"I do, if you touch the money in the bag you hold there," said
Chester quietly.
For a moment it seemed that the big Cossack would spring upon Chester; but the lad stood his ground, and suddenly Ivan sank down in a chair.
"No, I'm not a thief," he mumbled. "I'm not going to be a thief."
He threw the bag of gold down heavily on the table and looked thoughtfully into space.
Chester approached him and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"There," he said calmly, "I knew you wouldn't. This, you know, is the king's money. You wouldn't touch that?"
"No," said Ivan, then added hastily: "but I have touched it. I bought wine with it; and it wasn't my money."
His remorse was so apparent that Chester was forced to smile.
"Why, that's all right," he said. "You are going to pay him back. Now come with us."
Again Ivan was silent for several moments.