Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-03-30
CHAPTER Nxy-oContinued

sinking on one kene.
Rise and sit down. No one wishes
20 harm YOU | said. feeling much easi-
er in my mind. for now / had a guar
anty If the Doctors silence. II he
threatened to denounce me, / could
threaten to denounce him.
When did you last bear from Won
Mitscfika, or any of his ~associatesy'
was my next question.
More than three months since" and
this time ! believed that Petrovski was
telling the truth. The letter in which
he had been Informed of the plot and
asked 20 help must aave miscarried.
There was no time for half measures.
Ii must he all or nothing.
do you know who / ann" / said,
suddenly. bending forward and look
ing the doctor full in the eye.
"Of course, your Majesty"
How often have you seen me be-
foreI'
Several times, but generally at a
little distance
You have never been so close TO me
as you are now
Never for 50 long a time"
"'Then you win be the less surprised
TO hear that you are mistaken. / am
not the Carr
The expression on the doctors face
told me that he thought / had taken
leave OF my senses.
II am perfectly serious / went on.
.You have heard of the Black Terror
Petrovski nodded. Wonder. and the
shadow of a great fear, had made him,
for the moment, incapable of speech.
"Well. the last victim of the Terror
IS the Gar himself. am for the time
being representing him. I'm order TO
cover the retreat Of the cohSpirators:
and my one desire is 10 get out Of this
house without being Observed
but then. where is His Majesty
"He is OF his way TO a place of tenn
porary confinement. But we need not
trouble ourselves about him. He viii
come 10 no harm. He will only be de-
tanned until he promises To- grant his
subjects a constitution. like those OF
other European countries. with secur-
ity against a renewal of tyranny. But
Won Mitschka told me that you woull
help me 10 escape. IL was arranged
that you were 4 meet me here, and
plan on a way for me 10 leave the
villa o-night."
Me- 1t is impossible. / never got
any such letter. | hope TO goodness IL
has o fallen into the hands of the pc
licer,
I'VE may be tolerably certain that it
has not. or you woald not be here
now / remarked. grimly. Mere prob
ably the person To whom IL was in
trusted has not found an opportunity OF
delivering it, and did not know how
Important it was. But. If you did not
get the letter, how is it that you are
here nowE"
II was summoned from ST. Peters
burg to-day to attend n of the house
hold at st. Petersburg. 1t is by the
merest accident that | am not AT ST.
Petersburg"
- very lucky one for me. Yu1 must
set your brains al work ut once, and tell
how / can get out of the house be
fore tomorrow morning.
Me- cannot, | could not think Of
such a thing
That means that You will throw me
over. Well. you can do as you please,
but | rather think that the society OF
which you have professed not TO be a
member will consider such conduct as
an act os b~etrayal-and you know II
penalty frot reachery as well as l do.
A hard look came into the doctors
face. and he gave an involuntary look
in the direction Of the door.
NO: you viii not call the scntries,
/ said. quietly: "or, If YOU do. you Will
be under arrest yourself in five min
utes. | would not inform upon YOU for
any other reason: but ~ you bctray my
secret / certainly will. | will tell the
officer who arrests me 10 have your
rooms in the palace at st. Petersburg
searched at once"
Again the queer. greyish color came
into the mans face. l saw that ne
was ~hesitating.
A knock came TO the door. The doc
tor sprang to open Ii, and for the mo-
ment | gave myself up for lost.
/ was wrong. Petroyski was not
about to betray me: but the peril was
almost as great as If hat had been his
intention. He came back 10 me with a
face as white as chalk, and said. in Il
whisper:
"Dr. Lohrenheim Is here-sent by the
Czarina. Hehad just returned 10 st.
Petersburg. He wants TO see your
Majesty. What are We to dog
l saw that unless l acted promptly |
was lost.
TELL him there is nothing the matter
with me but a slight cold; that l am in
the act Of going TO bed; and that INwAll
be- glad if he will take a little referSh-
ment. and come TO see me after l am
In bed. Then you must borrow an over
coat and put it on and come back 10
me. DO You understands Only follow
my directions and you will succeed. We
viii manage TO deceive DIR. Lohren-
helm; and-don't you seeg-his coming
here Is a fortunate thing for you; for
IL will relieve you Of responsibility,
and prevent any risk OF suspicion fall
ing on you. Now, send for my valet 10
help me TO undress, and come back IN
ten minutes"
CHAPTER xxyI.