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

Il viii. presently. There was a foot
man, I ~suppOsey
Eyes. Nicholas K~ousnetskL-"
every good. when did the Prince
rcturnT
His Hlghness returned between 2
and 2 In the morning. Jules Ramaud,
| his valet, was Ill in bed, and he begged
me 10 attend the Prince that night In
stead Of him. ] saw the Prince ON
In
ibid you speak 80 himT
Il did, sir. / asked His HighDess IL
he would have anything. He shook his
head, but a little later went 10 the buff
fet in the dining room, and helped him
self 70 a glass Of something's think IL
was brandy. He generally took a
glass Of spirits the last thing before
going 10 bed
"And them
aThen tire Prince threw off his cloak
and went mp stairs to his bed room"
You saw him enter his room
II did. sir-that is 10 say, | did rot
absolutely see him enter the door; but
/ saw him 90 up stairs. aud followed
him up. 7 heard his footsteps before
me the whole way, and / heard the
toor shut and locked behind him
You are sure that he locked the
door,"
III am certain Of that, sir. II was his
Highuess' custom always 10 lock his
bed oom door at night"
rs there any other door TO the room
besides the ore the Prince we-t in
by:'
There is no other door"
You heard no suspicious sounds
during the nlgitt'
None whatever"
"Who called the Prince In the morn
ing?'
II did, as Jules was still suffering
greatly. j raped several times, but
there was no answer. Then ! tried TO
open the door, but it was locked
"LockedT"
Eyes, sir. And then, after knocking
several times. very loudly, | SEN for
the police and a carpenter. / knew
there vas no use sending for a lock
smith, for the Prince had had a special
lock by a firm Of famous makers put
on his room door the last time he was
In St. Petersburg, and | knew that no
picklock would open the door. The po-
lice were in the house almost at once.
but we had TO wait half an hour for
TIE carpenter. When he came. he
burst open the door, and the police en-.
tered the room first. l followed close
behind them. | expected to see the
dead body Of my master on the bed. or
lying on the floor. But the room was
quite empty. He was not there"
and THE Window"
''The window--they are double. you
know-was bolted, both the Otter and
the inner ones. Besides, they are near
ly twenty feet from the ground"
Il should like TO see the room, said
/: and Ivanovitch took me up stairs.
1t was a large apartment, luxUriously
furnished. The key was in the lock Of
the door. which had been repaired. |
examined the key; IL was OF peculiar
form and very strong.
Where was the key foundy / in
quiz a.
"Ivanovitch lowered his voice as he
answered: That's the strangest Part
Of the whole business, sir The key
was found there. and he pointed to a
spot on the ioor near the foot Of the
bed. about two yards from the door.
Found there I exclaimed: ..the
thing is impossible, When the PRICE
had left the room and locked the door
behind him, how could he come back
10 drop the key there without unlock
ing the door,
'Iyanoyitch slowly shook his head.
II declare to you. SIR" he said, lit
really seemed as il my unfortunate
master had been carried off by Sa-
tan. for" The honest man seemed TO
remember suddenly that this solution
Of the mystery was not complimentary
TO the Prince. He stopped himself. and
/ saw him furtively making the sign OF
the cross with his thumb.
Who found the key thereg' / asked.
"One of the gendarmes.'
II see how Ii was done | exclaimed.
after the Prince left the room. i'm the
middle of the night. he locked the door
behind him. and then sent the key fly
Ing under the door. IL would slide
along the polished floor as far as this
easily-thOugh what reason the Prince
can have had for acting in such , way
is more than | can conceive. | VIII
see If | can't make the key slide as far
myself
Suiting the action to the word, /
went out Of the bed room. leaving the
steward inside, closed the door and,
Bending down to the floor. tried TO pass
the key under the door. To my amaze
ment. il would not 60 under the door
ut all. Ii was too thick. l tried ii at
every point, but the thing was clearly
impossible.
] stood with the key in my hand.
stupefied with establishment. For the
moment / could almost believe that
some supernatural agency had been at
work.
Pulling myself together. l opened the
door and called oEt to I%vanovitch: 1T
seems that my explanation was wrong.
1t is impossible 10 push the key under
the door, & went down stairs, leaving
Linn TO follow ne.
There ietrst have been a second key
TO that door" | said. when we had set
tied ourselves In u former places.
II think that is hardly possible, SIR"
said ~Ivanovitch, shaking his gray
head, ..and ! will tell you why. Some
time ago there was a burglary here,
when the Prince was in the house.
The burglars were scared away. but
49,. x-.,. 49, c,xbf onI +Lz D.fo..