The Argosy — page 273: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

256 The Missing Rubies. ‘ A bitter end, indeed,” said Vordenberg, with a deep sigh. “ven when they arrested old Wouriski and Paul—my poor, foolish Paul—we did not at first suspect the traitress. But there were plain proofs ; a letter had been stolen from Nathalie by Paulina’s own hand—suspicions became certainties. I was absent from War- saw when the arrests took place; and when I heard of them, I fled, just as you and John Wouriski had fled before me. ‘There is very little more to tell, my friend. You know how the old man and the young one were sent on the long, weary way that so many brave men have trodden. You know that old Wouriski died upon the journey. But as to Paul, I know not whether he is living or dead.” “* My poor Michael, you have suffered bitterly,” said Vordenberg, sadly. ‘‘ But this woman who played the spy—did you not once tell me that John Wouriski saw her in Paris ?” ‘Yes; she was in Paris a short time ago. After old Wouriski and Paul were sent to their doom, the Gradizoffs went back to St. Petersburg, taking Paulina Lorenski with them. We do not know whether Paulina lived with them always; we have reason to believe that Gradizoff sent her here and there, doing that evil work in which she had already succeeded so well. He gave her money; she must have had savings when he died.” “Tt is too horrible to think of.” ‘“‘ After his death, which happened about four years ago, she came to England with the widowed Countéss and her daughter. But the life did not suit her, and she would not endure it long. She applied to those who were acquainted with the services she had rendered ; they listened to her, and sent her to Paris. And there she bloomed out into a new life.” “The life of an adventuress ?” “Even so. Paulina had always a mania for jewels; even as a child she could never resist anything that glittered and shone. Mephistophiles might have won her, easily enough, with that casket which poor Marguerite despised! She was handsomer as a woman than she ever had been as a girl. There was a foolish old man named Valerot, who had made his fortune by speculating on the Bourse. He saw her, loved her, in his fashion, well enough to marry her; and became insane a few months after his marriage. ‘Then—then 4 Michael had started up from his seat, and was pacing the room wildly, swinging his arms in the old excited way which Vordenberg knew so well. His eyes glared fearfully ; his face had changed from white to dark-red ; his rising fury almost choked him. “Then, Casimir, she came here. By all the saints I swear that these eyes have looked upon her evil face to-night! Listen—listen, my friend. I will govern myself, I will speak so calmly that you shall not know it is your poor Michael who speaks ! ” He paused ; then paced the floor again with measured strides, and spoke in a quieter voice, COMIC OOOKS.<@©