My two guests had emerged from the dining-room and were strolling leisurely towards us in full enjoyment of their goddess Nicotine. My wife called them, and they came and seated themselves beside us. "Now, Boris," she said, "we have all met, and you can explain to Frank that complication you did not acquaint him with on the night of his acquittal." "What more can there be?" I asked, in unfeigned astonishment. "Simply this: The villain meant to kill you?" Boris replied calmly. "To kill me?" "Yes. You remember discovering portions of a seal upon your writing-table?" "Perfectly. It was on the morning I left for London." "Exactly. Had you remained here, you would have been murdered, and the seal, which was in readiness, affixed upon you. When you left, he followed, his purpose being to kill you when a fitting opportunity presented itself. Luckily events so conspired as to frustrate his evil design." "Is this really true?" I exclaimed, in amazement. "Yes. You will now understand why I shadowed you so closely. It was in order that no harm should befall you." "But my arrest--" I said, utterly bewildered at this fresh feature the mystery presented--a plot against my own life. "The villain suddenly altered his tactics, presumably because he would be running too great a risk by killing you. He therefore returned here, placed the seals and other articles among your possessions, and afterwards gave information to the police which led to your committal." "What could have been the motive of all this?" I asked, my astonishment increasing at such revelations. "We were friends; I had done him no wrong." "The motive was a sufficiently strong one; that of obtaining your fortune." "How?" "Cannot you see the depths of the plot? He was aware you had made a will leaving everything to Vera, therefore, if you died, she would possess the estate. In that case he hoped to marry her, and failing this, his father could give information which would secure her conviction and exile as one implicated in the attempts against the Czar. In either case he would obtain the money. You were the only obstacle, and when once removed, all would have been easy." "By fortuitous circumstances he did not succeed," Vera said, kissing me fondly. "No. He was a clever rogue, I can assure you. But he was unaware that I was in England watching his movements," remarked Boris. "What of his father?" I asked. "He also has obtained what he richly deserves. Having been detected in assisting in the manufacture of bombs in Zurich, immediately on his return after giving evidence against you, he was convicted and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment." "Serve the old scoundrel right!" declared Bob, in a tone of satisfaction. "It seems to me, Frank, old fellow, you owe your life to our newly-discovered friend." "Yes, that is true," I admitted. "It is a debt I can never repay."