Evening star., 1900-11-24

man is lodged in the hall we have just
passed through, quite close to the door"
They descended from the library, room
near the governors office. to the colonnade
or covered way which communicated with
the first hall of the prison. Rain was fall
ing. but there were not six yards to ira
verse in the open. The gate or grille of
| light iron bars which shut off G hall from
! the rest of the prison was unlocked again.
and captain Strobe stopped at the cell
marked %
1T is a matter of form, madame" he
SAID, as he shook out key from his
| bunch, but l must ask you to give me
| your word that you will hand no written
message to the prisoner, any tool or
! weapon
Monsieur" said the Princess Trubetskoi
Il gave you the only paper that | had; l
| never carry tools and l have no weapon &"
| You see,' said the governor, with a
smile as he turned his key in the lock of
cell %, lin prison we are the most timid
| of people. The maxim of the home office
Is that Suspicion sleeps at wisdom's
gate 1t was Captain Strode's one quota
| ton from the poets.
As he threw open the door of the cell
| little Orloff looked up from his loom.
| La. la! do not moch like" said Captain
| POniatieff, as his sister went in alone '"Or-
| left? No, L frost him never"
The princess had left the door ajar but
the nerves of Captain Poniatieff, who had
| held himself so reserved, seemed now on
| edge. He fluttered in a fidget to and fro
in front of the cell door, drew the governor
away. led him back and said perpetually,
| You think safe? Orloff! In Russia we
| should tie some chains a him."
| Then, as if ashamed of his nervousness
for his sister, Captain Poniatieff. with a
herculean effort at English, launched des-
perately into praise of the prison.
| ''Ve'y fine preesen! We yiseet manv
preesen-France, Jairmany, Eetaly, Swe-
| dain. The princess, she go all the time in
preesens. But Shon Howard No, it is not
to make compareesen. Cest la prison des
prisons. Dam splendid"'
| from cell % as if blow We're struck
| "Parbleu! l KNEW said Captain Ponia-
| tief, but the governor was first at the
| cells door.
The Princess Trubetskoi stumbled across
the threshold. leaving, through the half
| opened door, glimpse of Oroff crouched
| in the corner of the cell
| The governor swung to the door with a
| crash. The breach of discipline had changed
| quickly into the offended jailer
| Madame" he said brusquely, 81 do not
| allow even my warders to lay hand upon
/ a prisoner. If you were insulted Your
| remedy was with me-"
| Pardon" murmured the princess. She
| had thrown herself trembling from head
to foot, upon her brothers shoulder Par
| DON she repeated. He knew me- and
| insulted me, and l struck him." The very
| timber of her voice was altered.
| But the governor. too, had been insuIted
| and his dignity was impenetrable
| "Allons!" said Captain Poniatieff. raising
his sister. "It must an apology to mon
| sIeur lie governeur. woman-mais, that
| acts toujours trop ala hate!"
| Madame will probably not wish to stay
| longer" said Captain Strobe.
The princess remained silent and culver
| ing on her brothers shoulder.
Captain Strobe led the way to the gate
| of the ward, and thence straight toward
| the outer door of the prison. The rain had
not ceased; 1t was a dull procession; and
| the princess, her arm tight in her brothers
| let her fine skirt trail over the sodden path
| Under the archway. between the inner and
| the outer gates, the brougham waited fol-
| them.
At the inner gate stood the chief warder
| and he opened 1t the governor stood
| aside to let his visitors pass. In the act OF
| following them. his attention was arreste,
by a very curious mark upon the we
gravel. Captain Strode's eyes blazed and a
| terrible look crossed his face, but in a mo-
ment he was cool again. By gesture
scarcely perceptible. he showed the chic
| warder what he had seen on the path. ther
quietly to him. "The black case from my
cupboard-Quick"'
! What Captain Strobe had seen was that
each step the Princess Trubetskoi had taker
between hall and the gate she had ms
passed through had left upon the muddx
| walk the impress of the broad arrow whIci
is cut in the sole of every convict's shoe,
Captain Poniatieff has already handed hi,
sister into the brougham.
II believe l must detain You one rno
ment longer" said the governor, approach
ing the door. 1T Is the rule in our prisons
for visitors to sign their names The book
is here in the reception room." indicating 8