Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-12-22

. q
!: THE BLACK TERROR /;
: Il Romance Of Russia. 3
o ry JOHN X. LEYJ. &
- &
DO ]
Cy JOHN X. LEYJ.


t4H44E " as ~ hEt-V uD VII @tEttflErS - AtEE
last W months, now when the Prize
ess was willing 10 treat me, not mere
~ Ike an ordinary guest. but like a
c0usin or an Intimate friend. TO abau-
don my dreams. 10 stife them with a
forecast Of the future. was impossible,
when | had the testimony Of looks and
tones. Of friendly chat and and yet
more friendly laughter. 10 persuade
me, against my better eason that
some day these dreams might change
to a sweet reality.
All this time / heard nothing Of the
Prince. beyond the news that he was
well, or Of the relations between him
and fte people he had been sent 10
govern | did not dare TO question
Irene on the subject; and I doubted
whether she knew either the character
istics Of her fathers rule, or the result
Ing peril 10 himself.
II was on the sth or April, a day Of
bright sunshine aud springing flowers,
when a carriage drove up 10 the castle
ct top speed. III had barely stopped
when the door was flung open, and a
short. pursy man, evidently swelling
all over with self-iInportance, stepped
out.
Making his way into the hall OF the
castle. he demanded an audience with
the Princess. 1t turned out that the
Princess had one OF her headaches that
afternoon, and Princess Irene was de-
puted 10 act IN her place. She e u for
me. and said that she would prefer
that ] accompany her: 80 we went to-
gether to the o where the govern
mert official was waiting for us.
Who IL that gentleman inquired
the officer. sharply pointing TO me-.
"Mr. Heath Is an Englishman," re-
piled the Princess, flushing slightly as
size spoke. 'He has been in the habit
of acting occasionally as my fathers
private secretary, and he Is a friend
Of the family"
II may speak openly before him,
them
Certainly You may
Then, Princess. / have one question
20 ask " you, and when you have an
swered il | shall be ready TO answer
yours
II am ready to answer any question
You wish to put" said Irene, looking
very pale.
when did the Prince return from
ST. P~etersburgf'
Return from st. P~etersburgY' ech-
ocd the girl. My father has not come
back from IT. Petersburg. He has not
been here since he left for yolotzka,
some months ago"
mot even in secretY'
II do not think 1t possible that the
Prince should have come here without
orr knowledge"
"iIaye you or the Princess Kropen-
ski any idea where he ISL
NO. Do you mean that he has gone
somewhere without telling the govern
mentg'
.'fhe Prince ought to be at his own
home In st. Petersburg, but | am sor-
nv TO say that that Is precisely where
he is not"
"But-where Is he, then? Has he
gone back 10 yolotzka|
"Nc: that ls just what he aas rot
done,
Where IL he, thcnT'
"your Richness will remember that
! advised
"sIr, [ am not a child! Please ar,
swer my question:
"lf you will have the truth. then
and | could see that. with all his show
OF reluctance. the old fellow was burn
Ing To impart his lnformation-"and
without admitting anything In my Off
cial capacity, | may say that the gov
eminent do not know exactly where
Prince K%ropcnski is at the present
moment"
The Princess turned a bewildcred
face upon me. and, reading in my face.
| fancy. nothing but a grave anxiety,
she went on:
DO the government attach any i'm
portance to the Princes disappear
anee? DO you think II possible that
some Ill has befallen himy'
This time the little man looked gen.
timely uneasy. IF 1t please you,
Princess" he stammercd.
"Tbe truth. sir, II you please said
the Princess: and / started ct the
sound OF her voice. II was quite UNI
like her natural tone.
We'll. | dare not conceal from your
Highncss. any more than I would have
dared to conceal from your mother,
the Princess Kropenski. that the gov
eminent entertain some sentiments of
alarm for tho safety Of the Prince.
The malignity OF the enemies of the
government is great-and, I'm short, We
are a little anxious about him. We
thought II possible that he might have
come down secretly, and / was sent to
inquire"
They think 1t possible that he may
have been-inurderedy"
Princess. everything is possible. Bnt
we must not jump to conclusions"
For a moment ! thought the Princess
was going to faint. but she mastered
herself, and said. sharply:
what do the government propose to
do?r
"The government? There is rot
much they can 10. They have made
Inquiries
(which have come to nothingy"
The official bowed.
And you mean 20 tell me that this
noble. this head Of one OF the Oldest
families in the land, a general of the
army. the governor of a province, has
disappeared, and left no trace, as il he
had been a dog or a cat?'
The police official sighed. turned ND
his eyes. met those OF the Princess
fixed on him. and Immediately
dropped them again.
Tell me how 1t happened" said the
Princess. and her voice was sca rcalv