The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-07-10
CHAPTER XII.

THE bUffOSED COONA IN DAoo1saCA.
"My poor Vladimir" groaned my
mother at this point Of Borofsky's let
ter "He must indeed be mad to have
acted in this way. Just think Of it,
Borisl This violence, this murderous
anger, from your dear fatherl"
"It 10 not bit like him. admit,
] said. "He must have been furiously
angry for some reason. Shall 60 ONT
He did no harm to Borofsky, at any
rate, for Borofsky is all right-vide his
letter."
continued to read
1.-THE count dragged me to the very
shore of the lake and there stopped. l
thought he would now push me in and
was prepared to fight for my life, but
instead he spoke:
".You deserve death unheard, he
said, but I shall allow you to speak
once in your defense. but observe, speak
low and do not raise your voice, or you
are dead man. I have the revolver
ready see here Now, be warnedr
"He unfastened the gag.
"'Now,' he said, explain. Why
have you followed and logged met Are
you government spy2'
"'Before heaven, nor exclaimed
"'Swear it'
az do swear 1t. lam not in the serv-
Ice of any government or body what.
ever, and, if l am spy, 1t is only for
the advantage Of those upon whom l
am paid to keep watch.
"'Oh, then, you are paid to dog me.
and by whom7'
"'It is a secretl' faltered.
Speak, by whom2' he repeated.
THE secret is not my own, l be-
gan, but the count furiously babe me
speak, or l should swim, and was
obliged to admit that her excellence the
Countess Landrinof, being most anxious
and unhappy by reason Of her husbands
prolonged and unexplained absence, had
employed me to find him and, if possible,
to bring him back to St. Petersburg; at
all events, to see him and report upon
his condition.
1.-THE count laughed aloud" my
moor mother shuddered as / read this
part of the letter and cried quietly az
she listened.
"'Why, what does she think ails mes
he said
"I cannot tell you, I replied.
Speak. you fooll' he repeated an
grily. What does she think ails met
She thinks am mad; is that it,
II admitted that this was the case.
and admitted 1t in fear and trem-
bling, for l, too, was assured that the
poor count was not in full possession OF
bis reason, 80 different was his conduct
from that which should have expected
in one whom all Russia knows and re-
spects.
"'Mad to have left my beloved wife's
side, though only for short holiday
abroad, chr he laughed. why, man
alive, what queer things these women
arei Can't a man take little holiday
and enjoy a trip abroad without drag
ging his whole establishment with hims
Besides. I'm away on business.
THE countess Is distressed because
she has heard nothing of your excel
lence,' l murmured, and was not even
aware of your intention to depart or Of
your present whereabouts
WHAT he said, as though sur.
prised. Has she not received my let
ters2
81 believe not One, said.
"'Why. man alive, he said. i am a
a s~,r
hurry. true. But sent word Of my de-
parture by the man who drove me to
the station. Since then have written
AS husband should-nearly every
day. Have the letters miscarried2'
/" They must have. So far as I AM
aware the countess has received none
at all.
" The rascals, the rascals' said the
count, as though to himself. 'You
caust know, my friend, he ooatinusa.
addressing me, that / have enemies.
You look surprised. It is odd that so
good and universally respected a man
as I should have elemies They are
men, you must understand, who are
jealous Of my position, and-er-of my
favor with the car. These men are
building up plot against my reputa-
ton. tell you this in strict confidence,
am here in order to escape the worry
Of their prosecutions II only for awhile.
I--I-you will laugh over 1t. as do
howl took you for their spy. You
will forgive met My anger was eIcus-
able. Imagine, my friend, these men
will not allow v,ap tn write TO his