Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1879-08-06

cuail bN a. LIZ N
IL / should happen not TO be there,
but Instead should be at the COVER
nor's, will you give me the first
waltz p
4 little moved, the countess look
ed narrowly at her interlocutor; be
was in earnest, thing so rare that
she was touched by IL
YES she said, Il will"
keep it for me. remember
when the music strikes up, shall
be there to claim it
prince" said the young woman,
not without a shudder, ''you risk
your own life perhaps
"a waltz with you is worth more,
said KamoutsiDe, as be rose.
Il hope you are only jesting, as
usual said the countess, smiling,
but nneasily.
"Will you wager that / will not
be there Suppose we do bet up
on i'll know you will pay If you
lose. A wager il Is then. and so
farewell til tomorrow night
Kamoutsine brushed with his
rnustsche TIE countess white wrist
shove the glove. and vanished ere
she could speak.
As be hsi said bis gendarmes
were waiting at bis quarters, and
closed and covered kibiika was
standing at the door. The prince
entered it without giving his guards
a chance 10 dine, whereat they
grunbled exceedingly. but inward
ly. as was their duty in the pres
ence Of their superior, for Kamout-
sine, for all that be was their pris-
oner. was none the less their HER
archical superior.
The voyage was prodigiously en-
livened with accidents. The princes
valet, who had been sent on in ad-
vance as courier, had certainly
been drunk or mad, for at every
station all went wrong-no horses
were in waiting, postillions could
not be found. and not a morsel Of
food was obtainable. 1t was not
until two in the morning that an
affirmative reply was received TO
the eternal question, Anything
to eat = and Kamoutsine, who IN
til then had been sleeping soundly
within the Kibitka, came out, rub
bed bis eyes, and jovially invited
his guards to sup with him.
The repast was sumptuous. The
host served up great mugs Of Kvass
that sparkled like champagne-in
point Of fact it was champagne,
slightly modified for the occasion.
Kamoutsine pressed upon the
gendarmes the contents Of his
brandyfask, charged with pure
alcohol, and in twenty minutes,
what with the sudden transition
from the icy air without TO the
sitting atmosphere within, the
weakening of their long fast and
the ingeniously compounded liquor
which they had been copiously
treated, the four guards were snor-
ing on-or, to speak more accur-
ately, under the table.
Making the sign Of the cross
over the four sleepers that their
slumber might be free from bad
dreams, the prince took his pelisee
and valise, and stepping to the door
entered a peasants sledge that was
in waiting. The horse, though be
looked a mere ruckle of bones, set
ont at once at rapid trot; relays
were waiting at every post-house,
and at eight o'clock in the morning
Kamoutsine re-entered the city
which the evening before be had
quilted.
Before the door Of the restaurant
where be had, as has been recited,
passed one term Of Punishment, a
kibitka was in waiting, battered
and travel-stained as if from a long
journey. Kamoutsine entered the
restaurant, dotted his uniform and
donned a civilians grab, then enter
ed the vehicle, his faithful valet
seized the reins Of the three horses
barnessed abreast, and with bells
jingling and whip cracking drove
to the fortress and halted just be-
fore the door Of the governor.
Out swarmed the lackeys as If to
welcome a long-expected and dis
tinguished guest. Announce his
exceIlency's nephew !" said the
prince as he leisurely assembled the