"Shrewsbury the novelist," he thought to himself. "A sterling
fellow! And he heard it from an Archdeacon's wife. Confound it
all! the thing must be true then. I'll write and make full
inquiries about this Zaluski before consenting to the engagement."

And, being a prompt, business-like man, Gertrude Morley's uncle sat
down and wrote the following letter to a Russian friend of his who
lived at St. Petersburg, and who might very likely be able to give
some account of Zaluski:-


Dear Leonoff,--Some very queer stories are afloat about a young
Polish merchant, by name Sigismund Zaluski, the head of the London
branch of the firm of Zaluski and Zernoff, at St. Petersburg. Will
you kindly make inquiries for me as to his true character and
history? I would not trouble you with this affair, but the fact is
Zaluski has made an offer of marriage to one of my wards, and before
consenting to any betrothal I must know what sort of man he really
is. I take it for granted that "there is no smoke without fire,"
and that there must be something in the very strange tale which I
have just heard on the best authority. It is said that this
Sigismund Zaluski left St. Petersburg in March 1881, after the
assassination of the late Czar, in which he was seriously
compromised. He is said to be an out-and-out Nihilist, an atheist,
and, in short, a dangerous, disreputable fellow. Will you sift the
matter for me? I don't wish to dismiss the fellow without good
reason, but of course I could not think of permitting him to be
engaged to my niece until these charges are entirely disproved.

With kind remembrances to your father,