UNKNOWN

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

UNKNOWN

Tlfh rUJIY Ob A WOMAN MJOUN hi). Tin- men wcic on time ;il> the shop, nn*-l Wat placed them where they could overhear anything that pacsed in the little room. Vcia came shortly afterwaid, and Wat then told her what she must expect. Ho in^tiuoted her in what bhc hhoukl Kay, and in the manner she. should bear hen-elf, and was satisfied from A r era's manner that she would well acquit heiself of the task set her. Then he went for Sofia, and giving her minute instructions so that sho could not mistake the place, hurried back to meet her. Sho came, disguised in one of her maid's dresses, and completely enveloped in a largo cloak. Wat took her at once to the room upstairs, and, with a wave of his hand, taid : 'Now then, ladies, you may huvo it out, and I will sit here to see fair play.' Ho took a chair, and, with the utmost coolno&s, ?at down. Sofia had it in her mind to ask him to leave them alone, but evidently changed her mind when Vera, who had watched the entry or both with an appearance Qf mingled tenor and indignation, exclaimed : ' Who are you, sir ? Who .are you, madam ? This i& a private room !' ' Keep calm, madam, and let me say to you tiiat it won't do any good to raise your voice,' interposed Wat ' Who am I V repeated Sofia. ' Look !' She threw back her hood and cloak, and ' let Vora see her. ' You '! you V cried Vora. * Yes, J, I, And do you &co now, where you are ?' ' Oh, help ! help !' cried Vora. 'Now, then, young lady, stop that, or I'll have to put something in your mouth to fill it up. I'm such a tender-hearted chap that 1 can't stand it to hear a lady cry out.' ' Oh, sir, what does this mean ? X was told to come here '

•To go with your dear friend, Denton, to see Ivan, who is still dearer— is ib nob so ?' demanded Sofia, vvibh fierce irony. 'What does this mean? whab does this mean V cried Vera, wiinging her lianas. ' What does it mean ? Let mo bell you, Vora Radolinslu. 1 Sofia here changed to the Hus&ian tongue. 'It means that at last you are in my powei\ You may cry out, you may shriek, but no one will hear you.'" ' 01), Heaven help mo !' sobbed Vcra. 1 Heaven won't help yon, bo give up all hope. Shall 1 tell you why I have had you brouirht hero ? Shall I tell you ?' Vera only covered her face with her hands and moaned without answering. * Vo?, 1 will tell you. You are here to share the fate of your brother, whom I poisoned, because he was in my way ! Whom I killed, because ho thought to coerce me with his knowledge that I was a nihilist.' 'Fiend !' murmured Vera. ' 7ou are here,' went on Sofia, vehemently, ' 1,0 share the fate of your friend, LheAmeiican detective, whom I have had killed, because he was in my way. Do you hear '' — you are to share their fate !' •Never!' cried Vera, springing to her feet and drawing a dagger. 'Vile murdeicfs ! wicked woman ! Do nob think to make so easy a prey of me ! I shall live to be Jvan Horwitz's wife i' She lookcu very pretty and heroic as she stood thus defying Sofia. ; but in a moment she was disarmed bv Wai, who had sprung upon her ivibh great suddenness. Sofia tried to laugh, bub was strangled by her own fury. ' You will live to be Ivan's wife, will you ?' she demanded, tauntingly. ' Never ! Ivan shall be mine, and together we will laugh at you '' ' lie will nob marry you !' declared Vera, with a soit of hopeless wail. ' That you will not live to know. You die to-night ! And to-morrow Ivan will return to Paiis.' ' You cannot control his movements.' 'Can I not? At least I know where he is, and I can free him. And will he not be gxateful to the person who frees him from a lunatic asylum ?' Vcia sprang up, as if she could nob stand it any longer, and rushed toward the v indow. Wat was there before her, however, and held her, saj ing, mockingly : "It wouldn't do you any good, my little dear, my bird oE Paradise ; but it is just as well you should know we arc on the lookout for your tricks.' ' Tic her !' commanded Solia. ' It you say so ; but it isn't neccssaiy.' ' And gag her, too !' ' Certainly.' And Wat, despite the scream 3 of Vera and her violent struggles, both tied and gauged her. 'Now then, madam,' he said to Sofia, ' she is in a condition to be very docile' j ' Do you see now how 1 have you in my power ? Oo you realise that lam sure to be successful with Ivan? Do you not feel that in spite of your pretty tricks I shall ha\ emy lover back ? I have almost a mind to let you live, that you may see your Ivan the happy husband ot the woman you made him insult. ' Vera could not now make any answer to these woids, but .-he looked her ticorn, showing, now that she was bound, a wonderful contempt of death. And in his heart "Wat felt that if the little lady leally had been in danger or being muidcied by tiie fury befoio her, she would ha\o borno herself with no loeb fortitude. Ib seemed as if Sofia had exhausted her stock of invective, foi after the lae-b tirade .she only glared htu hatred at Void. And as Wat had gained all the information he caied for, he thought it Lime to put an end to the interview. ' Don't you think you have said enough to satisfy the occasion, madam .'' he demanded of Solia. 'Ye?,' she answered, shortly. 'But I should almost like to sec her die.' The hatred expiessed in her words was no greater than the perfectly demoniac rage of her tone. She was, as Ivan had said, a veiitable wild beast. ' You will kill her at once, will you ?' s=he asked of Wat. ' As soon as you at o out of the way.' ' How will you do it?' ' I think 1 will stab her with her own knife. It will just about reach to her heart. Oh, don't be wonied ; 1 nc\er half do a job ot thib kind, and 1 am \try polite about it, too.' With a last glance of exultation and hatred at Veia, Sofia loft the mom. Wat ■waited until he hcaid hci leave the house,and then he untied Vcta's bonds, paying io her : ' Now, my little countes?, am I going to get \ou your Ivan or notV 1 ' 1 end by believing you ate infallible. 1 ' 1 don't a s k that much. I only want to dance at your wedding.' ' You shall, if I have to dance with you myfclf, and if l\;\n has to be musician.' ■ You won't mind ttaying here alone, will you ?' 4 Xot at all. I'm dead, I sur pose now.' '\es, and I ha\c bcunothing to do that must not wait. Good -by until to-monow '