BY ORDER OF THE CZAR. 7 1
best to die like the idiot, who atoned nobly for his betrayal of Losinski."
" That did he," said the old man.
" It is hard for me to persuade myself that I am not as guilty of Losinski's death as the suborned witness was," said Ferrari. " It was I who brought the police spy upon the house of Klosstock ; my intention was to warn and save instead of that I was the trail the bloodhounds followed ; the face of Anna Klosstock will haunt me to my dying day ; I only consent to live that I may stab Petronovitch to death with the same ghastly memory uppermost in his black heart. Hush ! did you not hear a noise in the outer hall ? "
As he spoke there was a hurrying of feet in the street outside, then the crash of a window, followed by the report of firearms.
"They are coming," said Deborah, creeping to the side of the old man.
" Yes," he said, " have no fear ; all will be well."
" Pray God it may," Deborah answered.
" Go forward with the shawls and jewels," said the old man, addressing the girl ; " and be not afraid."
" I am not afraid," said the maid, tl now that our guest has come. ? '
Ferrari smiled and bowed. " Madame," he said, turning to the mistress, " I hope my sojourn under your roof will bring you better fortune than my presence at the Kloss- tocks has brought to them and theirs."
"You blame yourself without a cause, my generous Moses says, and I can well believe it."
" You may trust to my good intentions," Ferrari replied ; " you shall also find me grateful."
" We are in the hands of God ! " she answered.
" Amen ! " said the old man.
A thundering at the outer door was the defiant reply of the mob to these pious ejaculations.
