Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-10

everybody else worth knowing in Enrone.
W. Mouia sne kindly communicate her knowledge;
~ Ia tne slightest degree the charming cufosi-
~ OF hef Americ0ine. 1t was quite refreshing
n loa osdsee old woman, who had long since
ceased TO feel much interest In contemporary
men, women, things and events, to encounter
one SO recently from the boundiess prairies OF
tne new world as to cherish a piQuant inquisi-
An Ves sSo9E tne anais Of the grand n1nds
the history OF the Baron sayitch OF Moscow, II
that would amuse her dear Americaine.
Inc Polish countess abundantly redeemed
hef promise. throwing in for good measure
many choice bits OF gossip and ScandalOuS anec-
oOtes about the Russian nobility, which are not
Ielevant TO the present narrative. Her story,
as summarized by Fisher. was this:
The Baron Savitch was lot of an old creation.
There was mystery about his origin that had
h h. been satisfactorily solved In st. Peters
he was founding from the vospitateinoi Dom.
o. hers believed him to be the unacknowled ged
S'h OF certain 1llustriouS parsonage nearly
teiated to the House OF Romanon. The latter
In measure Tor the amazing and unexampled
success of his career from the day that he was
sr Sdysd at the helm University Of Dorpa.:
career had been. He entered the diplomatic
service OF the Car, and was attached for sew
eral years TO tie legations at Vienna, London
and Paris. Created a Baron before his twenty
fifth year for the wonderful ability displayed in
the conduct OF negotiations of supreme import
ance and delicacy with the House OF Hapsburg,
be became pet OF Gortchakons 8, and was given
every opportunity for the exercise of his genius
In diplomacy. 1t was even said in well-infOrmed
circles at st: Petersburg that the guiding mind
which directed RuSSfa'S course throughout the
entire eastern complication, which planned the
campaign on the Danube, effected the cOmbi-
nations that gave victory TO the Cars soldiers,
traliZed the immense power of Germany, and
exasrerated England only to the point where
wrath expendS itself in harmless threats, was
q bro Of no 10 witch Tf
Gel tain that he had been with Ignatief at Con-
stsnt1nople when the trouble was first foment-
ed, with ShOuvalon in England at the time of
the secret conference agreement, with the
Grand Duke Nicholas at Adrianople when the
protocol OF an arm1St1ce was signed, and would
soon be In Berlin behind the scenes of the Con-
gre SIS, where 1t was expected that he would
Outwit the statesmen OF all Europe, and play
with Bismarck and DiSraeli as strong man
plays with two kicking babies.
But the countess had concerned herself very
little with this handsome young mans achieve
ments Ia politics. She had been more partic-
ularly interested In his social career. His sue
Although no one knew with positive certainty
his fathers name, he had conquered an abso-
lutte supremacy 10 the most exclusive circles
Surrounding the imperial court. His influence
with tie Car himself was supposed to be un-
bounded. 1t was whispered that he knew
better than any other man the true reason of
the disgust with which the Grand Duchess
Louise completed her nupt1als with the British
Prince. Certainly, birth apart, he was consid-
cred the best 1arti in Russia. From povery
and by the sheer force Of intellect he had made
himself man Of colossal fortune. Report gave
him 40 COG, 600 roubies, and doubtless report did
not exceed the fact. Every speculative enter
prise which he undertook, and they were many
ana various, was carried to sure success by the
same qualities of cool, unerring judgment, far
reaching sagac1ty, and apparently superhuman
power OF organizing, combining and controlling;
Mnlcn nad mace him In politics the phenome-
About DR.. Rapperschwylle Yes, the Countess
Knew MIN by reputation and by sight. He was
the Baron Savitch, whose high-strung mental
and nervous organization rendered him sus-
cept1ble to sudden and alarming attacks OF I'LL.
ness Or. Rapperschwyll was Sw1ss-had
some kind, she had heard. For the rest, he was
a commonplace little Old man, devoted to his
gIoIession and to the Baron, and evidently
devoid OF ambition, for he wholly neglected to
turn the opportunities Of his position and con-
nections to the advancement Of his personal
fortunes.
Fortifled with this information, Fisher felt
peter prepared to grapple with Rapperschwyll
for the possession OF the secret. For five days
he lay In wait for the Swiss physician On the
sixth DAY the desired opportunity unexpectedly
Half way up the Mercuriusberg, late In the
afternoon, he encountered the guardian OF the
ruined tower, coming down. s'No, the tower
making observations Of the country, and he, the
guardian, would be back in an hour or two"
so FEner kept on his way.
dated condition. The lack Of stairway to the
summit is supplied by temporary wooden
ladder. Fishers head and Shoulders were
form, before he discovered that the man who
was already there was the man whom he
sought. DR.. Rapperschwyll was studying the
topography OF the Black Forest through a pair
Fisher announced his arrival by an oppor-
tune stumble and noisy effort to recover him
sen, at tne same instance aiming astea!thy kick
ling ostentatiously over the edge of the trap.
The ladder went down thirty or forty feet with
racket, gathering and banging against the
Dr. Rapperschwyn Immediately appreciated
the situation: He turned sharply around, and
remarked with a sneer, Monsieur is unac-
showed his teeth, for he recognized Fisher
+" 1t Is rather unfortunate" said the BOsto-
nian, with 1mpertubable GOODNESS. 1--WE shall be
est; Let US congratulate ourselves that we
ing landscape to contemplated
Typographical studies Fisher lighted a cigar
a. also DESIRE" continued Fisher, putting
clouds of smoke in the direction of the Teufei-
munle, TO avail myself OF the opportunity to
me, IpreSume, by mistake"
&" If Monsieur the American physician was
not satisfied with his fee" reJoIned Rapper-
'SAoAOuoAyS NC Cou WICuOuC UOuUJ
have the matter adjusted by applying to the
BarOn'S VALET
Fisher paid no attention to this thrust, but
calmly laid the gold pieces upon the parapet,
directly under the nose OF the Swiss.
" could not think OF accepting any fee," he
SAID with deliberate emphasis 81 was album
dainty rewarded for my trlfiiDg services by the
nov city and interest OF the caSe.r
The swiss scanned the Americans cOunte-
nance long and steadily with his keen little
gray eyes. At length he said careleSsly:
mon Sieur is man of Science?''
"YeS," replied Fisher, with mental reSerya-
ton Ii favor OF all sciences save that which
Eliminates and d1gn1tieS our national game.
"Then-" continued DIR. Rapperschwyn, "Mon-
sieur will perhaps acknowledge that more
beautiful or more extensive case Of trepanning
has rarely come under his observation"
Fisher slightly raised his eyebrows.
Sand Monsieur will also understand, being
physician" continued DR.. Rapperschwyll, 1.-The
senSitivenesS Of the Baron himself, and OF his
friends, upon the subject. He Will therefore
pardon my seeming rudeness at the time OF his
discovery"
"He is smarter than supposed" thought
Fisher. "He holds all the cards, while have
notbing-nothing, except tOlerably strong
nerve when 1t comes to game OF blum. SO mere
gees"
81 deeply regret that sensit1venesS," he con-
tinued, Aloud ''for 1t had occurred to me that
an accurate account OF what saw, puDllsaed
In one OF the scientific journals OF England or
America, would excite wide attention. and no
doubt be received with interest on the Contl-