Returning quickly, I looked cautiously behind the bush, but neither the man nor woman were there. Upon the surface of the water were great eddying rings, momentarily growing larger, plainly showing that the dark stream had closed over some heavy body. I gazed for a few moments at the circling rings, not knowing how to act. Nothing appeared on the surface, and the waters gradually resumed their tranquillity. Then I searched the bank, behind trees and bushes, and in every nook, but could discover no one. Shuddering, I retraced my steps to the Rectory, and joined the ladies in the drawing-room. Days passed, but Vera Kovalski did not return. Her mysterious disappearance caused a great sensation in Kingsthorpe and the neighbourhood. Although telegrams were despatched in all directions, no tidings could be gleaned of her. The strange affair cast a gloom over the usually merry household, for every one appeared to have forebodings that some unknown catastrophe had occurred, and the guests, feeling the solemnity irksome, departed, an example I quickly followed. Before I left the Rectory, however, I examined the whole of Madame’s belongings, in the hope of finding something which might serve as a clue to the discovery of the “conspiracy” about which she had spoken. But the search was futile. On returning to London I informed the Executive of the occurrence, a council was held, at which it was decided that every agency possessed by our Party should be requisitioned, in order to discover whether either Colonel Krivenko or his wife were really still alive. For the success of our plot—which was a bold venture, involving the partial destruction of the Castle of Schlusselburg and the release of the political prisoners confined there—it was of supreme importance that we should know if Madame Kovalski still lived, and if so, the extent of her knowledge. Descriptions and photographs, circulated among our members, both in England and on the Continent, failed to elicit any clue. With Dmitri Irteneff as companion, I was ever vigilant in the London streets for many weeks, hoping to meet her, while Grinevitch continually kept Madame’s house in Lexham Gardens, Kensington, under observation. We have such a perfect method of tracing those who incur our displeasure that, when once the order is issued by the Executive, escape is hopeless. Colonel Krivenko’s body had already been found floating in the Nene near Peterborough, and having satisfied ourselves that his wife had not returned to her friends in London, we directed our attention to other quarters, and continued our search through many weeks.