Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-02-16

managed to kidnap himy' he asked,
after a long pause.
"No. There was little time, and we
had other things to speak Of
''And you have no curiosity on the
subject?'
"indeed, have. For weeks pom
dered the mystery Of his disappear
ance, without ever being able to guess
at theory that would account for the
facts. That an ablebodied man, q man
Of courage, and a soldier, should have
been abducted from his own bedroom,
In house full Of servants, and in O
city so well guarded as st. Petersburg,
seems to me nothing short Of miracu-
lous. He must either have been de-
ceived into going of his own accord, or
he must have been kept quiet in pass
ing through the streets in such a way
as to rouse no suspicion in the minds
of the police who were on duty. con-
TESS, should very much like to know
how it was managed"
"You will keep the matter secret II
tell you all about it?'
II hesitated moment, but was al
ready so deep in the confidence of the
conspirators, that it seemed hardly
worth while to boggle over another
promise of secrecy, so I gave 1T.
II had rather you had heard the
Princes experience from his own lips"
said Won Mitschka; "but it is scarcely
worth while to waste a day in having
another interview with him for that
purpose. can tell you exactly what
he would have said to you, If you had
asked him how it was that he fell into
OUT hands,"
"What would he have said!'
'"Ihat his coachman was q Nihillst,
or in the pay of our committee, and
had betrayed him. But it would have
been mistake" r..
81 can quite believe that, for ques-
toned Alexander Romovitcll, and
] believe him to be thoroughly-hon
man, and incapable of betraying his
master. But I don't see what Komo.
witch could have to do with it. He dlu
not even sleep in the house, and the
Prince was either kidnapped In his
bedroom, on enticed, in some way, to
leave it, and then leave the house."
''rhat is your theory?'
81 think he was enticed from his
house, either by the hope of exploring
some Nihilist haunt, or more likely IN
the expectation Of meeting some Wo-
man he fancied himself in love with;
and was attacked and bound In the
house he went to-"
''You are entirely wrong. But let me
ask you this: I suppose, you made
yourself acquainted with the Princes
movements on the night when he das'
appeared"
"Oh. certainly. He dined at home.
and alone About ten minutes to elev-
en- he left the house, to go to the ball
at the French Embassy, using his own
carriage Several people met and spoke
to him there. 1 have interviewed them
myself, and they all agree that he was
in good health and spirits them
Gle left the ball room about half
past two, and drove straight home.
His steward saw him and spoke to MIN
on his return, and noticed nothing I'M
usual in his appearance. From the
hall he went straight to his bedroom
and that is the last any of his friends
saw of him, till I saw him to-day"
'Hunlph! Would it surprise you if l
were to tell you that the Prince never
returned from the ball that night az
ALP
.sWhat! He didn't return? Then are
Romovitcll, the steward! 1t is not pos
sible!'
ssNo: they are not telling lies. But
they told YOU, not What they saw, but
what they thought they saw. The
Prince never went back to the house
after the ball. One of our number,
who closely resembles him in height
and general appearance, was dressed
in a fur cloak, exactly like one the
Prince was in the habit Of wearing:
and there is little wonder that honest
Iyanoyitch-I think you said that was
his name-in the dim light Of the hall,
and probably half-asleep, believed that
the Derson he saw come to his masters
door. in his masters carriage, driven,
apparently, by his masters coachman,
and wearing his masters clothes, was
that master himself. Do you KNOW
that we very seldom look anyone in
the face unless when we happen to be
speaking to them? Least of all is
servant in the habit of staring inGuis-
itiyely at his masters countenance.
And the person who took Prince kro-
nenski's place on that occasion tooh
care to keep his face turned away
from the steward when the good man
addressed him. Hardly more than
word or two, believe, passed between
them.
1T was a capital idea Of the man
let lis call him Prince KropensA NO.
Two-:to go into the dining room ann
help himself to glass of brandy. 1t
took him out of the stewards way,
and vet strengthened the impression IN
his mind that his master was actually
there in the flesh before him. The
stranger took advantage Of the stew
ards going to lock the street door to
throw off his cloak and go up stairs.
Iyanoyitch naturally Thought 1t was
fine Prince who had gone into his bed
ROOM"
"And the man who impersonated the
Prince simply walked out of the house
when everybody was asleep!
Precisely" 90.
"Then the servant who was the first
to open the side door was mistaken ID
thinking that she had fastened 1T IN
the morning? I remember she coulo
not speak positively on the point" -
mo: she was not mistaken. she
found the door locked as usual"
ssI'hat is as much as to say that you
had an agent in the Princes house
hold. I think could name the man.
But was it not rather dangerous to pro