Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-02-01

received him win n2s asc1l su3Utlfy.
The banker. exchanging the eempll-
nents of the day. waited fer the gene
RI u open up the business en- which
ths visitor hsa ooaeA Bat instead 81
doing 90. the general Wa silent and
stood in an expectaat attitude. now
gazing a. his caller. now looking out Of
the window But hearing nothing froan
the visitor, 10 finally said;
What can ] 90 fer your
The question greatly embarrssse1 the
banker. bat he InaEaged to stammer;
81 have come. sir"
II sea you have" eoldly replied the
general
This intini6ated and alarmed the
banker. lie began 10 fear that che gen.
eral was = sooundrel who had levied
this large amount Of money upon han
and which he did not intend 10 repay.
lie began u fear the knout. or ilapris-
onment, or Punishment TO Siberia for
his presumption In demanding his own
Nevertheless he could not afford to lose
such sum- lie laight rs web be ex-
lied rs lose his fortune. So he boldly
said:
II have come for the money ron Dor
rowed yesterday"
And pray. cir. who are you that
dares 10 accuse me Of borrowing
money!"
IL am Anton Truvousifi, merchant
and money-lcn6er. No. - Grand Million
street You csmo To my place Of bush
ness yesterday morning. yoa said that
an important official a1Eair called for an
immediate loan Of $4,000 roa bles. i
handed Yen 50. 600, which you took
away. telling nae 10 call on you this
morning for your acknowledgment and
ample securities for the loan. | have
done so. do not understand the mo-
tive Of your denial. You surely do not
wish TO ruin me-"
The general said nothing. but looke~
hard and cold and stern. The banker
grew pale, for he saw in the determined
look Of the police officer purpose not
to acknowledge the debt bat rather.
perhaps. to use his arbitrary power to
put his claimant and accuser ont OF the
way. Suddenly the Official turned and
rang for his servant
s'Order rnv curriaye" ne said.
He put on the familiar gray coat with
o big collar by which he was SO well
known in 81 Petersburg.
What was the color of the horse
that was in the carriage yesterday"
he asked the merchant
ut was chestnut, my lord"
"Have the chestnut. harnessed." he
said TO the servant.
Repeat your story. II you please,
emitting no detail whatever"
The merchant wen. carefully over It
again.
Your carriage is ready. your excel
lency," said the servan', entering.
II viii ask you to remain here until
return" said the general to the ner-
chant Quitting the room, descending
the stairs TO the street and getting into
his drowslSy he drove away.
The suspense OF the merchant was
terrible He sat down but in half q
minute rose again; walked the room;
looked out the window; sat in another
chair; once moro got up; went to the
door; looked out; saw no one, heard no
one; but kept hoping. wishing for n
solution to this mysterious affair.
Should the police officer keep the money
and not even accuse the banker of
blaclsmail or attempted extortionr-
there was only lie OF toll. poverty
and disgrace before him
In his desperation he began even to
contemplate it lie involuntarily
looked around the room TO see IL there
was anything valuable or place for
concealing anything valuable which
he might lay hands on by way Of resti.
tuition. 1t was bare official apart
ment with ordinary chairs. long Ia
BILE and writing cabinet furnished
with drawers and pigeon holes- He
steal.hily approached it and carefully
opened the drawers. Two of tho
twelve were locked The rest con-
tanned only official papers aud docu-
uents lie had several of his own lxeyA
In his pockets. He tried them one afb
cr another in the drawers One of them
turned the lock in the upper drawer.
1t too was full of papers He took
two or three of them mp and looked at
them. They were reports OF various
cases that had come under the super
vision Of the police general On enc
of them was Endorsed The namc OF the
richest noblenan in the empire. A
sudden but base thought struck tn.
desperate merchant: he would read 1t
and by means of the information ex-
tort money from the nabob conpro-
r1iscd IN IL. But he hesitated: he fun
blcd tho little package, began opening
it, then stopped and tried TO peer into
its folds. Suddenly the stopping of
carriage in the street below arrested
him. II might be the general. A door
below Jared lie thrust the papers
into the drawer. and had barely time
TO lock Il again and seat himself At
the window when the police general,
striding At = hot pace. entered the
room.
CHArTr1 II.
u, 1t,o Of e~rtsrr1o