the night of my arrest."
"It is true, every word," my wife asserted.
"I was arrested, nevertheless."
"Yes, and it was with difficulty that we planned your escape. Partisansof Czaricide, those assisting in the struggle of freedom, however, areto be found in every class of society in my downtrodden country. Themilitary and prison officials are no exception. My brother Boris, whowas not--after all--dead, had allied himself with the Nihilists from thesame motives as myself, and chanced to be the officer in command of theescort ordered to take your convoy to Siberia. Two of the prisonwarders were members of my Circle. Your trial was avoided by thejudicious exercise of stratagem. When you changed clothes with the deadconvict you ceased to exist in the eyes of the law, and your subsequentescape, due mainly to the exertions of Boris, was rendered easy."
"Why did you remain silent so long after my return to England?"
She gazed upon me with loving eyes, and ran her fingers tenderly throughmy hair as she replied,--"Because I strove to forget you. I was ashamedat the deceit I had been compelled to practise, and felt that you couldnever forgive me sufficiently to again have confidence in me."
"But I have done so, Vera."
"Yes, that is why I am so happy--or--or rather, I shall be happy," shereplied, endeavouring to smile.
"Finish your story, and we shall no longer be alienated."
"My confession is unpleasant, nay, horrible, but I must continue it,"she sighed. "After your escape from Russia my uncle, from someinexplicable cause, turned against me, and I had but one friend,Demetrius. As the playmate of my youth who had been absent many years,he renewed his acquaintanceship with a kindness and tenderness thatcaused me to suspect his intentions. My surmise proved correct. Heasked me to marry him; and I, having in a manner pledged myself to you,refused."
"And what did he do?"
"It made but little difference. We were none the less friends; for eventhough the father is a vile schemer, the son is not."
"You refused him because you loved me so well?"
"Yes, dear, I did," she replied.
Then she bent, and our lips met.
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.
A STRANGE DISCLOSURE.
The door opened, and Boris Seroff stood before us.
Little introduction was necessary. We grasped each other's hands.
"My brother! The man of whom you were jealous," laughed Vera, as shenervously twisted the ribbons of her wrap around her hand.
"Well," said Boris, heartily, "I'm pleased we are relatives, and that wehave at last met. The mystery you have so long tried to solve can nowbe cleared up."
"I have just been relating my history," said Vera, naively.
"Then I will explain something of mine, although it is a story notenticing to tell," Boris exclaimed, a shadow of pain crossing his face.
"Let me know all!" I urged, impatiently. "What I have already heardhas almost bewildered me; I can scarcely realise its truth."
He twirled his moustache and appeared to be lost in thought for a fewmoments. Then he said: "First, let me make a confession. Like mysister, I am--or rather was--a member of a Nihilist Circle. I joinedfrom the same motive of revenge that prompted Vera, and perhaps she hasexplained how you unwittingly assisted us in our attempt; how, by thetreachery of Hertzen, you were arrested; and how by our exertions youescaped."
"Yes," I replied.
"But you do not know all. You remember finding the seal in your cell?"
"Ah--the seal?" I cried, excitedly, for the mention of it brought backterrible memories. "What was its meaning?" I demanded.
"By the merest accident you directed my attention to the hieroglyphicson the wall, and the discovery threw a light upon a phase of the mysterythat had hitherto been unintelligible. That cell, I found, was the samein which my father was confined before his exile, and it was he who cutthat emblem in the stone, with his initials linked with those of thevillain who plotted his destruction."
"And that villain was--"
"The man you know as Hertzen. Having obtained control of my sister'sfortune, he schemed to entangle her so that he might be instrumental insecuring her exile to the mines, and eventually appropriate the moneyfor his own use. He was unaware, however, that my wound in Georgia hadnot proved fatal. By concealing my identity I contrived to assist Veraand yourself."
"But the seal! Tell me; what is its meaning?" I asked, in breathlesssuspense.
"It is the death symbol. The Nihilist law demands that those whoaccidentally discover our secret, and refuse to take the oath, must dieby the hand of the person from whose lips they learn it. To ensureabsolute secrecy, so essential in a country like Russia teeming withpolice spies, the Executive devised a seal to be affixed to the body ofthe murdered person, thus showing members of our Cause the reason of thecrime and deterring them from betraying us."
"So the seal, about which there has been so much controversy, is aNihilist emblem," I said, bewildered.
"Purely. For the most part the persons upon whose bodies the seal hasbeen discovered are those whom it was found necessary to remove for thepreservation of our secret. In some cases where we have been betrayedby members of our Circle, lots have been cast among us, the deed hasbeen committed, and the lips of the traitor silenced forever. Thecrimes have been regarded as the work of a maniac. You will understandthat it was to our interest to make them appear so," he replied, calmly.
"What is the meaning of those strange symbols around the seal which havebeen the cause of so much comment?" I asked, eagerly, for thisextraordinary revelation was even more mystifying than the secrets.
Taking from his breast-pocket a paper upon which was an impression ofthe seal, similar to that found on the victims, he said,--
"See, the centre, which has proved so puzzling to many, is arepresentation of the hammer of Thor, the god of thunder. It issymbolical of strength, work, and duty. By the Scandinavians Thor wassupposed to be the guardian genius, and representations of his hammerwere believed to be charms against every terror. In that sense theorganisation has used it. The legend, of which antiquarians have failedto discover the key, is an obsolete Norse rune, the words being, `BithSithi Gast,' the equivalent in English to `Halt! accursed enemy!' It isindeed the Seal of Death."
"Does no one outside the Nihilist Circle know its significance?" Iasked, in wonder.
"Not a soul. Remember Vera and I are now no longer members of theorganisation. Our oaths are removed, therefore I am able to tell youthis."
"Happily our conspiracy against the Autocrat has been unsuccessful,"broke in Vera, smiling.
"We are not Russians now, but content to be loyal subjects of yourQueen."
"I'm pleased that is so," I replied, with a sigh of relief; "but thereis still one circumstance unexplained."
"To which do you allude?" Boris asked, plunging his hands into hispockets and leaning against the table opposite me.
I was loth to approach a subject which must be exceedingly painful tohim.
"I mean the murder--the tragedy in Bedford Place--"
"Ah!" he cried, sorrowfully, passing his hand quickly across hisforehead, "the remembrance of that terrible night--the white face of mypoor dead wife constantly haunts me. But the scoundrel who killed hershall suffer his well-merited punishment," he added, as he paced theroom angrily, muttering some imprecations in Russian.
"Boris dear, calm yourself," said Vera, persuasively, clutching him bythe arm. "Tell Frank everything; he has a right to know."
"Yes, he has," replied her brother, turning suddenly towards me. "Fromthe first I knew by whose hand she died, but was unable to act. Youwill understand, when I say that the villain was a member of our Circle,and that it was believed my wife was removed because she hadaccidentally discovered that an attempt was to be made at the WinterPalace. Such, however, was the report to the Executive, and the murderwas looked upon as a commendable precaution."
"Did not the Circle know it was your wi
fe?"
"No, I had kept my marriage a secret. The murderer was ignorant of ourrelationship, otherwise he would not have dared to commit the crime andreport it to the Executive."
"Then you are absolutely certain as to his identity?" I said,breathlessly.
"Yes. At first I could not discover the motive, but since theconfession of the servant it is plain he wished to obtain possession ofthe money, and placed the fatal emblem upon her in order to deceive usand secure our aid in concealing his guilt."
"You have given the police his name!" exclaimed Vera, anxiously, "quick!tell us who he is."
"What!" I ejaculated, in surprise,