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"What of Ivan, your brother?" I asked her

She raised her eyes and looked at me, startled, and they were suddenly

moist with unshed tears There was that same indescribable pain in

thean; that

same expression which I could not fathom But the explanation was

ready

"I have found that there comes a time in a woman's life," she said

slowly, "when all her pet theories fall flat and useless, and when

every idol that she has worshipped is deer to e is prepared for my servant to carry"

"No, Zara," I told her, with decision "I do not understand what you

meant, just nohen you referred to the demolition of your pet

theories But it is imperative that we should speak of your brother"

"What of him?"

"Is it not more than possible that he is one of thefor otten that But----"

"He would be caught in the net with the others He would suffer the

sa to run the risk of his

being there? He has been to Siberia once, you tell ain?"

"No, oh, no!" she cried "No; that must not be"