Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-04-29

suttc was uedfiy OVct. L dc guests ndu
mostly risen; some to saunter in the
pleasant grounds, others to go to their
rooms to make preparations for expedi-
tions further afeld, all alike beat on
draining to the dregs the cup of pleasure
which in Nice is always bub5ling to the
brim. But at the eni Of the long table
Two groups, sitting near each other aud
similarly composed, yet having no con-
uection, still fingered over the grapes
aud peaches. The tall, dark man, deep
in conversation with Mrs. Vanhuyser, ,
the pretty American widow, was Prime.
Demetrius Spandoff. Russian official
high in favor with the Gar, who, having
worked hard for eleven months OF the
year at swelling the chain gangs to ST.
beria, was spending the twelfth as a
holiday in the sunny South. At home
in St. Petersburg the Prince was silent
enigma, carrying dread in his frown and
his smile alike. Here in the Riviera he
was as chatterlng schoolb y, dividin,
his time pretty equally between the
Casino at Monte Carlo an tho offering
of the perfectly harmless homage to the
far American.
1t was the last day Of his holiday, aud
the chance acquaintance which had been
30 pleasant for the last few weeks was to
come to an eud that afternoon with the
Princes departure northward by the
rapide. The lady must have been per-
suading him to prolong his stay despite
the call of duty, for as she rose aud
swept gracefully toward one of the open
French windows she said, in a voice loud
enough to reach the other group:
"Only week; 1t is such short time.
You have been so kind and good | am
sure you could spare me that"
The Prince rose also, and folio wing
with his hand on his heart, made an.
swer:
MADAME, YOU ask what is impossible,
and what gives me pain of the most ex-
quisite nature TO refuse. Would that |
could remain; but my time is up, aud
His Majesty has need Of me.
81 want you good deal more than
the Car does" said Mrs. vauhuysen.
''Come into the garden, Prince, must
see if ! cant upset your determination. ;"
The moment she had stepped through
the window, with Spandoff in close at
tendance, the other pair of lingerers
raised their eyes to each other. o. this
couple the man was also tall aud dis
tinguished; but he was very fair and
his accent suggested German origin.
The lady's ancestry may have beer Aus
tro-Polish, but she lived in the present,
and for the present she was entirely cos
mopolitan. She was of singularly pale
complexion, and had large, quietly con
templative eyes. When Mrs. Viuhuyseu
was not present, the men staying in the
hotel voted her attractive, but the women
shrugged their shoulders. The man WAS
known as Baron Kolnitz, the lady as
Mime. Mosenthal, and they were sup.
posed to be brother and sister. As a
matter of fact, they were not related,
and their names were quite different,
but that has nothing to do with the
story.
They gazed long anl earnestly. The
man was the first to break silence.
st will upset all our plans if she does
prevail on HIM to STAY" he said in the
gutteral accents of his race. ''Who eau
say what woman will do2 She may
put her soul into the job now at the last
moment, and disorganize everything.
Our mission would then have to be at.
tempted in this crowded hotel, if we are
to give him his quietus by the 18th.
1.-THE date matters little, fancy, Sc
long as he never sees St. Petersburg
again, said Mme. Mosenthal.
The Baron shrugged his shoulders.
"You make no allowance for my feel.
ings," be replied. al have planned
everything to nicely; have spent 500
francs in squaring the guard of the
rapide. Francois Petre, to do our bid
ding; our own escape is arranged with
certainty, and yet you ask me to view
the overthrow of all this with com
plaisance."
''lt will be time enough to grumble
when cause arises, returned the lady.
"For myself, do not anticipate any
change in the programme. Would it not
be well to recapitulate the chief points
in it, now that we have an opportunity"
she added, glaacing round the room,
which was deserted save for the presence
of the head waiter, busy at a distant
buffet, and well out of earshot.
Kclnitz satisfied himself with astealthy
glance In the same direction, and pro
ceeded to enumerate his points with the
gusto of an artist well pleased with his
own design.
"The train by which the Prince is to
travel" he whispered, "leaves here at
$50 this afternoon. We also travel by
that train, but at first not together. We
arrive early at the station and take our
tickets for Paris, but we do not know
each other, you aud |. When the tram
comes in proceed to any compartment
! may select; full or empty, all the same