CHAPTER XXXVI.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 384, 13 July 1889, Page 3

CHAPTER XXXVI.

By NICHOLAS CARTER,

'JUMPIJSte FROM THE TRAIN. At Dunaburg the guard only smiled at the sight of Sofia sound asleep, examined the tickets once more, and went his way. Wat was not easy, however, until the train was once more on its way. Then he breathed freely, and said to Vera : - * Now we are safe until evening, when, if you have the courage, we will make our escape from here, and afterward endeavour to find our way 'over the border.' ' I will do exactly as you say. .You know that I would prefer death to falling again into the hands of the government.' Nothing further was said on the subject now, Wat riot caring to discuss the nature of his plans, and Vera content to bide 'his time. Her confidence in .him was by this time absolute. Wat had procured a luncheon at Punaburg, and this they now discussed, setting aside a portion for Sofia. The effects of the drug were not long in passing off, and they were not surprised at seeing Sofia move uneasily before they were half an hour out of Dunaburg. Wheiv^she had recovered full consciousness, she -.showed her wrath only, by, the angry, baleful light in her eyes. She .bad all the appearance of a wild beast which'-had^een subdued indeed, but which' only waits to find i't3 master off its guard to wreak its revenge. Wat 'waited for Her .to speak, 'bbti 1 not until the dreary afternoon had passed away and evening was coming on did she open her lips. ' • : • Then- she ■ only did so. because she saw Wat preparing once more to administer the chloroform.- ' You. are going to. do that thing again ?' she said. 'I£ v you> please.' * And you expect to cross the frontier ' in safety V ' Certainly..' ... t „ -", * Au'cf tojohr Ivan in Paris'?' -' ' >. ' Tftat forms a part, of our plan.'" -f ' ■' * Well, you are a man of resources, and I think --you will be able to get over the.f rentier. 5'5 ' '""•"" " . ,- ,-;- m- - 'Thank you. You cheer nie.' f; * And aI v have no doubt- you will reach Paris-without' trouble.' , : 'Thank you again.' __ I , 'But I gravely doub"t_if"you will 'meet ' Ivan there. 5 " "**"'* * J ' That is as ifc may bfe,' answered Wat, carelessly, though hesaw a -hidden meaning lying under the countess's words. ' I should not have .told you this only that lam not sure whatMSay become of me in this struggle, and.' I"' could not help letting myself -'have the 1 luxury of seeing the despair of that little serpent on learning that her Ivan wasjjjprcgyer lost to her.' Vejra did T start anxiously at. this speech, but Wa^bWly'said/mockingly"; * You &a frighten us sd, coun-tess. Please don'td'6it<again.' •■*' ' ' ' You, may laugh, .for you Have only the hireling's interest in. this ; but'look at her — she does not laugh. She has feltthe power herself, and she knows that I "speak the truth when I say that never again while she lives will she set eyes on Ivan Horwitz. I have provided for that.' As'she spoke "she was' calm, even to coldness";' but the passionate blaze of her blue eyes betrayed the pent-up anger which by the f orcej.of her will she, controlled. " . . ■ , 'Now then*' said Wat^as if nothing r pf more ordinary 'importance h'ad'been in hand, • if you are quite ready we will administer the soothing drug.' ?- 'I will nol> resist,' answered Sofia. c Y6u need not use force.' And the extraordinary woman, having made" up her mind that it was useless to struggle, actually did not make any resistance to Wat when he applied the chloroform. To insure her sleeping a longer time than before, he this time took the precaution of opening her mouth and making her swallow a few drops of the liquid. Until he was through Vera did not utter a syllable, but then she cried out, in a tone that bespoke her anxiety : 'Do you think there was any truth in what she said ?' 1 Some truth, no doubt ; but you need have no fear as to Ivan. If he is in the land of the living I will surely find him- ' But she may have caused him. to be assassinated.' 'Not at all likely.' And Wat's tone was so careless thafc Vera ! book hope. But Wat did not feel as he spoke, for, in truth, he" had grave misgivings for the fate of Ivan. , However, there was no time^ to speculate on thafc nowy. so he postponed it until the occasion should-be fit.* ► He took possession of Sofia's' satchel, and. examined all that wasin, it, with a view to finding some paper' or bit of writing that would be of use to ,him in some ,way. Nothing appeared, however, -and so he turned to Veia and said : 'I shall have bo ask you to perform a disagreeable duty.' « What is it ?' '!•- want the countess searched for papers.' Vera showed her repugnance by her looks, but she answered, unhesitatingly, ' I- will do it if you think it necessary.' 'I do.' . Wafc turned his back and looked out of the window whii« Vera prosecuted her •This is all I -can find,' said Vera, at length. ' - ' ' Wat took a- small piece of paper from her , andread ife. \ • • . ■ - • It was a receipt for a bos: of jewels from, the Russian Gonsnl a-t Paris:. -. Wat-remembered the ,pap ers he had seen , Sofia sorting-the day she lei ft ' Paris, and- he, determined.ta,ke'ep the receipt and get; the, box if he could. . ' ' , ; It was now growing more and more dark every minute, and Wav, who had been glancing out of the window every once in a while, -said- : * We will cross the nortHmrn branch of. the river Niemen before long:,, a; nd there is where we will' have to -leave thefei am.' * But how can we^?'. ■ • • 'I^remember ,fchat the to^ in slows upafter crossinig^he river,- and \fe i nust take aavan-. tage of the fact.ta.ge.fc/sut..;' , , ' But we are loeke.d-.in/ * * A lock such as this wqnl 'd never give me more than five minuses' wjot. k tp N pick.' 1 And will you jump off «j bile the train is in motion V

The Celebrated New York Detective,

'It is our only safety. Do you not dare to try it ?' 'If you say the word I will do it. Are you in earnest ?' 'I'am indeed, countess.' * Then give yo\ii* ordei'sV-and'l'prohifse to obey them, blindly. ' * You are, a brave little woman.*' ' f< t 'Not very, I am- afraid; but Tdo not 5 want to be' captured.' Wat now worked until he had unlockedthe door, t which had a self-acting lock, and then he instructed Vera in the manner in' which she was to jump. If he had been alone he would have contemplated the coming adventure with no uneasiness at all. Bub with Vera to take the same risks, he felt that it was full of danger The jump alone might prove fatal to her, for it was too dark to see where they, would land, and it was opt. of .the question for him to think of taking her in ' his arms and jumping with her. The danger, however, -he did not dwell on in .telling her how to jump. The place he had selected for the jump was a few hundred yards" the other side of the bridge spanning the river. There was a dense Wood there,' and his design was bo make his way into that and there hide until nine or ten o'clock, when he would start for the frontier. The train thundered over the bridge in familiar rattle, rattle, bang, bang style, and Wat then' opened the door and peered out. He saw the bridge walker standing by the side of the track waiting for the train to pass by. Then lie saw the switchman standing by his lever. •' - ' After that he knew that they would be safe to jump at any time. And the sooner the better, for the brain, which had been going very slowly, now began to increase its speed. A few minutes more, and it would be folly to attempt it. ' Now, countess, jump here !' Wat made room by his side on the step for the countess, and at the word the noble girl sprang off into the unknown. Wat heard a stifled cry as she landed, and then he jumped. He had closed the door of the compartment as he leaped, but that Was the only delay in following Vera. Nevertheless, he waa carried some distance beyond the spot where she had fallen, and it was with no little anxiety that he softlyretraced his steps along the track to' find hex % . He did not dare to call her name aloud, but he whispered it as he went. Presently he heard an answering voice, saying : 'Here I am.' He went toward the voice, and found Vera caught in a tangled thicket into which she had fallen. She was a little bruised, bub otherwise unhurt, and Wat thankfully helped her to extricate' herself. "