The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-02-09
CHAPTER XVII.
ANDRES STUDENT VISITOR.

clared that he had no doubt whatever
that our sham count was Andre Ian.
drinof. But, though mother and | were
quite disposed to agree with him, we
conld not think Of any way in which
this fact could be brought into connec.
ton with the mystery Of fathers disap,
p%earance.
Nevertheless, though we knew it not,
I'VE were at last on the eve of more
important discoveries than that of the
mere identity Of our guest We We're
about to strike Il trail and Il strong one
Among those who visited our guest,
whom | shall crave permission to call
Andre henceforth, since 1t was from
this time that we became accustomed
to regard him rs undoubtedly fathers
worthless brother; among the shabby
looking persons who visited Andre and
held long consultations with him in the
apartments set aside TO his use was a
student. one Of that plaided and spec.
ed and obviously i'll nourished and pow
erty ridden. of whom there are many
hundreds in st, Petersburg and from
among whom the ranks of the disnifect.
ed are principally recruited, for the lot
of the Russian student IL Il miserable
II indeed, and it is no wonder that he
is a reckless, discontinued individual,
only too ready to become the dupe or
the accomplish of those who preach cru.
sades against property and those who
possess it, For he IL not like the under.
graduate Of Oxford or Cambridge. pass.
ing rich upon n more or less liberal al.
lowance from his father or his guardian.
The Russian student keeps himself and
pays his own fees In most. cases, He
gives lessons during the hours which
are free Of lectures, and by means of
the income thus earned he gains just
enough to pay his university fees and
to starve handsomely on what Is left
owe The little student who visited
Andre caused poor Borofsky an i'm.
mense amount Of annoyance and trou.
BILE, for he was the only one Of Andres
visitors (of whom there were several)
whom he bad hitherto failed to track
to his home, wherever that might be.
Borofsky nov knew the address Of all
the rest Of the friends Of our highly re.
spectacle guest. He also knew all the
houses haunted by Andre himself, viii
were doubtless the homes Of these same
worthless, but the student had been toe
clever for Borofsky and would never al.
low himself to remain long enough in
view to be Swallowed for more than q
few minutes at q time.
"He's like a will o. the wisp," Borof.
sky complained. "You think you've
got him safe In your eye, and, BATH
he's gone-whither2 Heaven knows; !
don't, Yet he doesn't suspect me. He
has eve seen me, except in disguise,
and not twice In the same. Why Is he
60 suspicious|'
"Bad conscience" said Percy, and
I've no doubt he hit the right nail OF
the head.
One afternoon in November Borofsky
came hurriedly into the billiard room,
where Percy and I were busy knocking
the balls about for want Of a better oc.
cupation.
~ want your help, both of you" he
said. THAT COMPOUNDED young student
Is in with Andre. When he goes away,
we must make another attempt to fol-
low him must and will know where
he goes. Will you help, both of your
Though I did not quite see Of what
use the addresses Of all these rascals
were to be to us, excepting as strength.
ening a case against Andre in the event
Of u requiring such evidence, l con-.
sented to help Borofsky to shadow his
will O. the wisp, and 80 did Percy
"Good, said Borofsky "Now, see
here. | am going to take up my stand
at the corner Of the palace bridge. !
shall be in disguise, One Of you can 90
toward the Liteynaya, to the right
along the quay, and watch in some
gateway or porch In case he goes that
way The other should wait until he
hears the fellow departing. Keep this
door open, and you'll hear him go down
into the grand hall. shall warn the
porter to look which way he turns up
or down the quay and to let you know
the instant You appear, Don't lose a
minute. but follow him."
Percy and | tossed up for the choice
of duties. and ! won. chose that at
%shadowing our man from the very door.
! preferred a chase to an ambush, hav.
ing a strong objection to shivering in a
gateway in hopes Of catching sight Of
the quarry
So away went Borofsky to the Dvort-
sovui Most, or palace bridge, and out
sailed Percy to stand and shiver In his
porch up Liteynaya way. I sat and
read. expectant, prepared to dart forth
after my quarry, like a tiger that lies
and waits for the native postman just
about due Gas he knows) to trot through
the jungle with the afternoon post like
a spider on the lookout for the fly which
10 audible, bnzzing close at hand, but
has not yet quite made up its mind to
and be eaten, and like a great
many otls'r things too numerous to
opoo;Pu Inv" .. . /