The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-03-16
CHAPTER XXI.
DER or THE

what supefc1llotsly,
~ fear | have not much encourage
ment to offer You today" he said; sit
appears that the pristaf Of the oochnstol
In which the arrest admittedly took
place has interviewed the count and
has heard his version Of the story, That
version differs 10 materially from your
own that the fullest Investigations must
he made before we can reasonably hope
for any progress
at would naturally differ from
ours, said Boiofsky ''that was to DO
expected. May we ask what particular
line he has ndoptedY
.'IIe asserts that his wife IL mad and
utterly refuses to recognize him, and
that his son--whether insane also, or
only a blind partisan Of his mother
chooses TO support her incomprehensible
conduct. He IL prepared, he declares, to
bring forward witnesses-servants and
others--to prove his identity. TO DO
strictly honest, II appears to me that
The man. were he m impostor, as you
contend, would scarcely dare to brave
but his deception, now that the police
hre In possession of the facts Of the case
hnd intend to make an investigation.
He would suddenly disappear from the
\ house and
"He loft the house last night and has
mot since reappeared.
The chief WINGED and r""'Nined silent
. moment.
IN "Woll," he said. ~ quite admit that
ID a point In your favor. 30 far as II
goes. Ii that what You came to tell
me9'
"That and something still more star.
Ting, excellence, y said Borofsky. 1--WE
believe we have unearthed a ploti'
"a plot Z" repeated the chief sternly.'
"What kind Of a plotP IL 10 very un.
likely that yon should have unearthed
anything which 10 not known to this
department. Explain"
"The czar IL to return this week.
believe, and by train"
"Stopl ! warn you that the mention
OF the czar and his movements Instant
ly renders every communication OF vital
Importance. Are you prepared for the
responsibility you will incur by en-
barking upon such a courseP'
1T Ia absolutely necessary TO inquire
Into this matter that ! have to speak
OF. We are ready to take tho conse.
quences, good or evil, Our fears may
be groundless, II 80, 40 much the bet.
Ter, We only know that which we have
been told by n who processes to DO
accurately Informed"
The great man paused awhile to con-
sider.
1.-THE same source, " he said present,
", ~ suppose, M that from which you
drew the fairy tale Of yesterday
yesterday was no fairy tale, bnt
the plain truth, This may be n Ito, told
with a purpose; ! cannot tell, but you
will agree that, Ito or truth, the thing
must BIO inquired into"
"Well, ! will hear, In any case, " said
the chief "speak, II yon will"
ut Ia a plot to wreck the ears
tsainl" Borofsky began,
Tho chief started to his feet,
"Who's ploty What How dare you
way such a thing Such an assertion
must be fully proved and should BIO well
tested before II II made In this place,
Who are the conspirntors2 Where and
now, do you suggest, would tho attempt
90 nader
"This very impostor, who. IN you
have seen, would pass N Count Landri,
t1of, In, We suggest, the head and center
RN tho affair That III our information
THE place IL a spot between kirilof and
%aootief, IN the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS line of
galway Our impostor has disappeared,
mt your men can anrely lay hands up
m him For the rest you can, of course,
end u telegram to the nearest town or
itation 10 the SPOT where the attempt
9 or was to DO made,
"Stopl Your informant where Ia
AZ to be found2'
"That Ia our secret, " | said,
MY dear sir, " said the chief warm
do yon seriously suppose that We
hould allow the author Of SO serious a
warning AZ this TO escape our hands,
Che man must DO personally implicated
~ he would not he In a position TO turn
nformer Come, we are neither chill,
lgen nor fools, Who IL this man, and
Where II no 10 no fonndY"
~ have promised that no should re-
nRin screened, said, "Without the
Nving OF such an undertaking | should
lever have learned the secrets no had
b reveal
"And which no revealed doubtless In
l0pe at " rewapdY What rewards
"Ten thousand ruhles-h half for the
Incarnation IA 10 my fathers arrest
md Deportation by 4 hlpnder Of tho no,
iQe, who fell into the trap laid for
hem the other half for this secret"
"And why, pray, should yon pay
II 600 vNhles for the secret Of this con
Z ciyaeys " IL m~agaaaimous, Rut
1hyi"
unseauss you refused IA believe In
. tmpostuss Of this man, " was nee
oafy 10 bring h0me 10 him some other
ndQuhted 0ifanse, snQh "A thts Then
"a row would realize that 4 mistake