CHAPTER XIII.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 377, 15 June 1889, Page 3

CHAPTER XIII.

•\\AT AND IVAN-HAVE AN INTERVIEW. Ivan bowed to Sofia, and rejoining Chevnigoff, who had' remained aloof during the meeting, said a fo\v words to him and went out. Wat followed him, and intercepted him as he came out of the coat-room. ' Do'l speak to Mr- Ivan Rorwitz?' he inquired ii» English. i'Yes.' ' Your father, learning of your trouble in Russia, sent me there to aid you. I have followed you Lo Paris. lam a detective.' ' Ah,' said Ivan coldly, ' I had heard there was a man claiming ' ' That will do, sir,' interrupted Wat, haughtily. '1 suppose you will recognise your fathei's writing?'. He drew forth his letter of introduction, and handed it to Ivan. Ivan read it, and a puzzled expression passed over his face. ' You will excuse me, 5 ho said, in a more polite tone, ' for my hasty remark, but I —' ' You were warned to be on your guard against such a man as I represent myself to be, eh ?' 'Yes.' ' Well, suppose even that I am an impostor would you be afraid to trust yourself alone with me for a few minutes V Ivan smiled with the confidence of a man who is afraid of nothing. ' No. Besides, f owe io to myself to hear what the bearer of- such a letter has to say.' ' Thank you. Do you know when the Count Chernigoft" will leave' here 1' ' Not before midnight, probably. Why ?' ' Pardon me if 1 ask one more question before answering 1 you.' 'Ask it.' ' Will the Countess Almazoff also wait until then before leaving, do you think ?' ' [ am not certain, but I think so.' ' Now, sir, if you will accompany mo to any cafe you may prefer, providing only that it be near here, I will answer" your questions.' •Any cafe will do.' Wat led him to a cafe, where he asked for a private room and was shown to one. 1 Now, sir,' said Wat, without waiting to be asked any questions, 'it would promote confidence if you would first read all my credentials. Here they are, and I may say that I would need to be a most accomplished forger to have been able to manufacture all of them.' Ivan read the paper?, questioned Wat about his father, and then extending his hand with winning frankness, said : ' Forgive my careful investigation of your claims. There has e\ idently been a mistake made, for I was assured by a most reliable person that you were an impostor.' ' Are you quite satisfied that i am not ?' 'Quite.' ' Then will you answer some seemingly impertinent questions I would like to put to you, taking my word that the most vitnl interests are at stake and involved in your answers ?' k I will answer, unless' I think you are trenching on improper ground.' ' Why are you in Tat is, instead o,f in St. Petersburg V 'I was escorted out of the latter city, and forbidden ever .to set foot in Russia again.' ' And the prohibition has never bee.n re: moved ?' ' 'No.' ' Would you have gone back if you .could ?' 'Yes.' ' You were once betrothed to the Countess Almazoff?' Ivan flushed, hesitated, but auswered. € Yes.' ' And you broke off the betrothal yourself ?' 1 Yes, for reasons which I have since learned were false.' ' Then you loved and were betrothed to the Countess Radolinski ?' • Yes.' ' Are you still betrothed to her ?' 'Yes.' •And still love her?' 'Yes.' ' Before you lefb St. Petersburg did you write her a letter V ' Yes.' • Is this the letter you wroto to her ?' Wat handed him the letter Vera had received. Ivan took the letter with manifest uneasiness, and opened ib slowly, as if he were at the same time trying to comprehend the meaning of the singular questions pub to him. He read the letter, and then looked at Wat with a frightened expression. ' What does this mean '' he demanded, huskily. ' This is the letter Vera Radolinski received as from you,' ' What do you say ?' 'That letter was given to me by the countess's nurse, and by me handed to the countess.' • And she read it T

Ivan's eyes were full of horror, pity, and wrath. 'Yes.' • And believed ib ? Oh, poor little Vera !' 'Yes, she believed it, for she was not then in any condition to reason properly, I happonod to nobice that the ink was many days old, >and ehe was relieved ab once. ' • Bub she wroto me a long 1 lettov in reply to mine— nob bins, bub bhe one I really wrote to her,' , ' Have you that letter ?' i 'No, I destroyed ib. s 1 Why, for Heaven's sake ?' ' She asked me to_do so, in it.' ' Where was ib addressed ?' 'To Paris. I fodnd it when I arrived hore.' 4 She did not write it.' 'How do you know ?' 'She did nob know were you were. Where- is she now, do you think V 1 In hiding in Poland.' Wab shook hia head sadly. 4 Can you bear to bo told the truth 5s5 s Ivan was white, racked by dread of what he seemed to feel was hanging over him, bub his voice' hardly trembled' as he answered r ' ' l '" 'Tcll.rae.' - ./;-v' N uj; ; * , i • ' The Countess Radoiinski is atbbismo-,-mcnb in bho fortress'of §chlusseiburg?~ . .. « On' whab charge ?' ' ■•""■' ' •The murder tit her Brother, and being a nihilist.' 'But,' said -Ivan, slowly,- 'if you have told me the truth, then— then Sofia and even Chernigoff have deceived me.'