Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-12-29
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
E THE BLACK TERROR ;
Il Il Romance of Russia. q
"a By JOHN II. *
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CHAPTER v-(Continucd)
BY JOHN X. LEYs


within hearing. that my master has
received threatening letter. At any
rate, he believed that the Nlhll!stS
were threatening his life. and to pro
tect himself. he had a strong lock OF
special manufacture put on the door.
and when he left st. Petersburg he
took the key with him, so that it might
not be tempered with during his alb
sence. He must have brought it back
himself. So 1 do not see how it is pos
sible that a second key can have been
made"
"Unless the prince himself possessed
two keys-but that only drives us PACK
upon the incomprehensible myster! OF
the Prince acting as he seems 10 nave
done"
Next I questioned Ivanovitch as to
whether any of the doors or windows
had been found uDfastened III tne
morning; but here I could not get an!
such clear, definite information as
had obtained on other points. All the
INQUIRIES 1 made-and l questioned ev-
ery servant in the house-resulteu III
this-that it was scarcely possible that
the Prince should have left by the
main entrance without waxing the
porter, who declared that he had not
been disturbed; but that it seemed pos
sible that he might have escaped 1fohl
the house by a side entrance, as the le-
male servant who had been first TO
open it in the morning could not De
Derfectly sure that she had unbolted
the door before opening it.
"Do YOU think it possible. lvano-
witch" asked. that His Highness can
be hiding somewhere about the house
itself?"
"Why should he wish to do that. sir:
But it is not possible. The police have
searched the whole place. from garnet
to cellar, with lanterns, several tlmes'
without finding 4 trace OF anyone belhg
concealed-'
The steward paused. and then said.
in a hesitating way:
"SometimeS | think that His High
ness cannot have gone away OF MS
own accord. If he wished to go any
where in secret. what was to hlhcef
his doing so? And why should ne not
send word either to the Princess or IT,
the GOV ernment? Do you think. sir
he can have fallen into the hands OF
the Nihilists?"
:.Heaven only knows! l exclaimed,
rising and pacing about the room. III
he has. he seems to have gone to them
of his own accord. But have you any
special reason for thinking that your
master may have been an object OF
hatred to the Nihilists, beyond what
YOU have told me already?'
sI fear. sir, he was not very popular
in lis government of Volotzka One OF
the men he brought with him from Vo-
lotzka said he mad bad reputation for
cruelty"
"But, supposing the Nihilists are at
the bottom of the business. how IN tne
world did they persuade the Prlnce ~
leave his own home and 60 to them III
the dead of night? No matter "nat
theory we adopt, the affair seems M
comprehensive. And now, Will YOU
send the coachman, the footman anc
the valet to me? wish to ask tnem u
few questions
alexander Romovitch and Nicholas.
the footman. are both here" was the
answer: ''but Jules Ramaud, his High
ness valet, left some days since, to 60
to new situation. AS l knew the
Prince was not in any way attached TO
him, and our keeping him was use
less expense, I thought it as well to let
him go.'
"rhat is unfortunate. Do you know
where he has gomez
II believe his new master was only
on a visit here, and that he has left
Itussia. But as Jules certainly did not
see the Prince after his return from
the ball"
ellis evidence is Of less consequence.
True; but l should have liked to see
lin. Now send the coachman to me.
Bot he and the footman entirely cor
roborrated Ivanovitch. In fact, the
only fresh fact I elected from them
and that seemed to be quite unira1ort-
ant-was that there had been somc
slight confusion amt Eg the carriages
waiting at the Embassy while the
guests were leaving the ball. Ro]no-
witch did not hear the first call for the
Prices carriage or had not respond
ed to it promptly, for when he was
told that Prince Krcpenski'S carriage
had been called. aud was making his
way slowly to the vestbulc. the Prince
himself met him. and stopped the car
riage by raising his hand.
Nothing Of imrt rtal CO trahsDlreh.
either from the other servants Or from;
the servants employed at the French
Embassy. l spent the next few days
in tracing the movements of Prince
Kropenski during the time he had
passed in ST. Petersburg, and in call
ing upon people who had seen him.
But these visits yielded me no informa
tion-not so much as useful hint. All
the men with when his highnesS had
associated since his return to the capt.
tai had been persons of we'll known
character and Of good position. Their"
was not man Of doubtful reputation
among them. SO / was compelled to
write to the Princess Kropenski and
tell her that my efforts to trace her
husband had been entirely fruitless.
The reply came from Irene. She
thanked me for what ! had done. but
begged me to remain IA st. Petersburg
until had succeeded In obtaining an
interview with Nj. de NOilctf, the chief
of the secret police.
had called ut the office of this f'Inr'
tionary more than once. but he had al
ways professed to be too busy to sac
inc. and had put me Off with one Of his
np I'm xS,ilt 1f