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"And sweeter still to love you," she retorted, s

herself "Sit here in this chair," she added, rising and forcing e hassock toward

herself upon it while she rested one shapely arm across

my knees, with her face upturned to mine, she continued the story

"Shall I continue to represent you as being the e?" she asked

"If you prefer it so"

"Listen, then, for I think I do prefer it so I want you to hear the

story to the end, for it will s which are

now obscured; and if I give you the part of the great actor in this

tragedy, that also is for a purpose"

"Yes, dear"

"You returned to St Petersburg intent upon two things, and only two

After those two duties should be accomplished, you meant to take your

own life; and in that purpose you were upheld by those a your

friends who knew your story

"You meant to kill the man who had betrayed your sister into the hands

of the police, and after that to destroy the real author of all her

ed so that you needed no

disguise Had your sister been alive and well, and had she met you on

the street she would not have known you Your once tall form so erect

and soldier-like, was bent, and your former quick tread had beco of a raven when you went away,

was nohite, like the snow that is heaped out there in the street

None of your old friends recognized you although you met and passed

ht of the day