The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-29

''AS yon know, an not believer IN
the supernatural. npught 70 shake
the bay guperHtiti0lb Stats Uf nina
'.'What yon saw WA 8ome iilusion4
some trick Of the lfiaslhati0n,' ] said
10 him
"Iie shook his head muuFnfully.
4 am as certain Of what ! saw Is u
/ II were before me now, he replied. Ny
mother Will tell you that ] am not
subject 70 Idle faneies
1.-THE princess confirmed this state
ment with a nod OF her head
a I am sure that my son must have
seen something like what he Describes,
she said 20 me. although Il b evident
10 me that II must have. been some i've
ing person maRquerading a. the ghost
Of the car. The question: 81 Tor 4 that ptr-
pose such q disguise could have been
assumed, and on this point ] confess
/ feel uneasy. What do you say, my
friend?''
Il shook my head.
:. I fear that the first suspicious Of
Boris were correct Ireplled, and that
.the enemies Of his majesty have re-
Bumed their Internal schemes u ap-
/ pears that they have obtained q key
10 the garden door. and who lInoRs
that they have not secured another TO
| the door of the imperial apartments.
/ that door from which the guard was to
have been removed last night for the
first time? Surely II 10 not by mere
| coincidence that this strange figure
presents itself In the corridor immedi-
ately after midnight, that Is 10 say. at
the hour when the consplrators had
every reason TO expect that the page
on guard would have JUST quilted his
post?
Both mother and son appeared
struck by this view Of the cireum-
stances. But Boris was by no means
| prepared 70 abandon his belief in the
supernatural character OF what he had
'''I can understand that It Is difficult
for my mother and you TO share my
opinion, he remarked. but cannot
believe that any consplrator could have
succeeded in assuming so close q re-
semblance to Alexander ILL., with whose
features was 50 well acquainted. Be
sides, n your theory were correct, and
he had disappeared through the inn
periai corridor, why II Is that nothing
has happened and that no one seems
to have seen or heard anything Of the
lntruslong
ut was of course difficult TO answer
this objection, but reiterated my de-
termihatidn 10 take a common-sense
view OF the occurrence.
ait may very well be that this was
merly q first visit I added: "a recon-
noIssance to discover the nature Of the
ground before introducing some explo-
sive machine or other, and the villain
may easily have kept himself out Of
sight for few minutes. Doubtless he
returned Immediately. only you, had
then left the gallery. But there Is an
easy way Of putting the matter to the
proof. II am right In my suspicious.
this creature, whoever he may be, Will
infallibly return at the same hour an
other night Tonight, on account OF
the presence Of everybody at this ball,
will be his most favorable opportunity,
as he may confidently expect to find the
imperial suite deserted. propose to
you that we repair TO this little room
OF yours together at the moment when
the page who has replaced you tonight
comes on duty. and II this mysterious
parsonage again presents himself will
compel him to disclose his identity
Boris welcomed this idea. could
see that he was secretly ashamed Of
the ridicule which had attached to him
for his story Of ghost-seeing, and that
he was anxious to re-establish his char
to express her opinion of my courage
and devotion in terms which II would
not become me to repeat TO you. In
the end we arrived at an understand
ing and departed TO the palace to-
gether.
throughout the progress OF the ball
during which Grand Duchess Olga
condescended to become my partner in
a Waltz-I kept my eyes and ears open
and observed that Boris adventure OF
the night before was the general topic
OF conversation. The more highly
placed officials were evidently in a
conspiracy TO treat Il as mere boyish
deluslon, but among the general body
of the guests I found that there not
few who shared my suspicious. I
ventured TO approach the cars con-
fidential chamberlain at an interval
between the dances and to sound him
dellcately on the subject. His reply
was characteristic of his nation and
government
"'My dear baron he said sharply,
there Is nothing 90 detestable as court
gossip. II Is most annoying TO his
majesty TO have his late fathers name
connected with the wanderings Of a
moonstruck boy. Take my advice and
dismiss the affair from your mind
His manner convinced me that more
Importance was attached. ito the Incl
dent than he pretended. However. I
feigned TO be perfectly satisfied, and
returned to the grand duchess. who
WAS anxious TO know whether her robe
would have been approved In Paris.
But the hour agreed on for the rendez-
vous was approaching. and had to
make the best excuse / could think OF
10 tear myself away from the imperial
lady. You are, OF course, familiar with
her portraits"
! was obliged TO confess my ignor-
ance OF the features OF the Grand Ouch
ess Olga, OF whom had never prevl-
ously heard, though, OF course. did
not say this.
The ambassador glanced at the chess
board for a moment, as II medltating
move. before he resumed.
''Ah! Well. will not attempt 10 de-
scribe her TO you. Boris met me as
we had arranged, In small passage
leading out OF the ante-room, and We
made our way unobserved up a back
staircase Into the famous haunted gall
lery. The page on duty was Just leav-
ing Us We arrived. He grinned when he
saw Boris. who explained TO him that
he had brought me 10 see the pages
room. Fortunately the other lad was
impatient 10 get down and take part
In the dancing. No sooner had the great
clock OF the palace commenced TO boom
forth the strokes OF midnight than he
hastily departed. and Boris and were
left in possession OF the gallery"
ITO BE CoNCLUDED.)
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