The Argosy — page 303: what you’re looking at

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

284 The Missing Rubies. been brought face to face with death. I used to live my life without thinking much about it, But I can never live in that careless way again. All the evil that I have done is revealed to me in a new light.” ‘And you are willing, if you can, to atone for that evil? Ah, Paulina, I have an idea that there is one wrong that you may very easily set right.” “What is it?” she asked, quickly. “I cannot recall Paul Wouriski from Siberia; I have no power to do that.” “The wrong of which I speak has nothing to do with any of your unhappy countrymen. But there is an Englishman, an innocent man, accused of a crime of which he cannot prove himself guiltless. For two years he has lived under the shadow of this cloud, and now it has come between him and the girl he loves. She thoroughly believes in his innocence, but he has given her up because he cannot clear his name. Paulina, if you can clear him, will you do it? What became of the Countess Gradizoff’s necklace ? ” A hot flush dyed Madame Valerot’s pale face. Her brown eyes sought the ground, and there was a moment of silence. “Well,” she said, drawing a long breath, and looking up again with sudden courage; ‘‘I am determined to prove myself sincere. You saved my life to-night, and you have a right to demand anything in return; even a humiliating confession. It was I who stole the necklace.” He put out his hand and grasped hers gently and firmly. “Now I know that you do indeed mean to be true,” he said, earnestly. ‘* You have not shrunk from your first penance. Go on, and tell me how the necklace was taken.” ‘In the first place,” she continued, ‘‘you must know that Count Gradizoff possessed himself of a famous ruby necklace, which had belonged to poor Count Gliska. Great Heaven! I think there are few of my countrymen who have suffered more than Gliska did! I have heard the story a hundred times. Under the pretence that he was concerned in the attempt to assassinate General Berg, the soldiers broke into his house in Warsaw. He was absent. But his aunt, an old lady of more than fourscore, was there with his betrothed bride, a young girl of great beauty. It was never known exactly how poor Sofie Pauliski died. But there are those who caught a glimpse of her at one of the windows, dishevelled and bleeding Mr. Vordenberg, you are ill!” ‘No, no ; it was merely a spasm of pain at the heart. But I, too, have heard that story. And Count Gradizoff obtained the necklace from a soldier?” “Yes. You know, of course, that Gliska fled for his life. And Gradizoff, who had always professed a great liking for him, took possession of all that he could lay hands upon. ‘The necklace was, I believe, the most valuable thing, and the Countess was always at ECORNIECLOOOKS.E©