Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-08-30
THE STOLEN PASSPORTS.

LOIS IL Opeu anu Itdu lHS COuIeHUS. To Capt. Sasha, Commander of Frontier Station on the Vistula.
 Detain Ivan BrosIy and Vladimir Program. They will reach you shortly. GEN. JoRKA "A bad night for travellers to be on the road" could not help thinking, foE the rain was falling in torrents.
 l was commander of the Russian from tier station at Dana, which lies, on the great high road between Russia and the Austrian city of Cracow, and only half mile distant was the river Vistula, which divides the dominions of the Emperor Francis Joseph and the dominions of the czar.
 It ls my duty to examine the pass portsSf all travellers coming either way, and to scrutinize their luggage, to see that no Russian products were smuggled into Austria, or vice versa.
 For the last few days there had been little to do. Warm weather-unusual at this time of year-had set in, and the roads were in bad condition for travel ing.
 The dispatch had just received had been brought on horseback from the nearest telegraph station, nearly five miles distant, and from the signature at the bottom knew it must be a matter of some importance, for Gen. Jorka was the minister of police and his very name terror to evil doers
 1 instructed my men to watch the ,oads with extra care.
 The evening wore on slowly and at midnight no one had arrived. came to the conclusion that the expected travel CTS had either been apprehended before they reached the frontier or had post poned their journey on account of the bad weather, so l determined to go to bed and enjoy q good nights rest.
 The wind and rain kept me awake a long while, and just as I was about dropping off into slumber the sound of sleigh bells woke me up again, and in a moment or two a sharp tap at the door summoned me down stairs. 1 dressed and went down.
 Two travellers were waiting to see me, two big, powerful fellows, wrapped up in furs and greatcoats, which they kept closely buttoned, for the fire had gone put l judged at once that these were the men l wanted, for though their clothes and furs gave evidence Of wealth and refinement their faces hardly seemed to accord.
 But surprise was in store for me. When they handed over their passports 1 found, to my consternation, that they bore the names of Alexis Zamose and Sergius Melikoff, and were properly .amped and signed.
 To hide my confusion made some in- quiries, and they very frankly informed me that they were merchants of St. Pe- tersburg, who were. going to Cracow on business,
 Had they met any person on the road?' I inquired.
 "Yes," said the smooth faced man. ''they had passed two men early in the evening, but their horses. seemed to be lame, and they were moving very slow ly."
 l hesitated a moment, and then or | dered an examination to be. made oi their baggage-a proceeding to which they offered no objection. Everything in their valises, however, was all right | dlll llltlI lliiGn anu lOllcJ CdSeS Mefe stamped with their initials.
 felt that had no authority to detair them, and yet l hated to see them go for had presentiment that all wa; not right. To add to my suspicious tht man with the beard was nervous ant agitated, fact which he did his utmost to conceal.
 knew too well, however, what would be the result of blunder committed through excess of authority, so I deter mined to be on the safe side; and after delay, which 1 stretched out as far al possible, l told them they were free t proceed.
 I escorted them to the door, where low, one seated sleigh awaited them lrawn by pair of horses which I saw at glance had been hard driven.
 At the last moment had half mad up my mind to detain them, but with nasty salute they stepped into the sleigl and drove rapidly eastward, where dawl was already dappling the sky.
 There was no use in going back t. bed, so 1 went in and stirred up the fir and sat down to smoke cigar and wal for daylight.
 Now that it was too late felt sorry had let the men go, for the more
 bought over it the more certain l fel yhat there was something wrong abou them. It had stopped raining and be gun to blow up cold, and saw that would probably be busy day.
 had already finished breakfast whe a trampling of horses and a tinkling bells drew me to the door, and, to m surprise, l saw bearing rapidly dow upon the station a small detachment mounted cossacks, surrounding a sleig with two men ill it, who I made SUI were the parties 1 was looking for, a opinion which seemed to be verified whe they drew up, for the men were ratht rough looking fellows, and wore heav cloaks of coarse material, and gres astrachan caps, that came forward ovt their ears. l was soon undeceived.
 "These travellers claim to have bee robbed, captain" said the cossack office saluting. "They will tell you their stor, and, meantime, we await your orders. D The travellers hurried inside, and fo lowed with a sinking heart.
 "We are the victims of an infamol outrage, sir" said one of them. "Nl name is Alexis Zamose, and this is III friend, Sergius Melikoff. We were iou - neying to Cracow, and while passin through the forest last evening tW armed strangers in a sleigh overlook Il and, overpowering us, they took all ol possessions, made us give up our furs exchange for these wretched garmen and stole our passports, and then GU ting our horse loose they drove him 0 in the darkness and took flight. On fo we made our way back to the neare village, and were so fortunate as to ia l. ill with these brave soldiers, who pr c cured us horse and accompanied | n thus far on our jour1iey." { With inward rage I listened to tn strange tale, realizing only too clear . the mistake had made, and my feelinl