The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-02-09
indeed.

Besides, there was always the chance
that he had lied throughout and that
in reality he had nothing to reveal as
to fathers fate. Perhaps he had never
seen father and knew nothing more Of
him than his name. excepting the fact
that, by a stroke Of excellent luck, he
must so nearly resemble the real Ian.
drinof that he was able to pass as the
count with all but his closest relations.
and that the counts house was uncom.
monty comfortable and that. thanks.
from beginning to end, to the acct.
dental resemblance. his lot had fallen
In extremely pleasant places.
My mother was assured that our dis.
reputable guest was none other than
my fathers brother Andre. He could
be no other. she said. for. though she
now knew that there was nothing in the
mans face to recall that Of her dear
Vladimir excepting the shape Of the
features and that 1t had been the gross
est calumny upon the count even to
mistake this others photograph for his,
vet the cast Of the features was the
same. and the man could be no other
than the wretched Andre-supposed at
this moment by the police to be far
away in Siberia.
Our friend. however. had assumed
an absolute ignorance Of the existence
Of any such person as Andre Landrinof.
the counts younger brother, when
taxed by Borofsky with being that very
individual He had never heard Of the
man. he said. As for his own name,
Borofsky would have to contrive to OK.
ist without knowing 1t If 1t depended
on himself to tell 1t, because, said he.
1t was not Borofsky's business to know
II.
But one evening our excellent friend
rather gave himself away. He had tax.
Ell to INDUCING somewhat freely in
vodka, the spirit, distilled from rye.
which 10 the favorite drink Of the Rus.
eian people. and the vodka loosened his
tongue.
Borofsky often sat with him Of an
evening, the only one Of us who did,
and on this occasion our guest. being
slightly overrefreshed. suddenly breach.
I'd the subject Of Andre Landrinof
''That brother Of the counts you
were talking about the other day, Bo.
rofsky. . he said ;"where il he. and what
Is he doing? u he a count, too. and
rlchY'
He isn't Il count. but an Internal
blackguard. said Borofsky. land |
should say he Ii just about as rich as
the folks he has robbed are the poorer
"Ha, hal Good" said the fellow
$50 you think badly of him WhyY'
ASK the police said Borofsky,
mot II A set Of Internal rascals'
exclaimed the other. ~ tell you they
are so times worse, any one Of them,
than this Andre Landrinof. Now,
Andre
"Whom you don't know" laughed
Borofsky.
"Wait-I-I think l have met him
under a different name. I think he Is
one who is or vas known as Kornilof.
! met him In London"
mot In siberia-ars you sursr'
borofsky put in.
"Cur1 you, why do you interrupt
me shodted the other angrily. ~ tell
you ] know nothing of Siberia. ] met
this man In London-Kornilof. He lives
in London owing to prosecutions in
this internal country. and has lived
there for years"
"Then II can't be Andre. interrupt.
cd Borofsky again, "for Andre has spent
the flower Of his life In the mines of
Siberia. where, 1t Ia to be hoped, he still
blooms and will continue to bloom until
Judgment day or So"
"Oh, indeed! You seem TO know a
great deal Of this Andrer' said our
guest, with tipsy dignity and scorn,
"Would you DO surprised 10 learn that
he IL not such a COMPOUNDED fool az You
suppose, and, at the present moment. IL
thQl=.thonsands Of miles from Siberia