Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-05-04


could have suspected the existence Of a
trap.
The nurse fulfilled all his directions
accurately, carrying the chair into the
next room and setting the dressing table
back in its place. When she went up to
the bed to set it in order, happy
thought struck her.
"I know what-I'll get into the bed,
just as if this is where Sleep" she
thought. "Surely those brutes won t
think Of looking for the bonny lad in
an old woman's ROOM"
She hastily took off her shoes and
outer clothing, put out the light and got
into bed to wait for the unbidden guests.
She had good time to wait. The
procurator carefully examined every
nook and corner in the house. Katia
tried to prevent him from entering her
mothers bedroom, but he insisted,
threatening to enter by force if she did
not admit him quietly. He promised,
however, not to disturb the sick woman
and followed Katia into the room alone,
leaving the officer of gendarmerie out
side the door.
"Katia, is that you?" asked the
mother, half waking.
"Yes, mamma. Go to sleep again."
"Wasn' t there a ring down stairs?
thought heard one" F" the patient went
on.
"It was only the man with your med
icine. Go to sleep again, mamma,
Katia replied.
The procurator meanwhile was ex-
amining the room, in which he could
find nothing suspicious. He looked into
the wardrobe, but it contained only
feminine clothing. He carefully exam
ined the bed, on which the sick woman
lay, covered by thin quilt. Then he
bent down, lifted the valance and
looked under the bed, but there also he
could find no criminal. In the corner
stood large old travelling trunk. He
made sign to the girl to open it and
looked in, but still could find no GRIM
inal.
He left the room in silence and went
down stairs Katia followed.
"Now we will 60 to the pavilion,
he said to the officer of gendarmerie.
"Tell your men to bring lantern.
A corporal of gendarmerie appeared
with lantern and walked with the
officer and procurator across the dark
courtyard. Katia followed them. She
knew that Vladimir must be there, for
there was nowhere that he could escape
to, the whole place had been so thor
oughly searched. She foresaw some
thing frightful, hut she could not bear
not to 60. TO stay behind and wait
would be still more dreadful.
The gendarme, entering the pavilion,
shook the nurse by the shoulder. She
was pretending TO be asleep, or perhaps
had fallen asleep in reality.
"What is it? What's the matter?"
she muttered.
"Get up and dress"
The old woman obeyed, and the
whole pavilion was searched. No GRIM
inal was to be found. The procurator,
beginning to get out of patience, turned
to his companion.
"We must get the truth out of this
old hag," he said.
Look here" he went on, addressing
the nurse, look me straight in the
face
'There's 10 need, sir. can see you
plain enough as it is," she retorted.
"Silence!" shouted the procurator.
"Answer me- Where is the young gen.
tleman who came here last Monday!"
"How should l know about gentle
folks affairs? I'm only servant here.
He came, and 1 suppose he went away,
as he isn't here.
"Look here! Although You re an old
woman the procurator began sternly.
At this moment the officer of gen.
darmerie touched him OH the shoulder
and pointed to the ring hanging from
the ceiling. Katia looked up, and the
cold sweat broke out on her forehead.
He is sure to be there, she thought.
"Ah, of course" said the procurator
in delight. Then turning to Katia he
added: Kindly let me have ladder.
l saw one in your lumber room. y
every WE'LL" Katia answered, more
dead than alive.
The officer and the gendarme left the
room and presently came back with a
little ladder, which they set up against
the wall.
The officer of gendarmerie, to whom
belonged the honor of discovering the
trapdoor, ascended the ladder with the
lantern in his hand The ladder was
somewhat short, and he was small of
stature Finding himself not high
enough, he set one foot Oh the top shelf
of the little bookcase which hung on
the wall close by. The nail gave way,
and shelves, books, ladder and gen.
darme all came tumhling to tho floor.
The officer almost fell OH the back Of
the procuratOr, who was STOPPING down
to pick up sheet of note paper folded
in two, which had fluttered off one Of
the books as it fell. 1t was the farewell
letter which Vladimir had left for
Katia the day before when intending
to leave the house and then had forgot
ten to destroy.
The procurator read it through, and
an oath broke from him in his annoy
ance. The prey had slipped away from
under his very nose.
"What is the matter?' asked his
worthy companion.
"Read it"
The officer took the note. There could
remain no further doubt upon the sub
ject. The letter was dated and signed
"Vladimir Volgin." 1t was addressed
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