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V ‘ R" â€" .-~â€"oa--. 55 l s; a, 5’1 . l 3% 9 x \- - - ther’ "to the Ml OR, THE HERITAGE OF MADAME ' YALTA. CHAPTER IV.â€"â€"(Cont’d) The woman murmured her thanks and entered Rue Beaujon, which branched off from the Avenue de F-ncdland at the point where she had been interrogating the lporter. She soon discovered the magni- ficent entrance to the Yalta man- sion, and there her hesitation re- newed itself. She began to walk slowly the length of the iron Trailâ€"‘ ing, behindwhich was stationed the majestic porter‘who had intro-- duced Maximo the morning before. This personage, doubtless, intiâ€" midated her, for the nearer she ap- proached him the more her foot- steps relaxed, and she turned away her head as she drew the brass knob near the lodge. The bedizened Swiss advanced majestically, measured the visitor with a glance, and inquired polite- ly what she wished. “I want to see Madame the Coun- tess Yalta,” she stammered. .“Madame the countess does not receive,” , replied the colossus; “but if you will give me your name and tell my why you come-«” The girl started and lowered her ~ head ; then conquering her timidity, raised it again. and said firmly : “I am sure the countess will re- ceive me if you will say to her that Mlle. Dorgeres wishes to speak to her.” . The porter changed his tone inâ€" stantly. He was not ignorant that .fhe head coachman had driven Ma- dame Yalta the day before to the houscmf M. Dorgcres, Rue de Su- resncs. “I beg mademoiselle to excuse me, and if mademoiselle will take the trouble 'to enter the waiting- room, I will inform madame the countess.- She is still much indis- pcsed, and I had orders to admit no one.” This discourse was' by the striking of a bell, which reâ€" sulted in the appearance on the- stairway of a valet de pied. Mlle. Dorgores, introduced by the porter, was delivered into the hands of this valet, who conducted apartments on the which her cousin pundtuated groundâ€"floor in had been received every day for a month past by Dr. Villages. She had not long to wait for the reply of the countess. The duenna who had introduced Maximo on his last- visit came down stairs express- ly to receive Mlle Dergeres. “Mademoiselle,” she saidJsmil- ingly, “my mistress is sovhappy to receive a visit from you that she will not ask you to postpone it till to-morrow, though she suffers much just now. She hopes you will ex- cuse her for receiving you in bed.” Alice stammered a few words of thanks and followed the woman-in- waiting. The duenna conducted her by the same stairway which ended in the superb apartments on the first floor through which she had conducted 'Maxime, but did not usher her in- to the oval chamber. The countess was in her own room in an immense bed, a genu- ine specimen of the Louis XIV. age, with heavy curtains of Gobe- lin tapestry. A faint light was dif- fused through the stained-glass windows. Alice could scarcely summon courage to advance. Timidity took possession of her. How was she to approach the woman whom pale face was scarcely visible? How should she explain this strange visit? And if Maximo had exagger- ated! If Madame Yalta had gone no further than to express a sym- pathy for M. de Carnoel, with- 011: having undertaken to defend him against his accuser-s! All these discouraging thoughts came to her at once; but her ap- prehvnsions were quickly dissipatâ€" ed. . A voice which sounded in her cars like celestial music pronounced these words: , “I knew you would come. You guessed I had something to say to you.” _ ‘ Alice colored with happiness and advanced quickly. . “Thanks for him and for me,” resumed the countess. “If you had not come it is impossible to say p'heu I should have seen you, for gcshvday' evening a. new Cl‘lSIS came on which has not yet passed. Pardon me that I do not offer you my arms, but my physician has orâ€" dered me to be absolutely motion- less. Sit down and let us talk.” Alice took her seat in a low chair by the bedside, and said in an agij tated voice: “Madame, I am profoundly touched by your welcome, and can- not better show that I am sensible of your goodness than by telling you the whole truth. I came withâ€" out the knowledge of my father, because my cousin told me you were anxious to prove the innocence of M. de Carnoel. I wanted to kn0w on what you founded your belief.” “You love him; is it so?” “I did love him,” said Alice, with an effort. “And yet you are betrothed to another?” I “I thoughtâ€"they showed me that M. de Carnoel had been guilty of something dishonorable. I yielded to the entreaties of my father, who begged me to marry. I am engag- cd in the eyes of the world, but my heart is my own.” “They haVe shown you that this young man hasâ€"stolen. Why not speak the word, 'since it is an odiâ€" ous calumny? Before replying to this ca-lumny, permit me to ask who informed you of what took place and what you have heard?” “My father. He told me that on opening the safe the cashier per- ceived the disappearance of a cas- ket containing valuable papers be- longing to a Russian. M. de 10M- noel had left precipitater the night before at the very hour the safe was opened with a false key.” “And they concluded boldly that it was'he. They did not stop to ask what interest this young man could have in possessing himself of a casket containingpapers of no- body knew what sort, when the safe was full of gold and notes that were not touched.” “A sum of money was also takâ€" en,” said the girl, in a stifled voiceâ€"“fifty thousand francs.” “It is not true,” cried the counâ€" tess. “Alas, madame, it is too true! The cashier counted the money in the presence of my father and this Russian. A roll of bankâ€"notes was missing.” “It is impossible !” said the coun- tess, with an extraordinary confi- dence; “but continue, mademoi- selle. Your father has given you no other details of this affair?” “None, madame.” “He has not spoken to you, then, of a first attempt which failed, and which precodedthe second by a few days only 7” “No. Had there been-a previous attempt to rob the safe M. Vignory would have told me; it would have been spoken of in my hearing.” “Then he who gave me the in- formation was mistaken.” “Georgct, was it not ” “You know that!‘ Then you saw your cousin yesterday?” “Yes, madame. Maximo brought the poor child to the office. [met them as I was going out with my governess, and it was: then I had this conversation with Maximo. You believe, then, that M. de Carâ€" noel is in Paris?” “I am certain of it. You will be surprised. when I say that the day you were awaiting him in the Bois de Boulogne he must have fallen into the hands of some powerful enemy.” “You knew I was him !” ' “The day the great cold began I went to the lake in a sleigh with M. Maximo Dorgercs. You passed near us in a carriage with your governess. Your cousin expressed a desire to follow you, and, press- ed by me, confessed that he wished to be present at a rendezvous you had given to M. de Carnoel. Afâ€" terward I learned that M. de Carâ€" noel had‘I not appeared, and that he was accused of an’infamyâ€"long afterward, unfortunately, for there was not time to avert what might have been prevented had ,I been better informed at first. But fate intervened. I fell seriously ill. Now the time has come to repair the evil I have unintentionally sufâ€" fered. I want to find M.-de Car- expecting nocl, and when have done so will take him myself to your father.” f‘FBUlT-A-TIVESff BRINGS RELIEF MRS. FRANK EATON Frankville, Ont, Sept. 27, 1909. “I suffered for years from headaches and pain in the back, and I consulted doctors and took every remedy obtain- able without any relief. Then I began taking “Fruit-aâ€"tives”, the famous fruit Juice 'tablets, and this was the only mgdlcinc that ever did me any real good. I took several boxes altogether, and now I am‘entirely well of all my dread- ful headaches and backaches”. (Signed) MRS. FRANK EATON. 50cc box, 6 for $2.50 or trial box, 25c. At dealers or from Fruit-a-tivcs Limit-ed, Ottawa. . I “My father would refuse to re- ceive him.” “He must receive him, when I bring him the. proof that he has bcen calumniated and is entitled to reparation.” “The proof?” repeated Mlle Dorâ€" geres, doubtingly.,, “ch, the proof; for if it is. nec- essary in order to exoneratehim the guilty party will denounce him- self. ]: swear to you that it was not M. de Carnoel.” ' - “She loves him, perhaps,” thought Mlle Dorgeres, sadly. “I hope now that you do not reâ€" gret having come,” said Mme Yal- ta, “and that henceforth we are united in the effortdto save M. de Carnoel.” “You have known she asked timidly. “I do not know him at all; I have never seen him that I am aware of.” N Alice’s face brightened, and she was about to protest with warmth her devotion to the projects of the countess, but at this moment the ladyâ€"in-waiting entered, and said to her mistress: “M. Maximo Dorgeres begs to see the countess immediately. He assures me that he brings news of importance.” “Go,” cried the countess, “bring him in.” The duenna turned briskly on her heels, and as soon as she was left alone with the countess, Alice rose and said with some agitation: “Madame, I beg you not to corn~ pel me to see my'cousin. I Would not for the world have him find me here.“ “If you were to follow my femmc dc chainbre you 'would inevitably meet M. Dorgeres. There is no way to ovoid him but to go in there,” she added, pointing to a door not far from the head of the bed, which opened in the midst of tapestry hangings. “You will find it a very commo- dious prison, and, I think, will not be detained long. It will be in your power to leave it should you change your mind as to the con- venience of a meeting with M. Dorâ€" geres.” ‘ Alice ran to the point of exit indi- cated, and glided noiselessly into 3. him long?” vast apartment, a toilette boudoir filled with luxurious furniture, obâ€" jects of art and curiosities in glass cases. She had no sooner disapâ€" peared than Maximo entered radi- ant. His joy was somewhat abated at being received, not as before, on a divan of state, but a real in- valid’s couch. “What! you are seriously indis- posed, and were out yesterday!” “I did got out and I was wrong, having obtained nothing from M. Dorgeres, and paid for my impruâ€" dence this morning. But that doesn’t matter. Tell me of your expedition with Georget. First, how is he? Do you believehe will recover his reason?” “I hope so. He has transient glimpses already, but is not yet master of himself. He allows words L“. escape him which he would not do ordinarily.” “What has he said?” “I took him to the office where the theft was. committed, and he mentioned that he knew the words that opened the safe, the defensive mechanism that protects it,â€"-d’eâ€" tails of which no one is in posses- sion but the cashier, and which Georget could have learned only by acting the spy on his chief. I beg your pardon for telling you frankly my opinion that your pro- tege was ,Vthe accomplice of the rogues, that he furnished them in~ formation. and perhaps assisted ~|N PAIN run run: them more effectively. He recog- nized a. hiding-place in which he must have been» lurking for the purâ€" pose of opening the door to them.” “It is quite possible,” said the countess, indifferently. ' “What! you are not distressed to learn that Georget has been im- plicated in this affair '2”- “Bahl a political matter.” “Political! how ’1.” “Undoubtedly. What did they take? A coffer containing unques- tionably state papers, since it be- longed to a Russian diplomatic agent. The proof that they wanted only the papers, is that they did not touch the money in the safe. Georgct is the grandson of a wo- man of high birth who has had reâ€" lations with Polish emigrants. He has, perhaps, followed the counsels of his grandmother in giving aid to those people.” “He has none the less beenplay- ing high, and if my uncle knew what this astonishing youngster has -especially since money was taken as well as the casket.” “I have been ‘told so, but can scarcely believe it. But I can an- swer that it was not Georget.” “Georget has merely connived at it. Mereover, in the remarks which he let fall, there was one which deâ€" signated the thief.” “Designated him by name ?" I (To be continued.) been doing, he wouldn’t spare him] -â€"_. Results of the Past Year Indicate Good Progress. 'The annual report of the Federal Life Assurance Company of Canada pontains very satisfactory indica- §tions of progress. The report, which is given in another place in {ti-118. issue, shows new business con- SISting of 2,600 applications for im surance aggregating $3,663,896.60, of which 2,501 applications for $3,; 501,235 were accepted. As in previ- !ous years the income of the 00mg puny shows a gratifying increasd and the assets of the company have. been increased by $329,092.88 and have now reached $3,643,949.53, exâ€" ;clusive of guarantee capital. The security for policyholders including guarantee capital amounted at the close of the year to $4,513,949.53, and the liabilities for reserves and all outstanding claims, including $20,000 set aside as a special addi- tion to policy reserves, $3,351,254, showing a surplus of $1,162,695.53. Exclusive of uncallte guarantee ca: 'pital, the surplus to policyholders I rnfi"fififiifiii§"iirs. the amount paid. and dividends applied to the reducâ€" tion of premiums, with annuitiesl 'the total payment to policyholders! amounted to $347,274.43. The.as-' ,suranccs carried now amounted to i$21,049,322.3l. of $200,406.071were' The Federal Life! ' Assurance or Canada The rmmy-asnmmmusr‘mswng of {fieâ€"Slfafé‘holders of the Federal Life :Assurance Company of Canada was held at the Company's Head Office, injHamâ€" llton,‘ on Tuesday, .15th February, 1910, at 2 p.m., Mr. David Dexter in the chair, Mr. W. H. Davis, Acting Secretary. The Annual Report, as follows, was read and adopted, on motlon 01 Hi. President, Mr. Dexter, seconded by the Vlce-Pres-ldcnt, Mont-Col. Kerns: , Your Dlrector's have the honor to present the Report and Financial State- Iment of the Company for the year which closed 31st December, 1909, duly vouch- 'ed for by the Auditors. The new business of the year consisted of'two, thousand six hundred appli- cations for insurance, aggregating $3,663,896.66, 0! which two thousand five hundred and one applications for $3,504,235.00 were accepted. . ’ As in previous years, the income 0! the Company shows a gmlltylng in- crease, and the assets of the Company have been increased by $329,092.88, and have now reached $3,643,949.53. exclusive of guarantee capital. The Security for Policyholders, including guarantee capital, amounted at. the close of the year-ate $4,513,949.53, and the liabilities for reserves and all out- standing serves, $3,351,254.00, showing a surplus claims liicludlng $20,000 'set aside as a special addition to pollcy re- of 81.162.895.53. Exclusive of uncalled guarantee capltal,_;the surplus to Polleyliolders was $292,695.53. r Pollcles on one hundred and fifteen lives became clalms through death, to the amount of $200,406.07. Including Cash Dlvldends and Dividends applied to the reduction of preml-l ums. with annuities, the total payment to Follcyholders amounted to $347,274.43. Careful attention has been given to the investment of the Company’s funding in flrst~class bonds, mortgage securities, and loans, on the'Compnny’s policies amply secured by reserves. rate of interest. Our investments have yielded a very satisfactory Expenses have been, confined to a reasonable llmlt. consistent wllh due cl'c forts far new business. gross. The results of the year indicate a most gratifying pro- Compared with the preceding year, the figures submitted by the Direct- ors for your approval show an advance of nearly ten per cent. In assets. The assurances carrled by the Company now amount to 92104932231. upon which the Company holds reserves to the full amount required by law, and, in addition thereto, a considerable surplus. You are to be congratulated on the fact that the surplus over Capital and all Liabilities increased $42,624.88 during the past year, from which a speclal addltlon of 320.000 was made to pollcy The field officers and agents of the reserves. Company are intelligent and loyal, and are entitled to much credlt for their nhle representation of the Company's inter- ests. p‘any’s service. The members of the office staff have also proved faithful to the Com- Your Directors are pleased to be able to state that the business of the Company for the current year has been of a most satisfactory character, and that the outlook for the future is most encouraging. x...” . .....m...._. fin... DA VII) DEXTER, Jresldent and Managing Director. ...-.. ......w.--” -..â€"“..-... .â€" AUDITORS’ Impoan To the President and Directors o'f the Federal Life Annurnnoo Company! Gentlemen.â€"We have carefully audited the books and records of your Comd lpany for the year ending 31st December last. and have certified to their accuracY. The Cash and Journal Vouchers have been closely examined and agree with- file entries recorded. The Debentures. Bonds. etc.. in the possession of the Company have been inspected, whilst those deposited with certificate. the total agreeing with the ssots. The accompanying Statement. vlz.. the Government have been verified by amount as shown in the Statement of Revenue and Expenditure, Assets and lLlabllltles, shows the result of the year's operations and also the financlal posi- tion of the Company. Hamilton. ist'Febrnnry, 19.10. Respectfully submitted. CHARLES STIFF. C. A. C. s. sco'r'r, no, A, } Auditor. M FINASICIAL STATEMENT FOR 1900. RECEIPTS. Premllum and Annuity Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 3718.927 80 Interest, Rents and Profits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 174,074 82 . $893,002 0!} DISBURSENIEN'I‘S. Pald to Pollcyholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........$347,274 43 ll other payments . 233,24904 alance . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 312,47921 $393,002 68, ASSETS, DECEMHER 318'“, 1900. Surplus on Policyholders' Account .. . . . . . ...........$l,443,973 35 ebentures and Bonds ortgagos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 808.095 77 . oans on Policies, Bonds, Stocks. etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 636,865 91 All other Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 755,014 50 _ -â€"â€"â€"~ 83,643,949 68? LIABILITIES. . -eserve Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...53,256,51000 peclal ~Addltlon to Policy Reserves . . . . . 20.000 00 eath Losses awalting Proofs ... . . . . . . . . . . . 63,030 00 ther Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.714 00 292,095 53 "'__â€"â€"-â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"~â€"-$3,6-13,919 53' Assets . . . . . . . . . . . ................................ . . . . . $3,643,949.53 Guarantee Capital ................................. 870.00000 I‘otal Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...................34,5i3,949 5:: Policies were» Issued Assuring .. . . . . Total Insurancerln Force . . . . . . . . . . . . - . - . 3,504,235 or . . . . . . 21,049.322 21‘. A114 the retiring Directors were re-clectcd, as follows: M. H; Alkms. M.D.., ol.'Wm. Kerns.- John G. Scott. A. E. aavld Dexter. Hon. Geo. E. Foster, Hon. oolverton, M.D. J. M. Gibson. ’1‘. (L Haslett, KAI, Mont-I Russ, M.A._ John Wakefield, 0.1).. we 11:, At a, subsequent rneetlng of the Directors the followlng officers were re. plected: em: and T. C. r 3391's. , . r 1d Dexter. Presldeut and Managlng Dlrcctor; Lleut.~(.‘o.l. Wllllam Dav Haslett, K.C., Vice-Presidents; Dr..A. Woolvcrtca Me Keel was $292,695.53." D‘é'aitli‘tlaims to‘ Including cash, dividendsW ..5, .,.A :1 g, '