The record-union., 1891-04-19
the secret assassin, "Now is the time

/
against his unfortunate sovereign? This
woman had all that heart could crave
youth, beauty. wealth and admiration
and yet a Nihilist! What did she lack
that forced her into the cruel conspiracy?
! What secret rancor urged her to the crime
of regicide? Had she no fear of the dun
geon straw, which would bruise that
| lovely body; nor of the hempen cord,
which would break that ivory neck; nor
of the Siberian ice-fields, which would
freeze the dainty feet, themselves white
as the glistening snow?
"AhW groaned the stricken man, 81
have not been able to make her happy! ]
have been too exacting and too jealous
! She hates me, and her hatred has found
| this mode of Xpression-sublime from
its very incredible horribleness
What should he do, however? His first
! impulse was to kill his wife and then
himself, leaving the world to suppose
there had been some domestic tragedy,
for the faithful officer preferred that kind
| of dlshonOr to the other. Next he was
tempted to throw himself upon his knees
at the EmperOr's feet, confess all and then
| disappear forever with the guilty one.
| The sense of duty stopped him in the
| execution of either tragic denoument.
! He held the thread of conspiracy; it was
necessary to discover the whole plot, and
to do that it would suffice to let The letter
reach its address, and the assassin would
give himself up punconsciously. The Min
lister was already in possession of the
name OF this man-"NicholSon"
EngllShman or American, an expert in
dynamite. or, perhaps, merely Russian
| student under false name.
The letter was forwarded, and that
| evening the Prince and Princess attended
the opera-he pale, trembling with fear
and looking fifteen years older; she more
fascinating and courted than ever.
~ on are i'll, Michelr' said Madeline.
smllingly, to her husband as the carriage
bore them homewardS.
why do you think so?'' asked he,
with strangely gloomy air.
Nv n.y." rejoIned she coquettishly, "be-
cause you have not been jealous once to-
night ~
At the end of a week the Minister of
the Police said to his wife in tone of
Well-feigned carelessness:
The Car viii leave st. Petersburg
on Thursday
Indeed ~ replied the Princess. appa-
rently but little affected by the informa-
ton, the papers announce q different
date for his departure"
es," replied he, Intentionally de-
celvlng the fair conspiTator, for he had
conceived his plan Of action, 1--WE wish to
| throw of their guard those who might
have evil Designs"
Then he changed the subject, and spoke
with apparent vivacity on other topics,
while lnwardly admiring the wonderful
self-control of his unworthy spouse.
That very day he perceived that his
ruse had been successful, for he received
from the telegraph office the following
dispatch, addressed by the Princess to
some one whose name is readily divined:
1T will be Thursday-be prompt"
AS we may suppose, Thursday passed
without either the Gar or his Minister
having left the Capital, and Madeline APP
peared exceedingly uneasy at the an
nouncement Of their pretended change of
intention.
In the afternoon of the following day. a
rlchIy-attlred parsonage, wearing an enor-
nous rosette, presented himself at the
palace Of Prince Michel.
What does the gentleman wish?"
asked the concierge, making q profound
obelsance. 1t is needless to add that this
worthy domestic was a trusted member
OF the police force on duty for the occa-
sion.
Il DESIRE" replied the visitor. ''to paw
my respects to the Princess, and deliver
to her message from her mother. 1 anu
DR.. Nicholson"
Very well, monsieur said the pre-
tended concierge. Her Excellency was
expecting you, but she is visiting friend.
and left word that you should follow her.
The carriage viii be ready in few mo-
ments."
Nicholson had hardly time to give an
admiring glance at the paintings in the
receptlon-room, which he was examining
with the eye of a connoisSeur, when he
was invited to step into the carriage.
whittier he was followed by the co1scierge,
who seated himself unceremoniously by
his side.
Queer proceedingE' thought the doc
tor. why could he not have sat with
the cOachman2r
1t may be superfuous to inform nv
readers that quarter of an hour after
ward the So1-diSG1lt doctor was in the best
that IS to say the strongest prison in St.
Petersburg, and if some one was awaiting
him there 1t certainly was not the Prin-
cess.
In very gloomy-looking parlor, lined
on all sides with police officers in mill
tary garb, forbiddfng-looking indIvid
ual, who, although the poor doctor was
not aware of ii, was the Prince himself.
questioned him with a want of consider
alton which the unhappy Nicholson had
never before experienced.
"ltell you this is infamous :" cried the
angry and mystiiied prisoner, struggling
with his captOrs. Il arrived this morn
ing from Paris. have not exchanged
three words with anyone, yet when I
present myself at the palace of Princess
Michel, am arrested like thiefu'
You are, then, acquainted with the
Princess?" demanded the Prince. very
coldly.
Acquainted with herp' calculated the
Doctor, excitedly. "Why, / have known
her from her birth! Here is letter
from her mother, the widow of a great
General. Moreover, l am an American
citizen, and l protest against this out
rage"
search that man carefully" inter-
rupted the Prince, calmly, without APP
pearing to be at all disconnected by the
visitor indignation.
Nothing uSpicious-lOo1ing was found
upon Nicholson-nothing but a dainty
little box, carefully wrapped up. What
If 1t should be an internal machine ~
thought the Minister and his Aids.
An engineer of the School of Torpedoes.
attached to his Excellency's service for
Just such occasions, undid the package
with all the precautions known to science.
The greater part of the brave assemblage
awaited with anxiety the explosion
which seemed imminent. But nothing
unusual occurred, only that the engineer
wore a very peculiar smile as he handed
the open box TO the Prince, who, when he
glanced at 1t, hastily thrust it into his
pocket
Turning to Nicholson, he said, with i'll
concealed confusion, You are, therefore,
"An American dentist, monsieur, and
in great haste. ] must return to Paris at
the earliest possible moment. My bust
ness demands itt'
Five minutes afterward the doctor was
once more seated in the carriage, accom-
panied this time by the Prince himself,
who overwhelmed him with apologies.
But" inquired the husband of To- belle
Madeleine, "how is it that / never no.
ticed anything?"
''You Excenency," replied the Amer
ican nrnudlY chad Won been able To d.