The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-01-26
CHAPTER X,
MEETING IN A LONDON RESTAURANT

v tTS SN - fN'N
"But stop a minute, mother!"
cried, bewildered by the sudden revela
ton. "Let us consider, What does the
existence of this criminal uncle of mine
exercise upon the mystery? Do yor
suggest that this man In London may
be fathers brother and not father, Il
that itT'
"That Ia what struck me; only that
1t must be remembered the unfortunate
man IL, or is supposed to be, suffering
a life sentence in Siberia"
"He might have escaped I reflect
ed. ''Let me see, surprising that he has
escaped and IL at large in London, Ia,
in fact, the man Percy found, how
would that affect fathers disappear
ance2 It need not affect II at all, need
1t. excepting that we should have vast
ed all this time over a false clew? No,
mother. / don't think 1t can be this
precious uncle. When one comes to
think Of II, things point so conclusively
to father having left for Londcn at the
time Of his disappearance-the police de-
clare II, the station officials testify to
tit must have been father himself
and not his brother, for, In the first
place, how could he have escaped from
Siberia? And even II he did Is 1t likely
that he would have deliberately come
to ST. Petersburg, the most dangerous
place to appear in that an escaped con-
Wet could choose? And then think Of
the coincidence of the time of his de-
partuye with fathers disappearancel
No, 1t would be too extraordinary"
~ am thinking, said mother, ''that
this Andre, the brother, may have come
to st. Petersburg on purpose to harass
your father and obtain money from
him, Poor father may have been so
shocked and Mortified by his sudden ap-
pearance here that the shock temporari-
ly upset his reason, 70 that he"-
"No, mother, ! cant believe It'll" I
interrupted. "Father Ia too sane and
too manly to collapse in that way at the
shock Of seeing his rogue of a brother.
Only consider. We will not do him the
injustice Of believing 1t possible. What
was this Andre sent to Siberia forF"
"Political murder. He got into a bad
set at the cadet corps as a youth. Heav-
en- knows why he should have inclined
to revolutionary ideas, a youth of such
position and prospects Az he enjoyed.
But no did, The commandment expelled
him for some foolish speech or action,
and he went from bad to worse, Even
tually the poor wretch was concerned
In a diabolical plot, was arrested, tried
with the rest--under his assumed name,
thank God-and dispatched to Siberia"
"Where he " still to be found,
fear, mother. Did he actually kill q
man"
II believe sol' said mother, shudder.
Ing.
ooh, they'll have taken good care Of
him, don't doubt 1t, He is still there.
This man In London Is father and no
other He must be. We must find a bet.
ter theory for his turning up in Eng
land than this. Your original one about
delusions and financial worries IL better
than the other. Borofsky will bring
back dear old father to us; never doubt
II, mother,
"God grant II prove 10, dear, brave
Boris she sighed. ~ would not be
cruel or unkind, but ! do sincerely hope
and trust this terrible Andre, whose
crime caused your dear father 80 much
shame and bitter sorrow, Is, as you
say, securely looked after In some ST.
berian mine, II he were really at large,
] should fear | know not what for our
beloved"
"Idow could no injure father, except.
ing by revealing himself and Gu sing
father shHmeY" ! asked, ~ am sorry
to hear Of this shady relation, dear
mother. But really don't see how he
can have anything to do with this mys'
terry Of ours"
Mother became paciAed gradually
and thought with me that there were
too many chances against the probable
ity Of my disreputable uncle having
turned up In London to make such a
theory worth troubling ourselves about,
We therefore dismissed 1t, leaving
Andre the convict to languish in his ST.
berian mines, 30 far AZ our magma
tions condescended to recall from time
to time the rascal's existence, 1t was
father that Fefcy had FOUND, not u doubt
Of II.
And now, to confirm us In this view,
an important letter arrived from Borof-
sky and arrived In the nick Of time.
Borofsky wrote In a jubilant strain,
He had not cared to write before, he
explained. because, though he had soon
hit upon the original of Percy's photo
graph, he had been unable, until now.
TO make any progress toward making
acquaintance with him. But now there
was at last something to report,
Borofsky had Swallowed his man for
several days. learning In this way
where he took his meals and how he
employed his time. and 10 on, Mr.,
Robinson az Percy had called him in
his telegram seemed to have many
friends In town and visited two or three
Avavv 1av Thia 0j1 not %aurnrisa ua II