WHY DID HE LOVE HER?

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9876, 22 February 1901, Page 3

WHY DID HE LOVE HER?

CSAPEB XXlV.—Continued.

'?Bui will the emperor permib so unceremonious a departure?'

"I have served Nicholas long add faithfully, and he will nob refuse an urgent request from me. I shall write him, a private letter, giving him my reasons for a speedy departure, and it will be arranged You Unusb also write to the American minister, and ask leave to travel. There will be nk> di eulty about granting it, as you are only, a supernumerary on bis stafi of officials.*' .

Fontoni drew a portfoliol towards himself, and begun to .■write rapidly. George followed his example, and in. another hour the two letters were on t&eir way to St. Petersburg. When this business waa completed, ]t|he baron! said to his young companion :

"Now; tell me of my daughter. Is she lovely? Though of course' you think so, for you are in love with her."

"She is charming, as she is good and truei" • '•■'

"You. were children together; tell me of every trait that can give me a clue to her nature. I would give much to know if she resembles her mother; I once Tvad a miniature of my wife, but it was stolen from me with other things that were only valuable to me. If I could show'you that, you could tell me if her child is her sweet counterpart."

With tEe enthusiasm of a lover, George described all the charming traits of Isola, and the baron listened with eager interest. When this subject was exhausted he said: *

"You have proved to me that you love her truly and adorningly, George, and I accept you as my future son-in-law. But we must rescue her, and in -order to-do that, I hnust learn every particular about these impostors. Senora Rosel'li is the ha.lf sister o£ my deceased wife, there can bo no mistake in that, for she was known to ChCude as well as myself. She is a woman I always disliked and mistrusted, but I dad not believe lier to bs capable of such villany as this. She was iv widow, with, -one child, who was kept in the country, and I da not think my brother could have been aware of her ex. istence. That girl moist have beeni reared to personate my daughter; but how thsy obtaind the proofs necessary to satisfy Claude of the validity of her claim is v. mystery to me. Gave me an accurate description of the fellow who represents, him. self as a clergyman—flor of course he ir> not ants —and I may gain a clue to his identity."

Keorgo obeyed, and Summerton rose • before the mental vision of the listener a living entity, but without any salient characteristic, that appealed to his mem. 'ory. He mused a few moments, and then . asked:

"Had this man no peculiarity? Is then. no mark by which he can be distinguish, ed from others?"

"Now you ask me, I do remember one He has an ugly scar across the back o. his right hand, which looks* as if it had been inflicted by the thrust of a dagger."

A sudden light flashed on Fontani, and he erolaimed, with excitement:

"My suspicion is then confirmed! It iT Thomas Somers, a man I once had in in., employment; the same who stole tlu" proofs to which I have referred. He took a box containing the certificate of my marriage with Savell Savelli, her miniature, and the letters that passed betwetn us after my departure for Russia^ No doubt the plan he has since carried out was then conceived, and these things taken to insure its success. This Somers was subtle astute, and well educated; he* was quite capable of maturing such a scheme and carrying it out successfully. Though of great service to me, I never thoroughly trusted him; he left' me abruptly, and entered the service ol an English gentleman who was' about to return home, and after he was gone the box was missed I made 1 many efforts to trace, him and recover my property, but he evaded them nil. I picked him up in a strange manner, and I afterwards blamed myself for placing any ■ confidence in him."

He paused as if in reverie, and Berkely asked:

"In wßat manner, sir, if the question is not indiscreet? 1'

"It is not; I. have no motive for concealing how I-.met with him. He wa« the director 01-a-ihinpr theatre which the em. peror protected, though ro never attended it. Somers Iximsellf was one of the chief actors, tmd I have been told that he was an incomparable 'down.. He got into difficulties, was broken up, and his company dispersed. He applied to me for such employment as would nabl© him to get his bread) I found that he had much shrewdness and intelligence, and I employed him as a valet. No doubt he peered into everything that cainie under his observation; he probably already knew Senora Roselii, and with his natural acuteness conceived the. idea of making her and her daughter accomplices in the fraud he had so boldly attempted. He must also have, been aware of my antecedent^ though. he carefully concealed such knowledge from me."

While Fontani was speaking, a thought occurred to Berkely, and he rapidly asked: (

"Among his other accomp-ishmente, •was Somers a good ventriloquist? 1* "Yes —the finest I ever heard; for he occasionally exerted his talents for my amusement." aorge sprang up in irrepressible excitement. "Then the strange mystery is solved Bis was the warning voice that has driven Mr Fontaine to madness! His infernal sEill produced the turmoil of sounds which have fiHed the old house for months past. It da nil explained now, and this man is a demon." "What can you mean? There was nothing of this in the letters I read." • 'No>} but previous ones, which came to mo before I left Sfc. Petersburg, spoke of tha strange noises that haunted La Fontaine, and the voice which had rqjeatedly commended your brother to send Isola Iran? (bis hauso, I sea through iji all now; Beta's is a consummate actor and the mental and bodily health, of my 'old friend have been destroyed by the ruthless practices of this wretch. I will bring- you Isola's earlier letters, and youi can yourself read the account she gives.'' (To be contuMud.)