She had understood that the deed for which Trendellsohn had desired her to search was written on a larger paper than any she now saw, and that she might thus know it at once.

There was, certainly, no such deed among the papers which her father slowly turned over, and which he slowly proceeded to tie up again with the old tape.

"I am sure I saw it the other day," he said, fingering among the loose papers while Nina looked on with anxious eyes.

Then at last he found the letter from Karil Zamenoy, and having read it himself, gave it her to read.

It was dated seven or eight years back, at a time when Balatka was only on his way to ruin--not absolutely ruined, as was the case with him now--and contained an offer on Zamenoy's part to give safe custody to certain documents which were named, and among which the deed now sought for stood first.
"And has he got all those other papers ?" Nina asked.
"No! he has none of them, unless he has this.