CHAPTER XLII. NERA'S DETERMINATION.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 386, 20 July 1889, Page 6

CHAPTER XLII. NERA'S DETERMINATION.

"Wat now wont directly to the apartments of Chernigoff. • Is the Count ChernigofT in ?' he asked. ' No, monsieur ; he has left here.' 1 Not to return, do you'me'an ?' 'Not to return. ( , . 'When did he go? 1 ' ' Night before last.' - , • Do you know where he i& to be found ?' 1 No, monsieur.' ' He left no word whatever ?' 'Not a word.' ' I am a friend of his ; may I look through his rooms ? Perhaps he lett some message for mo there.' ' The rooms have been cleared for another occupant, and nothing: of the count's can possibly be there. Still, if monsieur will care to look, he may.' ' Never mind., thank you.' And Wat hurried away. He had yet one more place to go to before he could return to Vera with the bad news. He first went tohis costumier's, where he exchanged his clothes for Sofia's suit of livery lie had left there. Having also made his face up as it was before, he returned to the countess, and with as much assurance as if he had never deserted his post, went into the palace. •Is the countess home yet ?' he inquired of one of the footmen, who had some difficulty in recognising him. • She is. Got home about six hours ago. Bub won't you catch it from the butler !' 'I don't care for- him. Has the countess been out yet V • Out yet ? No. She went right to bed, and hasn't got up yet.' ' All right. I'm going out again ' • Shall I tell the butler you've been here V ' Just as you please.' Dressed just as he was, Wat now hastened to the Russian consul's, and asked for that functionary. He was ushered into an inner office, and there stated his business : ' The Countess Alraazoff sent me for a box the left with you a few days ago.' 4 Did she not give you an order ?' 'No, sir, she sent her apologies and said she hoped you' would forgive her ; but she was too tired to write an order, and wouldn't the receipt do ?' ' The receipt I gave her ?' 'Yes. sir.' ' 1 guess so. I don't see why not. Have you the receipt?'' Wat handed it to him. The consul read it over to see that it was correct, and then went for the box and gave it to the pretended servant. Wat now went to his little room over the wine shop, and there first changed his dress back again to his own original costume, and was once more the fresh -faced boy. Then be opened the -box by forcing the lock. To all appearances the box contained only jewels, but Wat was so sure that it had papers in it that he investigated the sides and bottom for hidden receptacles. He was rewarded by finding that the thick sides hid in between the lining and the leather, several not very bulky, but Wat believed very valuable papers. And he was right, as a few minutes' %t,udy of them proved. On one paper was a list of noblemen, most of them the highest in the land. On another was a. list of the meetingplaces of the different nihilistic societies in Russia, together with a supplementary list of branch societies in other countries. Still another paper showed the attempts that had been made or were to be made to draw over to the nihilists certain officers high in rank in the army. Another paper gave a list of the officers and regiments known to be in sympathy with the movement, but not yet approached. There wa- nothing more, but Wat knew that he had found enough to r crush Sofia, and he cared for nothing else jtfst~"then.The list of noblemen, was not in- itself compromising to any of those \yhose names were mentioned, but taken with the facts that \\ at had positive proof againstcertain of them, and that the other papers related so pointedly to the conspiracy, he felt that lie would be able to repay Gresser all he owed him. The papers relating to the nihilists Wat concluded not to give to C4resser. Knowing Sofia's infatuation for Ivan, Wat did not hope to coerce her by means of theae papers, but he did hope to find Chernigofl and force him to reveal" the whereabouts of Ivan. Hiding the papers and jewels in the room in a place where they were unlikely to be found, either by an accidental or intentional searcher for them, he went out, intending now to tell Vera the truth about Ivan. He would have kept it from her if ho could, but he did not &cc how it was poa : bible. Vera wa« awake and eaererly awaiting hi& return when he presented himself. 'Where is Ivan?' was her rirsb question. • Don't be alarmed,' said Wat, to prepare her at once lor the wors;. • He is dead ':' ' Not at all. He is away somewhere and 1 can't find him, that is all.' Vera turned, pale and held- her hands over her bosom, *s if she would hold down her emotion. ' You are afraid to tell me all for fear I will make a fuss,' she eaid in a low voice. ' I promise you I will not. What have you found out ?' ' Are you sure you are sh*ong enough to bear it?' 'Sure. Tell me.' So Wat told her what he had discovered, in nearly the order as he had gone through it, and she listened to the end without interruption, except now and again a question to make it clear to her. . • You think $ija has not had him killed ?' she asked W45, • when he had finished his story. vV , • ; ' I have no»dqubb at all on bhat matter. She has not Had him killed.' • Will you tell', me wh.ab you do make of it?' <,7 She was under a forced calm, whiqh was the more terrible to see,- as Wab knew ahe was in no condition to bear any great strain. 4 My theory is,' he said, ' that as soon as (Sofia learned that you had escaped from

prison, she telegraphed to Chernigoff here to have Ivan taken away somewhoro until suc)i time as you could be found and disposed of.' '■That seems reasonable, unless a place to hide him would be too hard to find.' 4 There is no trouble about that in this country. He could be kidnapped and hidden without any trouble.' ' Then her next eilbrb will be to get mo cut of the wny ?' ' Yes, only with you it will be death.' * Do you think you can find Ivan ?' ' I haven't any doubt of it.' ' In the meantime L must disappear.' ■ ' It would be better.' * I know where I will fro to, then.' * Where ?' demanded Wat, uneasily. 'I will hide in Sofia's own house.' ' My poor little countess, what mad plan have you in your head now V' i ' Do you think I can sit idly by and wait for Ivan to be lound ? No. 1 will do someching myself, and that wicked woman slnll learn that lo\ c of a good woman can dare as much as that of a bad one.'