He stroked his snowy beard, and hesitated slightly.
"Pardon me, if I am indiscreet, Madam," he said at last, "but I read in the papers the other day that a nobleman of your name--a Count Nicholas, I think--had landed in New York, having escaped the clutches of the Petersburg police, who wanted to arrest him as a Nihilist.

Was he--was he any relation of yours ?" "He is my brother-in-law," said Margaret, rather startled at seeing the point to which she had led the conversation.

But she felt a strong sympathy for Mr.Bellingham, and she was glad to be able to speak on the subject to any one.

She stood so much in need of advice; and, after all, if the story was in the papers it was public property by this time.

Mr.
Bellingham was a perfect diplomatist, and, being deeply interested, he had soon learned all the details of the case by heart.
"It is very distressing," he said gravely.