The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-26


watched, yet i had TO know, SO | asked
boldly for the American consulate.
The consul was not up when l sent IN
my card. He was John Thornton, son OF
the Western senator of that name, and a
very nice felioW-the best type of a good
American gentleman-and an efficient Off
cial he proved TO be. / showed him my
passport; we discovered we both belonged
to the same cosmopolitan club in Washing
ton, and that we had many acquaintances
IN common. / gave him the packet which
ne promised to guard carefully, and to de-
liver, under no circumstances, to any soul
save myself. Then to get the cobwebs out
OF my brain / started for brisk walk
Two hours later. now feeling quite fit l
inquired at the hotel for Miss Manners and
They lefc.. Monsieur, on the morning
train for Paris
Left. cried left. Did they leave
NO, Monsieur. But here is letter sent
you fror4, the American consulate.
tore the envelope open.
1 read.
AS l walked down the hill street to the
town-that varied. famous scene impressing
me without my seeing it in the absorption
OF the moment thought of what fool
mad been. Were these two women then or
olnary schemers, political plotters and
tricksters? Had they used me to accom-
phsh their purpose and then run away;
leaving me in the possession of the sealed
packet? knew not what discomfort or
danger. And then saw the girls honest
eyes and face; surely there must be some
thing l didn't understand behind all this:
surely she had not left me of her own free
viii without word--after that talk and
understanding we had the last night.
AT the consulate another surprise
awaited, or rather ii was not so much a
surprise after all had expected that
something would happen and here it had
happened in the presence of two French
men, one gesticulating and excitabe, the
other calm and observant, a round, red
faced efficient person. both were plainly
officials. In the background stood the
Russian detective. who l was sure was the
ms WI N h16 frfp ante Flp
night. The consul was grave and cold,
quite different from his manner when we
Mr. Brinton.' he said this is Mon
sieur Radikof, of the Russian secret serv-
II think we have met Monsieur" said
the Russian advancing
Yes" / said, you offered me a ci-
garette. and you tried to enter my room
yes, Monsieur, I tried to enter your
1T was thief's way"
'I was after a document which is con-
traband," he retorted without moving a
muscle.
And this is Monsieur Thereau, and
Monsieur Filet. of the French service.
| expressed myself duly pleased NJ Filet
was the excitiable little man.
1T is this, Mr. Brinton," the consul went
on, There has been discovered in Russia
a plot which comprehends nothing less than
the assassination of The Car, the German
Emperor and the President of France.
Several persons have been watched.
THE Princess Stefanof and Miss Man
observation-disclosures by birth?" I cried.
II don't know whether the ladies you
mention enter a. Are really the h. two have meant
81 am not at liberty to answer that" the
Russian detective said. Sufficient. Mon
sieur, that q paper was passed from
woman, who is not only a suspect-but who
is known to be gulty-to of those
ladies. That young lady gave it to you
You saw IT in my hands?" L said UNI
guardedly knowing that he had.
Ysa Monsieur and / Pseye that 3 yqu
ton, the consul of the United States
AS | stood there. the case seemed evident;
a dull rage gathered against this Miss Man
made me such tool. l turned to Thorn
ton:
you this morning to M. Radikof."
VERY WELL" said Thornton.
| Radikof came nearer me.
Monsieur" he said slowly. ST am con-
WINGED that you are a victim of circum-
| stances-of designing persons.
II don't think Monsieur Brnton need be
| detained" the little Frenchman, Filet, put
| in; his passport, his antecedents, M.
I Thornton assures us, are quite regular.
| At this moment Thornton entered with
the sealed packet, which he extended to
Radikof
81 think it important to break the seals
at once" that person said.
Quite So" Thereau said and Filet
of paper. A look of the utmost consterna-
ton gathered on his face as he unfolded the
sheets; they were blank an Filet gave lit
"It was a decoy. nc woman at
Genoa"
Radkof hesitated; then, recovering his
| self-control. he said:
Either she or those others. am afraid
it is too late. But"
81 think, Monsieur Brinton is eXonerated.
We are deeply Obliged"
1--WE are deeply obliged" echoed the two
"Were the two ladies the Princess
Stefanoff and her daughter" l now ven
tured to ask
others going out echoed him.
They y, will l, tell you nothng" Thornton ara
seemed the best way
Perhaps But l can tell you something
was plain that there was Princess Stef-
anoff who had been born in Utica. 49,.
IT'S extraordinary, = Thornton said. yet,
if she were so attractive, I don't see how
you could have done differently" he added,
smiling. It's a big. mess of some kind.
They may not have been our compatriOts.
Some of these plotters are remarkably
clever He told story of a friend of his
who during the Cars visit to England had
been addressed in a restaurant on Piccadil-
ly by a lady he never had seen; how he had
been arrested half hour later, the lady
proving to have been a Russian Nihilist,
who was being watched by the police. He
told many like stories; he put over Dora
Manners'S frank face the mask of political
plotting, until / completely doubted her
Well. ] remained about the Riviera for
some weeks, of course, not seeing or hear
ing of my vanished acquaintances The
meantime | scanned the papers for men
ton of the plot for any Russian political
news. 1t was not until ! reached Paris that
/ saw anything that could have mad any
possible bearing on the case. This was an
article in Temps. stating the Punishment of
an important minister, who had been dis
covered in certain speculations and in false
accusations against five prominent noble
men of plotting against the life of the Car.
Now the young lady at Mentone had said
that that packet concerned the lives of five
persons ] considered it for q moment and
| it occurred to me a possibility that the
packet might have contained information
| for the Car. showing the duplicity of that
particular MISUNDERSTANDING the innocence
of the five documents which the minister
had used the secret service to intercept in
his own interest. This at that time was of
course only surmise.
You mustn't suppose either that | was
entirely in 2 peaceful state of mind While
7 remained in France | continually felt that
I was being watched Not until | reached
England did | breathe entirely free; that
was two months afterwards in June. And
here an accident explained and adjusted
matters to my satisfaction.
One afternoon during the parade | was
strolling along Rotten Row when groom
rode to the curb.
beg pardon sir; Mr.. Brinton?
Then I saw a lady-the young lady of my
adventure She dsmounted, throwing her