rst nihilist in the
empire--and I know that she is not--she will be far away from any
temptation to do you harm, and under the guidance of one who has proven
his devotion to you. I will tell you more: I will leave the direction
of the affairs of the fraternity in the hands of one of my men who is
as expert as I am, and who is in every way as worthy of your
confidences as I have proven myself to be--Canfield."

The czar rose unsteadily to his feet and came towards me with his right
hand extended.

"Derrington," he said, slowly, "I have been unjust. If I had other
friends like you, who dared to tell me the truth as it is, and not
distort it out of all recognition--if there were others here who dared
to defy me when defiance alone will make me see things in their right
light, Russia would be the better for it. Go to Zara d'Echeveria. Tell
her that I wish her to come here. Tell her that the Czar of Russia will
ask her forgiveness for an act that he could not avoid committing. She
will understand. You shall be married in the palace, and you will both
remain in Russia."

Then he put his arms around me in Russian fashion and bade me go.

CHAPTER XXIV

SABEREVSKI'S PROPHECY

All this time I had forgotten Ivan, whom I had left, bound and
helpless, at my rooms, and who, I knew, must be suffering untold
tortures of doubt and dread, concerning the happenings of the night. So
now I hastened to him with all speed. Poor chap, he was nearly done for
by the strained position he had been compelled to maintain for so long
a time, but I have always believed that it did him good, and that
without it he might have been less tractable, when the time came for a
reconciliation with his sister. It gave him an opportunity for the
right sort of meditation, which, perhaps, he had never enjoyed before.
Every time the temptation came to him to break his bonds and make his
escape, he remembered that he must remain where he was, for the sake of
the sister he loved so well, whose life would be forfeited so easily,
if he should carry to his nihilistic friends the knowledge he
possessed. I found him weak, and worn, but still firm in the
determination to await my coming. I unbound him, gave him food and wine
and as soon as he was sufficiently recovered ordered my droshka and
took him to Zara's house.

I made him wait until I had gone to her, and told her of my last
interview with the emperor, and I succeeded in securing her reluctant
cons