Page:By order of the Czar.djvu/302



290 BY ORDER OF THE CZAR.

" To her," she said, rising and putting aside his arm, " it is as yesterday. To her the pain is as keen this moment as it was then."

She faced him calmly, but with flashing eyes, as he rose to his feet, and her hand was busv with a diamond buckle at her neck.

" Do you remember how you kept your promise to that woman? Do you remember the base proposals she re- sented ? Do you remember how you undertook to release her lover? Do you remember how you outraged your promised protection ? How you slew her lover and left the cruel marks of your savage nature upon her, body and soul ? You do : I see you do 1 "

General Petronovitch had turned pale as she spoke, had stepped back from her as if to receive the spring of some wild animal.

Unclasping the diamond buckle, she flung aside her robe and disclosed the peasant costume of Czaroyna, and there stood before him, his victim, Anna Klosstock.

This was the cue for which Ferrari had waited. Before Petronovitch could utter the exclamation of surprise that was on his lips, the lithe stealthy form of Ferrari had seized him from behind, and his grim assistant, Paul Pet- roski, stood by the doorway.

The general made no resistance. He had received a moral blow from Anna Klosstock that for the moment had struck him down as firmly as any physical assault. He was bound and gagged, and flung upon the couch where, a few minutes previously, he had congratulated himself upon his conquest over the beautiful woman who had so soon become the talk of Venice.

" I will not indulge myself," said Anna, " in the further recall of that crime of Czarovna. I have looked forward to this day for years, hourly had it in my mind every min- ute and have seen myself revelling in the denunciations