Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-14
WITHIN AN ACE.

A hot summers dsy was drawing TO its close.
ard the sultry stagnant air was stirred with the
fAntsst possible breeze rs sat on the Rhine Quay
at Cologne waiting for the arrival OF the steamer
for Rotterdam Not that was going to RotUer-
dam, but 20 DJrtrscht, quaint old Netherlandish
town, where i expected to 1ein my mother and
sister The latter had been sketching ali the
summer among the old towns Of Houapd: she has
an enthusiasm shat Is hardly shared uy her
brother who had deserted the ssesching party
and taken a line OF his own leading him up the
Rhine, and through the recesses OF the Black
Forest.
The Rhine boat was late. hours late-a thing
had NJ reason to grumble at for my train had also
been an hour or 80 late, and had the boat been
punetual should have missed II, and there was
no hardship In waiting. There was the Rhine In
front, broad and majestic, with It's strong impet-
uous current and swlrllng eddles, while the gay
Dutch baTges noated down, or were anchored In
the stream, mixed up with huge JiTnber-rafts. and
great, noisy tugs laoored up against the stream.
tooD was f6e bridge OF boats its dars Induiafin1
line running from shore tn shore and beyond the
bridge long reaches Of the river street he'd out TO
the low horizon IN doubtful kind Of haze. Out OF
the haze every now and then came a steamer with
ghttering lights, hoOting and wins ing on its
way, aud then the bridge Of boats would part In
the middle, and the steamer came painting down.
But not the right one. Darkness came on, lights
gllttered everywhere on the stream, stars glim-
boat.
HlihsrtoI had been the ONLY passenger waiting
on the quay, out now Two aides appeared, AT, at,
their osggsge-only one light portHanteau As
sured that they were still In time for the boat the
travellers seated themselves on the same pie Oh
paeking-cases where md already found a COM
Portable nook, and dismissed their attendant, wno
salutsd them respectfully and departed But the
glance. that seemed full OF covert hostility met
his glance with smile that perhaps was iittle
q rage as ne half turned toward me, and then,
thinking better OF hts purpose, Whatever it might
have been. skunk away, mutteFing and probably
cursing uuder MS breath Then looked curiously
&C the ladies' who had been attended oy this cross
no doubt The elder woman had n handsome,
clever face. which time, and probably trouble, had
rendered stern and worn The daughter resembled
the mother. she was strikingy handsome, Dut
there was q worn and sOIrOwIul look In her face,
nnd her beautiful DARK gray eyes seemed charged
before long i felt myself In turn the subject
VI the cider lady's scrutiny, and strange TO say
nv appearance excited the same sntlpathy as
with the serving man. stern. Indignant glance
was hurled In my direction, and then the mother
TUNED % her daughter with lev earnest words
The girl started violently and cur eyes met
Never shall forget that LOOK; the love, Tepro4ch,
despair that shone In those beautiful eyes. the
magnetic influence Of which seemed TO penetrate
stil II was so evident that here was A case OF
mistaken identity, for the ladies were absolute
strangers to me, that deternlned to clear up the
matter, and rising and saluting the pair made
some commonpla remark In French to the effect
that the boat was very late. The sound OF my
Trencn, SCENES 70 break the spell OF some
delusion. The elder lady replied quickly with
smile. and In excellent English, "Ah, you
are English after all. we thought we recog-
mixed a compatriot, formerly known 70 US. The
likeness II remarkable IL it not, Olga?" turning to
her daughter. The girl replied with simple ges-
turr OF asssnI as II she could trust herself to
syeak. Her face had lost the glow Of excitement,
and had rellpsed into ITS former pathetic calm.
The Ice vas broken. I was soon engaged In an
animated cohvsI sation with the elder lady. and
the daughter was occasionally drawn In TO join
the talk They were evidently cultivated people,
excellent ungulsts and acquainted with general
EuroDean literature In their society time new so
rapidly that II was something OF surprise when
Midnight hour was tolled out from the great DOM
kirche, and echoed from all around.
The steamer was cramned with fruit-bsskets
Piled high aboSr the deck, leaving harily stand
Ing room Tor passengers, " whom, however, there
were very Few. Carrying the light portnanteau
OF NY companions. as well my own, i led the
way 10 the fOTepart Of the vessel, where q space
had been kept clear OF fruit-baskets. The night
be pleasantsr 10 camp out on decA than 70 descend
into the saioon, anu. arranging rugs and snawls,
camp stools and portmanteaus, we settled our
boat was ol the move, and We passed away from
the twIDkling lights OF the city, and from the
and rattle OF the trains on the great latticed rail-
way bridge, into the gloom and calm OF the silent
river.
For time we looked back upon the huge cathe-
dral towers, touched here and there by silvery
nakes OF moonlight; out these soon disappeared
IN the midst Of night, and the low and distant
Thus We travelled on, cut adrift as It were from
the everyday wOrd-a5 lar as eight and sounds
were concerned we might have been sailing half
way between earth and sky. And thus We three,
who had been thrown together haphaZard on this
hummer sht, seemed Iocsened altogether from
all OF earJhIy responsibility, and Ie into the
vague ard dreamy taI. discussing ana question:
ing all kinds OF theories toucaing heaven and
earth, and the mysteries and problems OF life and
oeath-
Hours passed quickly away; the light OF dawn
was already gliding the turoid waters OF the river
board No doubt we were approaching the Ger
man frontier, where there Is generally some trif-
ing cus.om-houSe formalty TO go through But
this night something more than ordinary was In
progress strong party Of German officials had
come on board, and with rattlng arms and glean-
Ing lanterns, were making minute survey OF all
changed glaDees OF alarm .ne chief OF the ON
Gals was approaching US, accompanied oy the
conductor OF the steamer.
"Ah, you have some Russian passengers on
board" said the former, In the convinced manner
the elder or my companions put her hand ap-
pealinzly upon my arm
we are lost, ray son, unless you can save US"
The PruS.lan oTncer, tall and stin, was standing
over Us. while his companion held the lamp.
This Is an English party :" said the latter apol-
wandering people 10 the notice OF a King
"Ahw said the German, sniffng the air suspi-
cioVsly and malestically. "How DO We know
that
How, indeedi ! might plunge into perjury
fathons deep. but could ever convince this sep
teal, irOn-lraLne1 man that and my COMPANIONS
de U0noys were OF the same nationality? de would
insist on examination OF papers, baggage, and all
the r-sr, and should De brought 70 shame and
probably naled OF 10 the guard-nouse to share the
late o. ms iemals friends, Whatever that might be-
And yet ole sol, appealing look from Olga made
Ihlnk that al this would be endurable In such
company And then suddenly II occurred 70 me-
j have pssspor Yes; my mother who is an
O.4-fasnioEed traveller, Insisted on our having q
foreign-oifee passport in our Joint names when
started on our travels, and there 10 remained IN
touched Ia the nOte-caSe, wlere had first placed
u sprSns " my feet and politely saluted the
Cncial
-Par'.oa NE, have q passport
ma. m. goOt goot. he has passport said
the German, his features relaxing as he examined
the document carefully By the light OF the lantern
"Ah, yes, the Graf vOn Salisbury he remarked
approvngly, as he scanned the signature. "very
goot man So, 80, Esquiar, and Mistress EsQuiar
and Miss Esquiar-very yoot."
II was 80 much in accordance with the oricial's
sense OF fitness, this LUCKY passport OF mine that
The iron Gaan al once relaxed Yes. he became Do
LIE, lsive especially 70 the ladies' who bore the
ordeal W In wonderful composure
But 10 was q great relief when the steamer slack
ened speed. and the high offlcial and his subord-
mates disappeared over the vessels side sui none
OF u spoke Ill the appearance OF sundry homey
eustOm-house assured Us that we were fairly over
the frontier.
Then the elder lady, before could stop her
raised my hand TO her lips ana kissed IT,
"You have saved US from death, or what Is per-
haps worse, the prolonged torture OF q conyicr's
lie. The Germans, had they caught es, would
have sent Us back 10 the prisons OF the CAR
Yes. they were revolutionists these pleasing in
teresting womea-refugees from Russia Eus-
hln M al had ofr1aAr ha