"And you,--Monsieur Rowlan'," she whispered in an awed tone. "It is you who are----"
And then she stopped as though frozen suddenly into immobility and silence.
CHAPTER IV
TANYA
And while he stood, still bewildered by the awed tone and startled air of the girl, he saw that the three men had come forward and had taken position in a group beside him. He glanced at them, at once upon the defensive, but was quickly reassured by their passive appearance and attitude, for they stood with heads bowed, like mourners at the grave of a departed friend--with this difference, that their eyes, oblivious of the figure upon the turf, were turned upon Rowland, gazing expectantly, in an awe like Tanya's, but unlike hers, intimidated, respectful, and obedient. Rowland felt like laughing in their faces, but the figure in the Prince Albert coat upon the ground reminded him that the mystery behind this fantastic tragedy was at least worthy of consideration. Whatever the aims of this strange company and however tawdry the means by which they accomplished them, the fact remained that here at his feet lay Kirylo Ivanitch, dead because of his convictions.
With increasing bewilderment he stared at Tanya and again at the others.
"What do you mean, Mademoiselle?" he asked. "I don't understand."
Her reply mystified him further.
"The Visconti!" she stammered. "You know the name?"
"Visconti, yes. It was the name of my Italian mother."