The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-14

myself that I had little to fear on that
| account
Only two more days in old Venice"
| she sighed, somewhat regretfully. after
| q prolonged pause
Tomorrow will be the last day I
| shall be able to enjoy the dear old place.
| for on Wednesday I have to meet the
! Count. But tomorrow well be out from
! sunrise to sunset, shall WEI" I cheerfully
| replied.
| she nodded, but saw there were tears
| in her eyes as she turned her head TO look
| out into the purple twilight. A little mist
! was rising. and through it the bleared-
! eyed stars peeped out one by one and fell
| like shimmering slooules in the darkened
waters below.
| 1 took up the padle again, and we drift
| ed homeward. 1t grew dark. and the
| light at the helm streamed like a fiery SER
| pent across the water. Other gondoIas
| passed Us resembling phantoms that rose
| up out of the neither world. We heard tho
dip of the paddles sink lower and lower
! and the h1r.n CT voices die away. Then we
| gtisied on into the Silent city where all
| things seem to sleep,
The following day, true to the resolu-
ton we mad made. we spent ali our time
tron the wafer, though L was conscious
OF a feeling of depression for which 1
could not account. 1t was dark before
we got home. since at that season the
sun sets early. and as [ helped Mildred
from TIE gondola and babe her good night
on the steps of the house told her
would call on the following afternoon 10
make arrangements respecting our jour
ney. Then I left her and went to my own
domain.
The first thing that struck me on en-
tering was 4 sense OF desolation. and
! though I called the girl who was acting
as my servant I failed 10 mnke her hear.
Going in search cf her with Eight I
Glanced to pass the now open door of my
own room. which 1 had locked D.
! fore going out. With 4 terrible nisgivirs
| al heart l went in and stood still. HORT
fled The door had been burst open. the
f! iron box treated in like manner. and the
| priceless papers stolen,
| l tried TO think, but my brain throbbed
| and my head ached Who could have sto-
! en- them Surely it needed no second
/, thought to conclude that the Italian girl
| was the cu!pr.t. and yer row lid she know
! they were !here2 had only cold one per
/: son OF their waerea hou.s an,! she was Nj
| dred, surely-sah. the idea was irnpossi-
| bic! Shs could not have been Implicated
!, III the theft,
! l ran down stairs and opened the front
!; door 10 gain a breath of fresh air The
4; night wind poured down my throat. but
! failed 10 revive me [ left the door open
F.; and returned to my sitting room. iga.ted
he lamp and throwing myself into an
armed chair did what have not done
for years-cried like a child.
How long ! sat in that condition 30
F.; not know. but suddenly / WAS conscious
of a second person being N the room. and
looking up, saw Mildred N The doorway.
! She came i'll. and closing tn door softly.
stood between re and the window.
Il have come ia say So7d-bye. she
said, without word of inquiry as TO my
dprra4noT which must have be-0
visible to her.
-.Gooa-hye?'' I CALCULATED forgetting nv
trouble for the nouce in an almost great
er one.
!! Yes. I return to Russia tonight.
TO RusSit-Rus-. What-do-you-
mean?''
"a few words VIII explain my meaning
she said, toying vstth a SINAI revolver she
had unseen By me. extracted from the
folds OF her dress. gazed a; her stu
pidty like some 1unatic who IS brought
face 10 face with what he does not under
stand. The yellow light glinted on the
nickeI-plated weapon she held in hef
hand
yes. am returning to Russia because
1 belong to that country. The Innocent
looking English girl you knew as Nil.
dred Wo0dford il no ether than Miss
Katkowski. Of The Russian Secret Ser
vice. You ua6erstand2 l don't speak
! English bad for foreigner. DO I?'s she
added. ironically.
l d6n.t think / fully understood what
she said. for ms head whir!ed painfully.
e, though some CLEAN OF comprehension
| must have come TO me. and 1 stammered
| out:
But the dispatches? Have you-?.'
Have 1 taken them2 On. no. 1 only
! do the brain work of a easel I'm above
! theft, row. I may say. however, that
| those documents OF yours Will be in Rus
! STA in the morning and reach ST. Peters
| burg a few hours after. II is not always
| safe for one engaged in your work to keep
! Italian servants without first iuquirinS
whether or not they are engaged in the
/ Secret Service OF an antasonistic Power
/ and susceptible to bribery
| [ made a movement 10 spring at her.
! but the little barrel of the revolver held
/ in a bee-iine with my forehead restrain
| ed me-
NO violence, please. Surely you would
! not hurt Your Mildred when she comes
! to say FAREWELL And especially when she
| came to Venice on purpose to be near you.
| too. I don't waut you to feel my loss
| too keenIy. so ] shall NOT allow you to see
| me off. For this purpose I have had ey-
cry window in the house boited and tho
doors will be locked also in a moment
The taunts she SO cuttingIy delivered
did not fall with the sting they were in
tended 20, for / could not keep my
thoughts from contemplating her beatty
as she stood thsrr majestic, stately in
Ter powsr.
''Inu are selrg-,o Rrss.rf" I str-r-
need ont. "Tten We are opponents"'
NAY. more" Eha said. Wits sad smHs,
as II the work had heen d.stasta.uI 70 her
You are caenkmate!''
The center pieces IN Jurgens' ssass q