St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-13


tients, now dead, to whom the most ex-
traordinary thing in the world hap
pened, and the most mysterious and
touching.
She was Russian, Countess Marie
Barnov, very great lady, of exquisite
beauty. You know how beautiful the
Russians are, or, at least, how beautiful
they seem to us-with their delicate
noses, their sensitive mouths; their eyes
so close together, of an indefinable
color. blue gray; and their cold, rather
hard chBrm. They have something
wicked and seductive, naughty and
MELTING, tender and severe, utterly
charming to Frenchman. At bottom.
perhaps, it is only the difference of
race and blood that makes US see so
much in them.
Her doctor had during many years
known that she was threatened by
disease of the chest, and endeavored to
persuade her to come to France for the
winter, but she obstinatelY refused to
quit st. Petersburg. At last IN the
autumn of last year the doctor com
PEELED her to leave for MentOne.
She was alone in her compartment Of
the train. her servants occupying an
other. She leaned against the window
a little sadly, watching the country and
the villages as she whirled past, feeling
very isolated, very lonely in life.
AT each station her footman, Ivan,
came to see if his mistress had every
thing she desired. He was an old SER
want, blindly devoted, ready to obey any
order she might give him.
Night fell, the train rolled on at full
speed. She could not sleep. she was to-
tally unnerved. Suddenly the idea oc-
CURED TO her of counting the money.
given 10 her at the last moment in
French gold. See opened her little bag
and emptied on to her lap the glittering
stream of metal. But, of sudden,
breeth of cold air caught her cheek. She
lifted her head in surprise. The door
opened. The Countess Marie,i in dismay,
threw a shawl over the money spread
out in her lap, and waited. A moment
afterwards man appeared, bareheaded,
wounded in one hand, painting, and in
evening dress.
He reclosed the door, sat down and
looked at his neighbOr with glittering
eye, then wrapped his wrist in hand
kerchief.
The Door woman felt faint with fright.
This man must have seen her counting
her money, and had come to kill her
and steal it.
He still fixed his gaze upon her,
breathless, his face drawn, evidently
waiting to spring upon her.
He said brusquely-
Madame, have no fear"
She answered nothing, she was in
capable of opening her lips, she heard
her heart beating and q buZzing in her
ears.
Il am no malefactor, madame" he
continued.
Still she said nothing. but in a sud-
den movement she made her knees
knock together and the money poured
on to the carpet like water from spout.
The man started in surprise at this
flow of gold, and at once stopped to
gather it up.
She, terrified, rose, casting all her
gold on the carpet, and rushed to the
door to throw herself on to the line.
But he perceived her intention, sprang
up seized her in his arms, and forced
her on to the seat, holding her by the
wrists.
Listen to me, madame. | am no
thief. AS a proof | am going to gather
up this money an restore it to you. But
| am a lost man, dead man, unless
you help me to pass the frontier:
| can tell you more. In one hOIr
we shall be at the last Russian station,
In one hour and twenty minutes we
shall be on the other side of the bound
aries of the empire. Unless you aid me
l am lost. And yet, madame, | have
neither killed nor stolen, nor done any
thing dishonorabe. That | swear to
you. | can tell you no more"
And, going down on his knees, he
collected the money, feeling under the
seats, and looking into the furtheSt
corners.
Then, when the little leather bag was
once more full he handed it to his neigh
Dor without a word, and returned to his
seat in the other corner of the carriage.
Neither moved. She sat motionless
and mute, still faint with fright, but re-
covering little by little.
As to him, he moved no muscle, he
sat erect, his eyes looking fixedly
though he were dead. Every now and
then she threw him glance, which was
quickly averted. He was man of
about thirty, very handsome, with every
appearance of being gentleman.
The train tore through the darkness,
throwing its ear-piercing whistles into
the night, now slackening speed, now
Off again at its fastest. then it Gained
its flight, whiStled several times, and
stopped altogether.
Ivan appeared at the door to take or
ders. The Countess Marie looked for
the last time at her strange companion.
Then in a voice brusque and trembling,
said to her servant:
Ivan, you will return to the count.
have no further need of your services"
Amazed, the man opened his enormous
eyes. He stammered-
''But-but-"
She continued
mo, you need not come. | have
changed my MIND. wish you to stay
i'll Russia. Here, here is money for the
journey. Give me your cap and MANTLE"
The old servant, bewildered, took off
his cap and mantle, with unqueStioning
obedience, accustomed to the sudden
whims and strange caprice of his mis-
tress. He walked away with tears in
his eyes
The train started again. racing to the
frontier.
Then-the Countess Marie said to her
companions:
''These things are for you, monsieur:
you are Ivan, my servant. | make but
one condition; it Is that you will never
speak to me, that you will say no word
to thank me on any preteXt whatever.n
The stranger bowed without word.
Soon a fresh halt was made, and the
officials in uniform entered the train.
The countess handed them the papers,
and pointing to the man seated in the
far end of the carriage
My servant, Ivan; here is the pass
port
The train started again.
During the whole of the night they
remained tete-a-tete, dumb both.
In tie morning. on stopping at Ger
man station. the stranger alighted.
Then standing by the door, he said
'Pardon me, madame. that / break
my promise. but have deprived you of
youi:servant; tits only fair that l Should
replace him. Is there any thing you re-
Quir-?"
She replied coldly-
''tie and send my maid"
He went. Then disappeared When
ever She alighted at a refreshment