CHAPTER XLI.

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

CHAPTER XLI.

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF IVAN., They reached ■ Paris in the -mornjuig^-and Wat took Vera at once to th 4 e tiotel where he hrid retained 1 a room for himself. She would have gone with him" to see Ivan" 1 ovez'-ridjing 1 all conventionality, in order to'have 1 her' fears satisfied at once. this Wat would not allow, and sfiV had fallen -into such a habit of -believing ' that Wat could do no wrong that she stifled • her, fears, and consented to- remain |behind. , • , ' ' And pjease rest yourself, countess:' ' I am rested. ' Wat looked at the weary little woman and laughed. 1 ''Promise me that you will rest while I am gone.' • ' • - ' ''Let me wait until you come back.' 4 Nonsense ! 1 want to preserve my credjt' with Ivan by presenting you t© him -as beautiful as when- he- last saw you.* The countess blushed, but yielded, for she was not indifferent to her looks' when, Ivan was in question. She promised, and' retired to Kathe and sleep, while Wjbb, with an uneasy feeling, « took a cab and hurried to Ivan's rooms. • '*Is Monsieur Horwitz 'at home?' asked Wfjit. '!No, monsieur,' replied the^ concierge * , The answer did' not surprise Wat. /' v ''Do you know when he will be home V 'No, monsieur.' ' " ' Wh'en'did he go out V --■-'• • ' "I 1 dp \\\h remember, monsieur.' ' ( Wat tdok some money froni' 'His pocVetJ ' "handlediit'airaomßtttr and 1 put* ib. back in his • pocket again. ''|How much,' 'he askedl^quietfyy *' were you paid for fbrg^tfcin^?'' '•" *'\ >> r\ The concierge began tp'tflustel* &bout being insulted, when Wat stopped him with : ' Now don't be foolish; Answer me decentlj, and it will be to your pi-ofit. Try to be smart and you wilU fife(J y.otipsplf in prison ; for, ,if ydu do! not' . 'knWil,' "E-'doh't. mind telling j'ou that you are probably mixed up in an unpleasant scrape.' ' What do you say?. What , scrape, ?,, <L know nothing of any scrape,'* cried the concierge; uneasily,, » -. , ' , ' ''' 'How much ''Were -you paid' » not to" tell' 1 anybody who inquired about the movements of Monsieur Horwitz ?' The man squirmed, looked unhappy, and finally blurted out : \ , , • But if I tell you that, I might as well say that I know something \ , , ' Precisely. And the sooner ,you tell^me"' what you know, the better it.Vill be' for y° u -' . „ . ' '-. . ' ' But, monsieur ' '■ ' " 'How much were you' paid, 'for the first thing?' ' One hundred francs, if 'you .will' have it ;, 'but, l swear to you I did not 'know 1 of anyreason why I should not take it.?, t . „ , * There was no reason, of course. Now listen to me. If you will tell me the whole truth I will give you one hundred and fifty francs. ' If you will not, I will have you shown the inside of a prison. • Which will' you hav,e V .3 „.,».« ' I'll take the money, 5 answered\tne man,, with "a poor attempt at an easy laugh. ' Here it is, and it is yours the moment I' am through with you., Be sure you t+ell me . nothing but the truth.' ' • ' : 'Rest easy,', monsieur., You have" i pa?d;' me .the most. You should have -.ofier.ed n^e,; the money, first.' , „ - t ;, ■'..;!•., ' Ifc was just as well to frighten -you first. When did Monsieur Horwitz leave his apartments ?' io , ' Night before last.' ' '"•••. ''Alone V- ' • .-•.«' 'No, monsieur' — with agentleman who' has . been several times to his. rooms before.' ■ 'Do you- kpow his name ?' „ • ',\ ' He always went in and announced- himself, but I think he was Count Somebody.' :' What did he look "like?' ' , ]' TiilY, fihe-look'mg, 1 but very'lia'tighty.' ' '•A full,' curling bear^d?'' 1 >• l < |l!> ' - ' Yes, monsieur,'- ' * >'.'*■ if Did he \Vear any'ringa oYi'his fingers?' • • ' Yes, he wore ' a very"' handsome emerald , on the first finger of 'his right hancV * 'It was lie who paid you not to, tell anybody about Monsieur Horwit'z.' >* How do you know that?' '[' ' ' ' You know so well the appearance of his hands.' ' • - .-. t. * . • „ . The concierge laughed clumsily,-' 'and' .feared this man 1 who .-questioned so sharply and guessed so well more than ever. ' '.' < '. '■ Is there n b more ?' asked Wat. . „ , . ; . ' I "have a letter for someone -vmp is to* -'Oive it' tome.' ' "" \ «' '^, \ 'But, monsieut,' ibis not for, you.' ' ,"7 ' How d 6 you know ?' •'••!.> • It is for a young'iuan with a smooth face,and whose name is — ■ — - *

f Well,, what is his name ?' 'Monsieur Denton."'"" ,---»* . ~ /,» c My name is Denton, and I hav^a smooth j&qpwhen I shave my f ape, \ """ *" "" ' Tf Bub if I give you this litter— '-!•' ,""' If you give it to me ? You will give, T j,b to nic wifchoufr.any^.ifa:" „ Conae-rvoub-with fi. fi -■ i -* ' >l "V- - - " ID ! . • - r"i • J ' *• -s. The<i3aji k brOTight>p.ui} a letter aitjd.gafejfit -'. r&ucbanbly to Wat.- , ' . <*•>*•',£"> 1- • Wat saw that it was, In/facb, addreslea"* 4 .to'Jiim, and so, without hesitation, he broke bhe seal, and read'ib. :!l ' ' ' ' • : "« - The .handwriting was a poor imitation of Ivan's, as" Wat 'could, see with* ou t'compatiSg +& it with the lefctfer he had inbis pocket. - It waB4n*Pr^hch,'and'iread. as,£dllowB '; 2^ ' Dear Mr Denton :— lf yon 'sKdiilcL'tre'turn before I do, thisrfgJtp r le^ you J?nOM{^%bat Jf., have b ( een called to tlie south of Fiap,qe,Qn,imppftant. business. .. '.' '• " * '•■* .:•'-•■'•<• * -t .*<Yours tculy ; --"f '1" : .<••-, ♦ Ivan Horwitz.' '••Did Monsieu'E^SCaßwit^ lea^e jjjfiis Jetter^ in your bands ?' 4 Not exactly Mpnsieur Horwitzj- but bis .friend.' „ • .-, " „-. »-' ■ 'When-;?' r -," „ 1 They had.^een g^jje Tyjb a few minutes 7 " l^ when he c^gme runni^ back and said" ■' .this: letter was to be given to Monsieur 11 ' 4 ,, Denton, describing him as I have told you..' ' ' And did he give you*'the- money at the same time-?'' -<w*.U'-.',. - ! . • _„•. . ,- , v; ; 'Yes, monsieur.' _, - . - Haye'you-seeh neither-j&f-the^gentlpmen Bince?' .. . •- s.;-.: 1, - «•-" ', l * No,- monsieur.'. ..^ „. '- * Leb.aiednto Mpnsieu^JHor^ibz's'roo^f.'-' ' * Indeed, monsieur, -^1 w*ov^d i^6b ! cjli'ret\', " ' •"'Bosh! I,efc me in'," Fsay lV -'".■'"'■ "'* £Jf,y.oii.>v p ill ta"k,e the respohsibrlity--?' ** •'" ' CerFainly, ' tet me in.' ' "•—..••»"«••_-»« The concierge, unable 'tb 1 resist'- Wait; 1 --: opened the door of Ivan's apartments, and *> the latter'toade a searching investigatioa of. ; bH'em. -" - "' ■ -'-".'".. •li"^ He learned only, one bhing from them,-, y however, and," bhough that was a startling;, - thing enough, it drcl' not -re veal anything". unexpected. ... " * '"" -It was evident,' from -the condition of everything, that 'lvan had gone out, expecting to return the same evening. - „ His gas, for example,,, was still burning ,in the dressing-room,- and' there 'were fifty other indications of tthe.sajne' thing. ' That will dd'foKrihe presetftj' .said, Wat. 'I have only one thing to say to you before I go.' " "* What is that, monsieur V ■ ' Don't .betray me _td firsts one who comes along^ asking questions, or. ' I'll » " cerbainly tpake , you 'very sorry for i^. 3 ■ • . 1 Yes, monsieur.' - ,;".'. "' You Relieve me,, 'don't'yoti '?' * ' .' - '"Ye's^fiibnsieur:' •'{ ' ' .-■-»-. • C-:.,-.:.i 4