Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1891-10-20

pencd, and
the most nvs-
FERROUS aud touching. She was Rus
sian, Countess Marie Baranow. a very
great lady, of exquisite beauty. You
know how beautiful the Russians are,
or, at least. how beautiful they seem
10 us-with their delicate noses. their
sensitive mouths, their eyes SO close
together. Of an irdciaablc color. a
blue gray, and their cold, rather hard
charm. They have something wicked
and seductive. naughty and melting.
tender and severe, utterly charming To
Frenchmun. At bottom. perhaps, it
is only the difference al race and blood
that makes us see 80 much ia them.
Her doctor had, during many years
known that She was threatened by u
disease OF the chest. and cndcayorcd 10
persuade her 60 come to France for the
winter, but she ob>tinatcly refused TO
quit ST Petersburg At last in the
autumn Of that year. the doctor com
PEELED her To leave for Mcntonc.
She was alone in her compartment Of
the train, her servants occupying an
other. She leaned against the window
little sadly, watching the country
and villages rs she whirled past. feel
ing very isolated. very lonely ia life
At each station her footman, Ivan,
came 10 see II his mistress had every
thiu, she desired he was an old
servant, blindly devoted, ready to obey
any order Shc might give him.
Night fell, the train rolled on n full
speed She could not sleep. she was
totally unncrvcd. suddenly the idea oc-
Cured To- her OF counting the money
given to her at the last moment in
french gold. She opened her h,;!c bag
and enpticd onto her lap the giisten-
ing stream OF metal
But. Of sudden, "a breath Of cold air
caught her cheek. She lifted her hcaG
In surprise. The door opened. The
Countess Marie, in dismay, threw n
shawl over the money spread out in
her lap and waited. A moment after
ward a man appeared, bareheaded,
wounded in one hand. painting and in
evening dress.
lie reclosed the door. sat down and
looked at his neighbor with a glittcring
eye, then wrapped ms wrist ia "a hand
kcrchicf
The poor woman felt faint with
fright This man must have seen her
counting her money and had come to
kiln her and steal IL.
/ He still fixed his gaze upon her,
breathlessly, his face drawn, evidently
awaiting 10 spring upon her.
/ lie said, brusquely:
Madam. have no fear"
She answered nothing. She was in
/ capable of opening her lips. She heard
/ her hear; beating and a buzzing in her
4 ears
II am no malefactor, madam, he
continued
! still she said nothing; but in a sud-
den movement she made her knees
/ knocked together and the money
poured onto the carpet like water
from a spout.
The man stared in surprise at this
flow of gold, and at once stopped to
gather IL up.
She, terrified, rose, casting all her
gold onto the carpet, and rushed 10 tine
door To throw herself onto the line
. nut hc pcT-tiNtu hcI ihNchtiph' Spidhk
up, seized her in his arms and forced
her onto the seat, holding her by the
wrists
Listen 10 me, madam | am no
thief. As proof | am going to gather
up this money and restore it to you.
But am lost man, a dead man, I'M
less YOU help me To pass the frontier. |
can tell you no more. In one hour we
shall bc at the last Russian station, in
one hour and twenty minutes we shall
be on the other side of the boundaries
OF the empire. Unless you aid me !
am lost. And yet, madam, | have