4 Having got the letter, the old man examined it minutely, writing, paper, postmarks and all.’ ‘ Posted three days before the robbery was committed,’ said he to himself. ‘lt seems tolerably clear that he has had no hand in it. When did Mr Hill leave home ?’ he asked aloud. 4 First week in September, sir. Went to Scotland with Mrs Hill. He said he was going to Germany by

way of Leith.’ Hart took a photograph out of his pocket. ‘ls that the man I told you to keep a look out for ?’ ‘ That’s the very man, sir ! ’ cried Ihe clerk. ‘ That’s the man who was coming and going to our office the whole of August, just as I told you.’ ‘ He’s not been back since Hill left ?’

‘ Not once, sir.’ * Then he must have known what Hill’s movements were to be. They didn’t go off together, Hill and this man —you’re sure of that p’ ‘ Perfectly sure of that, sir. I saw Mr Hill off, as you bade me. Mr and Mrs Hill went together by themselves. I didn’t see that gentleman anywhere about the station.’

‘ You have done very well on the whole, Alfred. Here’s a trifle to help you to spend yonr holiday. Only, you should have told me of that letter sooner.’

‘ Clearly Hill has nothing to do with this,’ he muttered to himself, after the clerk had left the room. ‘ The banker tells me that Andrieux was one of the three trustees until after the date when Hill went away. And now I find that, allowing time for travel, he must have been abroad up to the very eve of the robbery. No. I must try to trace Bracknell and Andrienx. I believe they have bolted and carried the securities with them.’

CHAPTER XXXIY. ‘ I WILL NOT BE OUTDONE BT Generosity.’

Hart had told Lubinoff that he would write him as soon as he had anything to communicate; but the unhappy Russian found it impossible to remain quietly at home. He called upon the detective almost every day ; bat he got very little for his pains. Hart did not tell him that Andrieux had disappeared, merely saying that he would be glad to know if he heard anything of him. Andrieux had left word at his lodgings that he would be back in a fortnight ; so Lubinoff supposed, not unnaturally, ihal he had been sent away on business connected with the Society. He would as sooii have doubted his sister’s integrity as he would have doubted that of his comrade. Ivan was absent on one of these visits to Hart, and Veronica was alone, when, one afternoon, Mr Hill was announced.

‘ I cannot see him,’ said the girl to herself, ‘ yet why not P He may have some reason for wishing to see me. But I wish Ivan were at home.’ She went down to him, and after a little talk he said to her in a tone of kindly interest, ‘ I see you have something on your mind Miss Lubinoff. I hope nothing has occurred to cause you pain or annoyance ?’

- ‘We are in trouble,’ sbe said, simply. ‘ I naed not say I am grieved to hear it, and that I vyould gladly help you if I could.’ ‘ I know you would,’ ‘ Perhaps the trouble is about — family matters ?’

‘ Yes.’ ‘lt has nothing to do with the Society, I hope ?’ ‘ Yes, it has,’ was the hesitating answer.

Hill saw that she was in doubt whether she ought to tell him the story of the lost securities or not. ‘I am a member of the Society, you know,’ he began. ‘ Yes, but this chiefly concerns ourselves. In one word, Mr Hill, we are mined, disgraced for ever.’ And Vera told the story, to which Hill listened with the utmost attention. ‘lt will kill my brother,’ she said, in conclusion. ‘He is buoyed up with hope now ; but when that has vanished, when the Central Committee are made aware of the loss —’ ‘ Has be not told them of it P’ asked Hill, quickly. 4 Not yet. A deputation will be here from (hem in three days to audit the accounts. He thought Oh ! he will kill himself, 1 fear, rather

than face them. I know he will; and then all w ill consider him guilty —all but God and I.’

‘.ln three days,’ repeated Hill, as if speaking to himself. ‘ Yes, .in three days. I urged him to write at once, but he hoped that the bulk of the property might be recovered, and he fancied it would be easier to explain verbally—such a delusion !’

‘ Miss Lubinoff,’ cried Hill, earnestly, ‘ I beg you not to give up hope. I think it is possible the securities may be recovered, and I will tell you why I think so. ‘ I am, as you know, a financier. I have business relations with all kinds of people, some of them great rascals. It is my belief that the thief has disposed of the shares, and stock, and notes, to some person who intends to keep them until he can find a market for them—you understand ? If this course has been followed (and it is the usual plan thieves take) it is more than likely, it is almost certain, that the whole of the stolen securities are in one man’s hands. I will search for this man ; I will institute inquiries by safe and sure channels, and if we find the who has them we must buy them back.’

‘ Bay them back ? Could not the police torce him to give them up ?’ ‘ Don’t you see, my dear Miss Lubinoff, that in order to find the securities I must employ persons who are thieves or the friends of thieves. It would not do to get these people’s confidence and then betray them to the police.’ ‘ No, no ; of course not.’ ‘ Besides, the papers would be carried off or destroyed long before the police could get at them. Probably I shall be told (supposing that my inquiries are successful) that if a certain sum of money is paid to a certain person, the stock and shares will be handed over.’ ‘ But we have no money to pay for them,’ said Veronija, simply ; and it would require a large sum would it not.’ ‘ How much property was stolen ? ’ * Forty thousand pounds’ worth,’ Hill opened his eyes in pretended amaseraent, then dropped them again as if engaged in a mental calculation. ‘ Never mind. Miss Lubinoff,’ he said, with a smile, ‘if I find the documents you shall have them.’ ‘ But! It might take your whole fortune.’ ‘ What does that matter, compared with your brother’s honour, bis life.’ ‘ I cannot —I cannot accept it,’ cried Veronica, greatly agitated. ‘ The sacrifice is too great.’ ‘ The sacrifice would have been yours as well as mine if— ’ He did not complete the sentence, but Veronica understosd him. ‘ And you offer to do all this for us —for nothing,’ said the girl in a low tone, growing red one moment, pale as death the next. ‘Of course, and 1 am glad to have the opportunity of showing—of serving you,’ said Hill, his voice trembling with anxiety. ‘ Then I will not be outdone in generosity,’ said the girl, rising and drawing herself up, though she was forced to lem her hand upon the back of 9 chair to steady herself. ‘ I have nothing else to offer you ; but if yon still wish —what you asked for the other evening, and if you can be content with such —esteem as I can give you, I will— ’ She stopped, steadied her voice, and went on. ‘lf you can save my brother from disgrace ; if you can get back this property by Friday night, I will marry you.’ ‘ Ob, Veronica ! ’ There was no pretence in the joy and gratitude with which these words were uttered. But the expression in the girl’s face forced him to try to hide something of his delight and his sense of triumph. ‘ Only three days!’ he exclaimed. ‘ But if the securities are still in London, I am confident I can find them.’ Veronica was moving to the door, when Hill stopped her. ‘ One moment,’ he said. There

are one or two points we must speak of. If I can lay my hands on the shares I will come and tell you at once. But there may be some little difficulty in sending them. In any case, you will promise that no questions shall be asked of the messenger ?’ Veronica bowed her head.

‘ And in the next place, the agreement must be kept a profound secret from your borther.” ‘WhyP’ ‘ Don't you see that he never would allow you to sacrifice yourself, as he would think it, for his sake? He must not know —he must not suspect for one moment —that I have anything whatever to do with the stolen property —that is, if I can recover it,’ added Hill, with a sigh. ‘ But will he nob naturally connect our engagement with the great and unexpected deliverance from our trouble ?’ ‘Ho I will see him to-morrow end beg him to intercede with you for me. If I (or the man I will depend upon, rather, for that part of the work) can lay hands on the stolen property within the three days, I will come and tell you. Your brother will expect to hear that you have accepted me : and be will ascribe it to what he himself will have said to you.’ 1 Bat that looks like deceiving him,’ said V eronica, with a troubled look in her eyes. ‘ We must deceive him if our plan is to succeed, if his disgrace is to be averted,’ said Hill, earnestly ; ‘ and, besides, my safety is involved —I cannot explain how at present —but my safety is involved in your keeping my secret. To ‘compound a felony,’ as it is called, is an offence in the eye of the law. Neither your brother nor anyone else must know that I have had anything to do with the matter. If it were known that 1 held intercourse with people of that stamp, even through an agent, my reputation would be gone—gone for ever. You will promise me to say nothing to hetrav me ?’

* Certainly, I promise,’ said Veronica. * 1 need only hold my tongue, and keep my own counsel,’ she added to herself. ‘Mr Hill has a right to ask as much as that.’

‘ I will do my best,’ said Hill, preparing to take his leave. * Good - bye,’ answered Veronica, and as she gave him her hand, he bent down and kissed it. The tonch of her fingers on his lips made the bleed tingle through every vein in his body, and he walked away from the house with a glow of triumph in his eyes. But Veronica, before the street door had closed behind him, burst into a passionate flood of tears It seemed to her that he had imprinted on her hand a burning, an indelible stain.

The day after this interview between Mr Hill and Veronica, Ivan Lubinoff received a letter from Hill, begging him to use his influence with his sister on his behalf. ‘ I may tell you,’ said Hill, ‘ that I pleaded my own cause, and was rejected ; but I have not given up hope. I think your sister regards me as a friend, and is well disposed to me, and that a word from you might tarn the scale. A word is all I ask.’ And Ivan did speak that word. He pointed out to Vera that his future was very uncertain, that he did not even know that he would be able to afford her the means of livelihood ; and be hinted more than hinted —that if she could make up her mind to accept Hill, if she did not positively dislike him, he would be rejoiced to see her married. Veronica listened in silence, and said only same vague words by way of reply. She did not see the necessity for all this underhand dealing; but she supposed Mr Hill must have some good reason for preventing her brother from knowing that he would be indebted to him for the recovery of the lost treasure. Three days had to elapse, and on the fourth the delegate from the committee would arrive at Aylmer Terrace.

On the afternoon ot the third day Hill went to Hampstead, and

watched at a little distance until he saw Ivan Lubinoff leave his house. He did not wish Lubinoff to see him at Aylmer Terrace that day. When tke coast was clear he went up to the house, and asked for Veronica. He was shown at once into a room where she was sitting. ‘I have found them, Veronica!’ he cried, going up to her, and holding out both his hands.

Veronica drew back, her eyes wide open, as if in terror. Not a word could she speak. ‘ Are you not glad P ’ he said, sitting down near her. He spoke in a cheerful tone, but a pained look was on his face.

* Glad ? Oh, yes ; lam very glad.’ ‘You do not repent your promise, I hope ? ’ he asked, wistfully.

With an inward shudder she answered, ‘No; I will keep my word.’

‘ The box will be here this evening,’ said Hill, after a pause ; ‘ and I believe nothing has been abstracted from it—or very little. You will have the pleasure of giving it to your brother with your own hands.’

‘ Yes. That will be delightful! ’ And for the first time a faint smile stole into her face.

‘ Then may I— we are engaged, Veronica ? ’

‘lf you still wish it. But I have no fortune. Indeed, 1 fear I have cost you the greater part of yours. How much had you to pay to get back the securities ? ’

‘ Never mind now,’ Hill answered, with a smile. ‘Ae we betrothed, dear Veronica ? You believe I lave yon, surely ? ’

‘ Yes, I believe it. You have given me abundant proof of it. But I cannot- I must tell you the truth—l cannot love you in return. It is very ungrateful of me, I know,’ she added, with a strange humility in her tone ; very ungrateful, after all you have done for us. I have tried,’ she added, simply, in a whisper, ‘ but I cannot.’ ‘lf yon will only marry me, Veronica, I shall be satisfied. Love will come afterwards, darling ! ’ He knelt beside her, and took her in his arms, and kissed her passionately. And she, poor girl, yielded to his embrace. She could not do otherwise.

‘ I must go now,’ he said, kissing her bands and then her face once more. ‘ I will call soon to arrange about the wedding. You will not keep me waiting long, I hope, dearest ! ’ '

‘ Ho,’ she added sadly ; it would be unjust to keep you waiting.’ When he was gone, Veronica went upstairs, and once more fell on her knees. She tried to pray; but no words, either of thanksgiving for the recovery of the money, or of entreaty, would come to her. Her former prayer had, indeed, been answered ; but at what a cost ! As to her new sorrow, it seemed beyond the power of God Himself to avert it. It must come, she thought. She must pay the price—the price of her brother’s honour.

Some hours passed away, and still Ivan did not return. A horrible fear stole into Vera’s heart. Was it possible that, having despaired of recovering the stolen property, and, too much alarmed to meet the delegates of the committee next day, b* bad destroyed himself. Her anxiety became so great that she put on her hat, wrapped herself in a shawl, and went down the street in the hope of meeting him. When she had got as far as the busier thoroughfare she returned, and then she set out again. Again she came back, and a third time she went out, with beating heart, straining her eyes for the familiar figure, and a third time she came back alone.

As she was about to set oat once more, the noise of wheels fell on her ear. She went into the house and waited.

Soon she was able to distinguish the rattle of two cabs. The first stopped opposite the door. It was a hansom. Ivan sprang out and ran up the steps. ‘ I have been detained,’ he said, hurriedly. £ Are you going out ?’

Veronica clung to him with both her hands.

‘ No, Ivan ; only I was afraid for you.’ ‘ Afraid ?’ he stopped short, for he had understood her. Meantime the second cab had driven up. A commissionaire alighted from it, and lifted out a box which he carried up the steps. ‘Might I ask your name, sir he to Ivan, who still stood close to the open door.

•My name is Lubinoff,’ said the Russian.

‘ Then this is for you,’ said the man, pointing to the box which lay at his feet.

‘ For me P My God !it is the box. Open it, Vera. See if it is safe. It is not empty, I can tell that by the weight. They have repented, perhaps. They have brought it back !’ He turned to question the messenger, but be had disappeared. Soon they had forced open the box, and Ivan turned over the packets of papers wfth rapid fingers. l lt is all here,’ he said, trembling from head to foot.

‘ My brother, you are saved !’ cried Vera; but her unspoken thought was ‘at what a cost you shall never know V

(To be continued)