CHAPTER XLVIII.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 388, 27 July 1889, Page 5

CHAPTER XLVIII.

AKIUNC;i>'I! I>'OJI AN INTISHLSTINC! S(Ji:XK. Fro-ai Sofia, Wat wont to his room over the wineshop, and wrole Hr^fc a despatch and then a letter to Grosser. The despatch, translated, l'cad : ' 1 send by mail papers compromising all chc aristocratic plottcis. This is moL'ft than 1 promised. }n return, have Kadohnnki's property sjiveil to her, and have her declared innocent. 13e vpady to receive and answer a despatch this oveninjr.' The letter was hardly more lengthy, and read : ' My Dkak Gkks&kr :—As per my telegram, I send you the papers compromising the noble traitors. Thoy woio iound in Solia AlmazoU'a possession. Do as jou pleaso with them. Repay me by doing us lcquestcd in my triegram. Before this reaches you, you will know what I mean in my telegram about answering another telegram,' After mailing the one and despatching the other Wat repaired to Jacques and Gaspard and gave to the former the money received trom Sofia on account ot tho supposed killing of himself. ' What did 1 toll you ?' cried Jacques to Gaspard. ' This isn't the sort to go back on his word.' 'Of comso not,' said AYat. 'What I promise I do. And now [ piomu-e you, Jacques, that if you will keep your little <iog in until to-morrow morning, 1 will give you live hundred francs.' 'He shall stay in. Eh, Gaspard ?' ' Oh, I'll stay in.' ' Well thon, friend Jacques, since you trust me, why should not I trust you V Hero is the money in advance. And, lest some accident should happen to Jacques, I piomi^e you, friend Gaspard, to break every bone in your body if I catch you out before morning 1 . Ask Jacques if I can do it.' ' Oh, j'ou can do it, my little boy who scratches.' Confident now that Gaspard would not be allowed to go out to interrupt the even course ot his plans, "Wat went to Veia. Having convinced her that it was in fact he, ho told her to go that evening to the little wine-shop and enter it. He promised to meet her there and explain all to her. Having nothing now to do, he set himself to watch Sofia, hoping to discover irom her movements w here Ivan wa\ But it soon became evident to him that she did not pioposc to do anything until the had disposed of he v lival. Being satisfied ot thL, he betook himself to the office ot the chiet ot police, a personage he had known for some yeas, and to whom ho had more than once been of service. When he asked to see him, howcxei, the getidarme smiled, and answcicrl : ' Won't anybody but the chief servo your turn, Gaspard ? Have you been robbed of a million V I What 1 have to f-ay is important, my friend, and T can tell you that if it were not so I would not bo calling on bhc chiet uf police. ' Tho man was impressed by this statement of the ease, and went at once to the chief. A tew minutes later Wat was ushered into the presence of the chief. ' Well, Gaspard,' said the latter sharply, ' what brings you hoie ?' ' Jt is not Haspard, but Wat Denton, the American detective.' ' Parbleu, my friend !' was the cordial greeting. ' And what are you doing here, and in the guise of one of our most familiar rascals ':' Wat, without the least hesitation, told the chief evei $ thing, and then made known the object of lm visit. ' I want you to let me heve two reliable men as witnesses, one of them to take down the ronvcisation in shoit-hand, and the other ineiely to listen ; ami both to under-f-tand Russian, for I think the countess will choose to speak in that language.' ' You shall have them ; but you know I cannot make an aue&fc lor jon." I 1 don't want you to, now.' 4 Where shall the men meet you r '~ Wat gave the address of the little wineshop, and said : ' Early in tho evening, please.' 4 They shall be there, and you shall know them by their diummingon a table when you enter tho room. Will you bo in this disguise ?' 1 Yes.' ' Thoy will not fail you.'