St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-06-29
Francois Petre, the guard. al

ready squared with my 500 francs,
is on the look out. He bundles YOU
with many apologies into the coupe
reserved for our good friend, the
prince. Spandoff will recognize you
as fellow guest at his hotel, and as
you are pretty when-pardon me
Mime. Vanhuysen is not by for
comparison, he will be civil. You
also are civil, though very sad at
hrst at the absence Of your brother,
who, you suppose, has through his
foolishness lost the train. The
prince consoles you; you are con-
soled, and by the time Marseilles is
reached you are sufficiently friendly
to ask favor. The train is lust
about to start again. present my
sell at the door of the coupe, and
great scene of happiness ensues.
have been in the train all the while.
but missed you somehow at Nice
station.
There is no time for explanation
may | jump in ? You appeal to
the prince-he cannot refuse-and |
jump. The train goes on. It's dark
now, and presently a something
which was once a too jealous Rus
sian official is flung on to the line at
a desolate place. At Lyons two
wearied travellers, not bit like YOU
and |, leave the train and cut across
country to Geneva. BY the time
that thing in the desolate place is
discovered we are lost in the crowd
and gone our several ways"
Kolnitz checked himself at NUT
tered Hush" from his companion,
and Mrs. Vanhuysen entered the
salle-this time by the door, pre-
sumably to go to her own apart
ments.
The effect upon the two conspira-
tors was simultaneous and decided.
Kolnitz muttered gutteral German
oath and stared blankly at madame,
in whose wide open eyes a look of
trouble was gathering.
did you hear that?" Kissed the
baron. st is as l feared. The
whole pretty fabric falls. The prince
is to stay for week."
Control yourself" whispered the
woman. eyes, l heard plainly
enough. She told the waiter to in
form the maitre d'hotel that the
apartments of M. lie Prince are re-
tanned for week certain. That
walk in the grounds has done it
evidently"
They sat quite still, bordering
deeply for some moments. At
length the baron rose.
II feel" he said, like "a playwright
who on the eve of the production of
his masterpiece is told to change his
plot, his scenery, and some of his
characters, retaining the stars of
the piece, and yet be ready at the
appointed hour. No matter. We
shall kill somehow before the 18th.
But for myself, | feel no longer like
work for today. shall seek dis
traction at the tables at Monte Car
10 and not return till midnight.
Will you accompany me?"
II will join you later in the day."
she replied. II cannot dismiss our
purpose from my mind so easily.
shall go to my room now and think.
| must study Nine. Vanhuysen and
the prince, and perhaps ] shall be
able to hit upon some new idea.
will meet you at the Casino in time
for dinner, and we can return to-
gether."
1t was not till 4 O'Clock that Nine.
Mosenthal emerged from her room,
ready dressed for her trip to join
the baron at Monte Carlo. She had
some little time to spare before the
train to the gambling resort was
due to start, and she decided to
spend the interim in prospecting the
movements of the intended victim.
To this end, however, it was neces
sary that she should scrape acquain-
lance with Mrs. Vanhuysen and
study her relations with Spandoff
more closely.
Madame proceeded to the garden
at the rear of the hotel. Here there
was fountain, and chairs were set
out under the trees for the use of the
visitors, The Russian was nowhere
to be seen, but there was Mrs. Van
huysen, seated quite alone and pen
sively watching the play Of the
spiral jets.
1t was an opportunity too good to
be lost. The adventures approached
and seating herself in the chair near
by remarked on the beauty of the
scene. Mrs. Vanhuysen's reply was
as brief as was consistent with po-
likeness.
81 hear the prince is to stay here
for week. That will be charming
for YOU" proceeded madame, moth
ing daunted. Pardon me, but we
have noticed that he seems greatly
smitten."
Mrs. Vanhuysen stared at her with
unteigned astonishment. "You-vou
must have been real smart to do
that" she blurted out at length, sur
prised into the language of the
States.
She who called herself Mosenthal