The Van Buren press., 1894-04-21

| AA P"i VI BicVeS dU Jne oeBlHnlHB U
every game; " shall not play any more
will have my revenge tomorrow. M
le Marquis"
Your imperial majesty has hat
1t already" replied Marquis strogo
noff, who was the popular and &C
complished French ambassador. 81
you could but see the deep contritior
OF my heart for having had the pre-
sumption to defeat you, you would fine
yourself amply avenged"
The young empress smiled graciously
and rejoined. Every we'll, but prefer
deeds to words. That is what I try tc
Impress upon my people. Apropos, you
know how we Russians pride ourselves
on the strictness and alertness of oul
detectives. and how nothing escapes
their keen vigilance. As you seem to
doubt the watchfulness Of my subjects
requested that the very next case OF
detected smuggling be at once made
known to me-"
ITO doubt would he reasonable,
your majesty" said the marquis, with
smile. "Do let us hear the details. y
Count Lazareff has Just been ar.
rested and detained on the frontier for
smuggling all kinds OF contraband arti.
oles from Paris, which were most In.
geniously hidden in the Innings and
roof OF the carriage and the emperor.
TO encourage the detectives, has dis
tributed among them the heavy fine OF
eight hundred roubles, which the count
had to pay. What do you say to that,
marquis2"
II can but say, your majesty" he an.
swered, with shrug OF his shoulders
~ can but say how clumsy the man
thing"
Simple thingr' repeated the en-
press, with slight look Of surprise.
II do not think you would find it SO
easy to deceive our inspectors
"Will your majesty give me leave to
tryP" the marquis quietly asked.
"Oh no." she answered with smile.
at would be Of no use. You know
that your person and property as am
bassador are sacred, and therefore you
would not be fair test would
wager, however, this diamond ring
that were you to pass our frontier as a
private individual, you would not sue
ceed in smuggling in the veriest trifle
without being detected"
II accept the challenge" repliedu the
marquis, with graceful bow, 'and
as l am shortly going to France on
urgent private business, 1 shall avail
myself Of your gracious permission, re-
turn to Russia as private individual,
and subject myself and property to the
most rigorous search Of the custom
house."
"You have accepted my challenge"
the empress rejoined 'Rememb Der,
marquis, we shall have no pity on you"
Great excitement prevailed at the
small frontier station on the road from
Konigsberg to st. Petersburg. The Of
ficers Of the custom house were on the
alert, for they had received orders from
headquarters that when the travelling
carriage OF the French ambassador
should pass through that day 1t was to
be most carefully searched and ex-
amined, and even the person of the
marquis was not to be spared Such
were the emperor's orders, and un-
usual as they were they must be
obeyed.
Count Lazareff's rubles were moth
ing to 1t! BY St Alexander, the en-
peror Is kind father to u.s." and the
men stroked their long boards and
gulped down bowls of hot tea. But
bark! there is faint tinkle of bells
and the swift sound Of horses on the
crisp snow.
Here he comesr' cried one OF the
men, jumping from his warm seat This
rest quickly followed, and as the am
bassador's covered sledge with it's four
horses drew In sight it was surrounded
by the band of officers.
Respectfully touching his cap, the
head man accosted the marquis and
apologized for the intrusion, but he had
received orders to examine the carriage
effects of his excellency, and must
trouble him to allght while the search
was being made.
The marquis, who was luxuriously
reclining in the warm folds Of a mag
nificent black-fox cloak, reused him.
self at the words and replied that there
was no occasion to apologize.
"Alphonse," he called, as his valet
came to the door Of the sledge, "take
care OF Fidele, and see that the poor
little thing does not catch cold coming
ont into this frosty air."
Like eager birds of prey over a rich
prize, the examiners gathered around
the sledge, and began their search In
the most systematic manner, ransack,
ing every possible place of conceal
ment Even the cushions and Innings
were not spared, to the Indignation OF
the coachman and valet, who looked
on with sullen eyes, not daring to in.
terfere, but muttering at the folly OF
their master in permitting such an out
rage. As yet they had not discovered
a single contraband article, and more
eager became the search, until at las,
the baffled men had to abandon it.
The marq uis meanwhile wes warm
ing himself at the stove, with stoica,
ind ference, slipping hot tea and strok
ing Fideles curly head. Nor was his
equanimity disturbed when they ap
preached him and intimated that he
and his two servants must submit to
5ting searched Very WE'LL" said he
"Only warn you your trouble will be
n vain, for you will find nothing. But
u Gil your crGprs by all means"