Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-03-30


| wild night of rain and wind. But |
knew it was nothing short of madness
to remain where l was single instant
longer than l could help. The morn
ing was pretty sure to bring the Car
, ina to the villa; and it would be impos-
| sible for me to deceive either Her Maj
esty or DR.. Lohrenheim in the full light
of the morning sun. No; whatever l
did to escape the horrors of the scat
fold, or a slow death in a Siberian
mine, must be done that night.
| The valet had turned down the lights
and left me, when the door opened, and
DIR. Petrovski entered the room. was
| glad to see that he was wearing a
| loose summer overcoat.
| us the doctor all right?' was my
first question.
He is at supper and seems comfort
able enough"
Every good. You must join him lat
er. and make him take an extra glass
or two of sherry. You can report
| that l am practically quite we'll and
only need rest. Then bring him here.
| shall pretend to be asleep or nearly
asleep. and no doubt he will agree With
| you that it will be much better not to
/! disturb me. In the darkened room he
] will only half see me. and he Will
have no suspicion that ] am not the
Car. But. first of all. l must have
some clothes and a rope. 1t is impossl-
| bic for me to pass the guard outside in
! the corridor. l must leave by the Will
dow and take my chance OF being able
| to elude the sentries and get over the
| park wall. Please take off your coat
! and WaiStcoat and put them under the
couch over there. AS YOU have on an
| overcoat no one will notice that you
| have not got Il coat underneath it.
! Then, either before or after DR.. Lob
! renheim comes to see me. you must
fetch me piece of rope--clothes-line
will do very well, if it is pretty strong
and a pair Of trousers. and some sort
of hat or cap. l should think a doc
tors instrument bag would do to
bring them in. if YOU have one here.
I! That is all. That is all the help | ask
! from you. Do you think you will be
able to do what | want?'
| The doctor slowly Invested himself Of
his coat and waistcoat. and seemed to
be turning over things in his mind.
YES" he sad Il think l shall be
able to manage it. Of course, depend
! dpon YOU for perfect silence concerning
me it anything should go wrong
You may depend upon that so long
! as YOU are true to me-
'Well know there is a large lumber
room at the other villa i'll the park,
where l shall stay tonight. 1t is half
full of old trunks and packing cases:
and l am pretty sure to find Il piece OF
| cord among them. strong enough to
bear your weight If not. will get a
bit somehow. 1 can pass the sentry at
| any time: and if he notices that l am
carrying bag, l can say that left one
CT my instruments in my bed room.
Yes: l think l can do what you ask
me- But, all the same. | don't think
you will be able to escape
With this cheering assurance, he LETT
me: and l more than doubted whether
| he was not right. l had heard the
heavy tramp Of sentry outside the
windows whenever there was lull in
the storm. all through the evening.
how was to avoid being seen by him:
] had not succeeded in settling this
all-important matter. when the door Of
the room was gently opened and the
two doctors came in together. l was
lying on my side. my face turned to the
wall. and the bed-clothes well pulled
I'D about my ears. l closed my eyes
and lay perfectly still except for my
breathing. took care to breathe slow
ly. and with apparent difficulty, as
man would who had cold.
The two doctors came to the side of
the bed and stood looking at me. They
stood so long there. whispering togeth-
I en- that l almost lost my nerve. am
sure they were discussing my appear
ance-the senior physician perhaps OBJ
serving that 1 looked odd or strange.
and the other trying, with sinking
(; heart. to reassure him. l felt as it
/ would have suffered any pain to be
/; able to sit up and relieve the suspense,
! but l did not dare to move, lest DR..
| Lohrenheim. seeing that l was half
. awake. might wish 10 take my temper
I; allure, or something of that kind. L
/ thought they would never 60.
/, At length one of them moved away.
came back, went away again, opened
: the door and went out.
1 Making sure that Petrovcki had got
lid of his companion. and that lit was
/. him who was standing by my bedside,
F.! l turned half-round, opened my eyes,
and said:
| when will you be able to-"
| The words literally died away on my
/ tongue. 1t was not Petrovski. but a
| fat, bald-headed German, who was
! beaming on me benevolently through a
/ pair of gold-rimmed spectacles. / had
! just presence of mind enough to put
/ out my hand to him. and mutter some
| thing to the effect that it was a pity
that he had taken the trouble to come
i from st. Petersburg, since there was
! very little the matter with me. The
doctor began to say something, which,
in my terror, I could not understand.
'Oh please leave me alone" 1 ex-
claimed, with a petulance that was not
. bit feigned, and turning from him, 1
buried my face in my pillow.
'Gute-nacht. hire Majestat."
/. The door closed softly behind the
| worthy German; and breathed deep
/; sigh Of relief and thankfulness. So
!, grateful was the warmth. the sense of
being perfectly rested, the deep still
ness. that in spite of my danger, fell
! asleep.
/ 1 was awakened by a touch on my
! arm. 1t was DR.. Petrovski.