Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-10-31
.Ory; ~but l shan think the matter


me probably a year, perhaps more to
carry out my plans. i shall have to
90 to Russia and i've in the village OF
Naroyel, and shall want at least e4O0
at once, and probably another ei0O IN
the course or about six months. In
the meantime you must be content not
to ask me any questions, and to remain
in perfect ignorance of what 1 am
doing. My word IS the only guarantee
you can have that 1 shall be honestly
doing my best on your behalf.'
sit is sufficient, said the Countess.
You shall have the money. When
can you start?''
Tomorrow, was the answer.
Accordingly next day Mr.. MaTston
started for Narovel, which is village
In the province OF Minsk, IN Western
Russia. Here he took up his abode in
the guise of a well-to-do Englishman,
who wished to make himself acquainted
with the language and institutions of
the country, and who had no objection
to spending his money pretty freely.
He was a good shot, was fond OF riding,
and apart altogether from the necessity
of acting part which was involved by
the business he had on hand, he was
really a joyial and pleasant companion.
The consequence was that he soon
became y favorits with everybody in
tine disaict. The men liked him be-
Cause he was a capital sportsman and
could take his bottle with the best of
them, the women, because he was a
good looking foreigner, who was always
paying them such marked compliments
as circumstances permitted and who
was very fond of children Among
others with whom he shortly became
intimately acquainted was the new
priest, a young man named Nicholas
Kohl. Kohl acted, as priests very
often DO in Russia, the part of priest
and physician 10 the district. And
since Marston was able to give him a
great G-al OF valuable advice and as
sIstauce they soon became fast friends
One day, about five months after he
came to Naroyel, he went to Kohl into
the vestry room Of the chapel where
the Countess was married. He had
been In this room frequently before,
and knew exactly where the book in
which her marriage was registered lay
among some others in a sort- of cup
board. Already be had, on the pre-
tenee OF comparing the Russian system
with the English, examined registers
of births, deaths, and marriages. so
that he was familiar with the forms,
and on looking at book of such reg
isteIs could easily find any particular
one that he might be in quest OF. AS
vet, however, he had had no oppOrtu-
nifty of examining the book which con
tanned the record of the marriage of
the Countess. Now what he had been
scheming for during the past five
months was to get the book secretly
into his possession for about half an
hour. Already he had formed a num-
Der of plans for getting half an hour
alone in the vsstry room, but these he
had discarded one by one as being un-
suitable. at last, as often happens in
such cases, an accident gave him the
opportunity he sought. On the occasion
in question they were going for long
walk and had ouly gone into the vestry
room to leave a parcel, which the priest
had in his hand. Scarcely, however,
had they entered the room when tLey
were followed by little girl who had
seen them go into the chapel. She had
been to the priests house to look for
him, as her mother who was very Ill.
wished to see him for a few minutes.
81 shall wait here for you," said
Marston, speaking TO Kohl in French
when he understood what the girls
errand was. Il can read till you come
| back" There were some French and
Latin books in the room.
VERY well," said Kohl, it is OnlJ a
/ few minutes walk from here. l shal
not be more than half an hour"
When the girl and priest had left the
chapel Marston took out of the cup
| board the volume that contained the
record of the Countess marriage, and
| turned over the pages till he came K
/ the entry he was in search of. Yes,
/ there in black and white, was the rec
| ord of the marriage of Sophia Tschak-
| of with Michael TOkhtamish. Mr.
/ Marston looked at the register intently
| for a minute or two, during which tim'
| he had turned rather pale. Then h,
| got I'D and looked out OF the yestrl
room to see that there was nobody il
the chapel. Having satisfied himself
that he was quite alone, lie sat dowr
again and examined the characters ii
which the name OF Michael Tokhta
mish was written with the greatest car,
for about a minute. Finally, he tool
out Of his pocket a penknife. a bottle o
ink and a pen, which he had alwsy
carried about with him in anticipation
or an opportunity like the present
With the penky ife. he carefully eraseC
the name of Michael TOkhtamish- L
took him about three minutes to d,
this. so anxious was he to do the WORK
neatly, and not leave a trace OF th'
letters he was removing from the regis
ter. When he had succeeded to hi
liking Re put the penknife in his poke
agar. and having carefully examined
the pSu to see that the NIB was in order
he proceeded TO write over the erasur'
Let me first ask IL the reader ha
| guessed whose name It was that MI
Marston wrote over the name he ha'
been at such pains to erase?
No. Having most caref ully erase
the name OF Michael Tokhtamlsh, b
proceeded with the very greatest car
10 write the name of Michael Tokhta
mish as nearly in the same place an
eharacter thst It had stood in before
When he had done this to his satisfac
ton he let the ink dry, and then re
stored the book to its place. kot
came back presently, and they went 10
their long walk.
About three weeks afterward MI
Marston found that he had buslnes
which necessitated his leaving for Ems
Land. and, very much to the regret
the inhabitants or Narovel, he departed
From Russia he went straight to Parf:
where he called upon Countess Che
r.ssi with whom he had beld no con-