Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-01-11

VERY we'll" said Gordon triumphantly.
| II will send for him"
I Perfectly useless, !" said the old uentle.
man despondently-'p perfectly. Perhaps
! you are not aware that Mr.. Ksvanagh, like
| myself, is the paid servant of the car"
"a paid servant of the CARP Gordon ex-
claimed, overwhelmed with astonishment.
And the most trusted agent Of his excel
lency, the minister of police"
A glimmering of the truth dawned upon
Gordon, and his sterner nature taking the
ascendant lie turned fiercely upon me and
said:
Are YOU, too, a servant Of the cara po-
lice spy?'
bowed my head before his wrath. The
old gentleman answered for me:
unfortunately Mile. Soltikoff is our
most determined adversary, as you should
know who owe so much TO her"
Gordon regarded him and then me in
utter bcwilderment Rudersdorf took up
the order of arrest, again saying few
words in Russian
IF you have no other evidence to offer.
Count Rudersdorf will proceed to read the
warrant, Time presses"
It's farce, tell you, reading the thing
to me You have no power to arrest me-"
The fact that you are a prisoner proves
| the contrary"
THAT is an abuse of power for which YOU
will be made to pay dearly. You have no
authority to arrest even Taras on British
! territory"
| mo matter where we find the Prince
/ Borgensky, we need no higher authority to
make him our prisoner than this" replied
the old gentleman, pointing to the seal on
the order
II warn You again that am not the
| prince, but a British subject"
The old gentleman shrugged his Shout
ders, raised his eyebrows and spoke to Ru-
! dersdori, who gave a short, derisive laugh,
and then losing patience replied in few
! short, perenp tOry sentences which my linn
! tied knowledge Of Russian did not enable
re to follow. But he addressed Gordon
'ather chan his secretary.
What does he say Gordon demanded
with not les, impatience.
Count RUdersdorf wishes to know if YOU
expect him to take your simple denial
| lgairst the evidence Of his own senses? This
IS not the first time you have met and he is
somewhat astenishcd that you do not rec
ogni2e him. Is 10 further back than this
morning you passed him twice in walking
lp and down the Adelphi terrace with Mr.
Kavanagh."
Gordon started. and fixing his eyes on
Rudersdorf seemed to recall his face to
mind.
And all this!' expostulated the old gen
tlsman, raising the pile of identifying pa
/ pcrs. For example" ne added, picking
up a photograph that slipped out, you
| would not have us believe that this is not
/ your portrait:'
Gordon took up the photograph and re-
| Garded IL in bewilderment 1t was un-
/ doubtedly his own portrait, but mounted
on card. with the printed name and ad
| dress Of Il photographer in Moscow The
! only explanation was that the photograph
! had been removed from the English mount
and pasted on the Russian one But for
/ what purpose was still an unfathomed mys-
| terry to him.
You perhaps deny your own handwrit-
ing;' said the old gentleman, banding a
| letter
This is net my hand l cannot even
read the character in which it is written"
Here is one written by you in the ordi
nary European hand"
That is rot my writing. can prove it,
| Give me Il sheet of paper"
| Writing material was given to him, and
! he wrote q couple Of lines quickly
RUdcrsdorf and the old gentleman ey
amiued it and exchanged few observa
tions.
The prince has altered his hand evi-
IDENTIFY" said the old gentleman in a com
| plimeutary tone; but, as the count points
out that is a slight achievement for one
whose skill! OF hand is known all over the
| world"
! Gordon dashed down the pen in rage
: and thrust his hands in his pockets
| a luminous idea seemed to have occurred
| to Rudersdorf, and rapid dialogue ensued
between him aud his secretary. at the end
of which the old gentleman, turning to Cor
| don. said
admirably rs you have played this lit
tie scene you cannot expect US to take that
exhibition rs n convincing proof that you
( are not Prince Borgensky. We are used to
this sort Of thing and not easily to be de
cclVcd. At the same time, to remove even
the flintcst trace Of doubt, we shall be
happy to facilitate to the utmost in our
power every means of Immediately proving
your identity. II there is any reliable per
son with whom you wish to communi-
! Cate''---
You shan't have line of writing from
me, said Gordon; not scrap that can be
| twisted into . snare to serve your purpose"
| I'm that case, relying on the evidence be
| fore Us ana the perfect honesty Of our con
| trere, Barry K8vanRGh, we have only to
| complete iornG.ttieS and remove you to
| Russia where you will be dealt with Ia ac
cordanoe with the pleasure Of the car"
"As you please"
| Al n sign from the secretary, RudersGorf
again took MP the paper, which he this time
read through without interruption. Com
ing to the end. he nodded to the guard at
the door, who AT once stepped forward and
laid hands upon Gordon. lie made no re.
sistsnce, and without word passed out of
the cabin, apparently too absorbed in
| thought to take heed of immediate circum
| stances
made movement TO follow him, but
Rudersdorf, who had risen aud now stood
by the door, interposed
We have not done with YOU yet" he
said sternly Sit down there"
seated myself in the chair he pushed to-
ward me-
For few minutes he and the old gentle
| man Conyersed in n iarROn that | could NOT