The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-01-12

Hubert was %decorously sympathetic
about u iamily trouble, for Of course
he knew Of 1t, though We carefully pre-,
served It from becoming u matter of
general knowledge and little tat:le
Then he told me that he had Just been
to ErinofkH, and that IN extraordinary
and horrible murder had been commit
ted In the village No stranger had been
seen about the place, 1t was said, yet
one OF the villagers had been stabbed
dead In his hut heaven only knew why
or by whom. for he hadn't an enemy in
the world,
My heart almost stopped beating
when ! heard this. | glanced at Percy
and canght his eye, His face had sud,
denly gone quite pale; 10, he said after.
ward, had mine.
"What il its" said Hubert. "Are
you n who cant bear to hear of blood.
shed9 I'm sorry l told YOU"
II don't like horrors, " said, ''but
do 70 on; what was the poor fellow
likeY Did you 90 and see himf"
II did, as IT happens. A small fellow
with a bald head, rather; little eyes and
a longish beard"
1t was cur mysterious informant to
the life.
Then his tale had been true. and the
unfortunate fellow had actually met
his doom for breaking faith with his
terrible employers. How did the rascals
know that he had broken faith9 Was
1t our faultH God Forbid had tried
my best to shelter him. 1t was his own
fault He ran the risk with his eyes
open, Probably the poor wretch did not
really believe the threats Of those fear
ful people whom he had driven to Ba'
lota.
And these were the very persons into
whose hands father must have fallen, II
1t were indeed so, then God help him!
We decided to tell mother nothing Of
this last development, for 1t could only
brighten and shock her and would do no
good,
But we persuaded her to allow MS to
engage the services Of a private detect.
i've, n who should be entirely uncon.
nected with the police. II we could find
a suitable person, we explained, he
could 60 to Erinofka and take up the
trail where we had lost 1t. W. were
known there now and would be taken
In at every turn by those, or their
agents, whose interest 1t was to keep
the truth from us. A professional de.
tective would be far more likely to
manage successfully this delicate mat.
ter Of clew hunting than we should.
Somewhat regretfully, my mother
agreed to allow us to employ such a
man, and by dint Of many inquiries we
hit upon a young fellow, by name Bo.
rofsky, who shifted us very well.
Borofsky was not very much older
than /. He may have been 20, at most.
while my age was just 10 and Percy's
about the same; not a very aged trio to
undertake and conduct 10 delicate an In.
quiry as this Of ours.
He dined with us on the evening of
his engagement, and we talked over the
entire subject. Borofsky thought we'll
of the work we had done at Erinofka.
We had hit upon the right track. no
doubt, he said. But probably the ras.
Gals who had drugged and carried ia.
Their off had long since placed him In
safety, and ever II we could follow the
trail as far as st. Petersburg we should
lose 1t there,
"But what do you suppose they
wanted with the count. Mr.. BorofskyT
asked Percy, money, by way Of ran.
som, or whatT"
"Heaven knowsl' said Borofsky,
''That 10 one Of the things we must find
Then u friend startled us by saying
"By the way, the pristaf Of the police
department Of this district mentioned
your father to me today, was at the
Office on another matter Of business
which does not concern this affair
What do you think the pristaf said?'
~ am sorry you spoke to the police
about my father. " | replied somewhat
warmly 1T Is the very thing we are
trying to avoid.
~ did not, believe me. It was the
pristaf who mentioned him, apropos Of
nothing particular, and, mind you,
though l am no great lover Of the po.
lice. | am ready to admit that their
system is marvellous, and they general
" know where to lay their hands upon
any given person, | was not speaking
of your father, nor had | mentioned
him But the pristaf said. 'You are to
undertake business for Count Landrinof,
Borofsky, ! conclude, since you have
been for two days In communication
with the young count. (They watch
us, you see. these fellows.) 1T Is odd
that the old bird should have gone to
prosecute his inquiries In London,
whatever they may be, while the young
one leaves London In order to work out
here.
Is the count In London, then ? !
said innocently i did not know 1t.
And the pristaf said, Certainly and
that your father had left st. Petersburg
on the--I forget the exact date about