Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-10-25
RUSSIAN ADVENTURE.
BY ROBERT G. v. MEYERS.

where there were many pretentious
houses, but little travel; he had met
no one, save a lighter of the
str bet lamps, Tor quarter of an
hour.
Suddenly from out the shadow OF
a porch came a young and prepos-
ses sing man who raised his hat
cot rteously.
l think you arrived in Petersburg
las ! EVENING"" said he to Wallace, in
per fectly good English.
The American stared at him.
The stranger followed up his ques.
tic by another:
When you were about to enter
your hotel last evening, perhaps you
picked up fan lady had drop
ped?"
Wallace started; he had been think
ing of the lady of the fan.
The evening before had been ex-
cePtionally warm tor September. In
tho glare of the hotel entrance, as he
was about to enter, a lady and
gentleman in evening dress passed
by. The lady dropped her fan. The
American stopped and picked it up.
She was the most beautiful woman
he had ever seen; nature and art had
do ne marvels for her. glittering
eyes encountered his, while a delicate
eastern aroma emanating from her
garments was almost intoxica ting.
There was a heightened bloom on
her rounded cheek, disclosure of
white teeth, and her little gloved
hand went out to take the fan.
Another instant and her compan-
ion had grasped the toy from the
American with so much rudeness
TIL t the latter looked up into his
scr rowling face
The lady laughed low laugh, and
bestowing a quick glance at Wallace.
moved on beside her escort, evidently
bound for some grand entertain
mant. Wallace looked after the two.
That woman is an arrant CO.
quette," he said to himself. II
sh puld not be surprised if she drop
ped that fan purposeIy to annoy the
Jealous wretch at her side in having
me pick it UP. Heaven, but she is
beautiful
He entered the hotel, and having
no luggage, and scarcely believed
when he said he would leave in two
days, as he had only comefrom Odessa
where business took him merely to
seq the capitol, was regarded sus-
pitiously, and was very carefully
watched.
He knew little of this suspicion,
however. He went to bed and
dreamed of the beautiful woman he
ha d decided was a coquette.
In tho morning his first thought
wa for her. She was uppermost in
his mind all day. In the twilight OF
tn j evening he went out for walk.
He went farther than he intended.
He found himselfalone, when up came
the man with questions.
Wallace, not averse to finding out
il this were an enigma, said;
1T would be difficult to forget SO
lovely woman"
The RUSSIAN eyes mashed.
Good" he said; "of course one
must remember her having once seen
her. am her cousin, Ossip Dostoy-
evsky. / came from her with word
for you"
For mel" cried Wallace.
"She accused herself of rudeness.'
returned the Russian imperturbably
"She wishes to thank you in person
for the small service you rendered
her. If you will consent-and the
A nericans are aproverbially gallant
people" he bowed low; Wallace
looked at him for hidden sheer
you will be good enough to follow
me to the Countess Anna Ivanovna. -
Resenting something in the man s
m amer, Wallace with the rashness
of youth replied:
THE Countess Anna Ivanovna
honors me-"
The Russian bowed and stepped q
little in advance. This should have
ar pealed to him as odd, but Wallace
was curious to know how the matter
would end. Though they had gone
thus only hundred yards or so, he
began to think he was making foo
of himself-how did he know but
there was some trickery at hand
The Russian knew all about his ma
tipnality, must likely know he was q
stranger in the city, probably was
not unacouainted with the fact that
he knew no one in the place, and
might not be ignorant of the bank
notes in his pocket, and the diamonds
no was carrying from Odessa, home
to his fair American fancee. The
idea of a countess acting in this fash
ionl He was about to cry halt, wher
Id found that the man had ascende6
flight of steps in front of a marble
residence and noiselessly opened the
leaves of wide hall door. The spir-
it of adventure predominated ovel
caution.
The next minute Wallace found
himself in long hall of mar
bic, the polished walls inlaid here
and there with onyx and malachite
brass lamp suspended by chains
In ON the ceiling partially illuminat
ing the apartment and disclosing TIN
only piece of furniture there TRIPOD
upon which burned an incense. Thu
Russian flung open the door to thu
right, and there was a fash of ligh-
fl ON many a candelabra within.
"Please to enter" he said, quit
Ill. 1. .1,..