The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-01-05
CHAPTER I.
THE MISSING COUNT.

.H TIL MlSS1NS SOONl
Il was in the pavilion at Lords
That I received the telegram which has
In a way transformed my life, and it
all happened like this; We were play
Ing our annual match against the M.
G. C.-but stay. You don't know as yet
who "we" are. Let me explain. I'VE
are (or, alas, were, in so far as l am
co%ncerned) the boys, Of Toddlestone
school, and it was our glory. as well as
the dread ordeal Of those who took part
In the match, to appear once in the
year at Lords cricket ground, general.
" about the first days of the summer
holidays, in order to exhibit our pro-
ficiency in the great game before the
eyes of a delighted and admiring world
Well. it was my last term at school
for l was in my eighteenth year and
was due at Oxford in October-und
think perhaps dear old Adkins may
have allowed this fact to influence him
a little when he gave me my colors,
emitting me to play at Lords. After
much vigorous play we won the game
by four wickets, in which | made my
first and only century.
Then came the congratulations at the
pavilion, following the cheers that greet
the path of him who retires in glory
from the wicket; then the refreshing
shower bath and the sense Of conviction
that this is the supreme moment Of
ones life, and that if it were not for
the hopes and anticipations that Turk
in the word varsity n might ap-
propriately lie down to the cadence Of
''Nunc dimittis' and wake no more.
And then, just as-with many elated
and joyful school companions-I pre-
pared to depart for that dinner which
was to crown the glorious day, then
the telegram.
by George. Boris" said some one
as the pale. u~nwholesome looking docu.
ment was handed to me, ''your friends
are pretty smart with the congratula-
tions. The match must have been re-
ported in the evening papers. I didn't
know we were to be SO honored. Did
you, Adkins?'
~ didn't know old Boris was going
to make a century," said Adkins.
l tore open the envelope and read the
missive.
"Good Lord. what's the matter7
Look at the color Of his FACET I heard
some one say,
"Let me sit down a minute and
think. said /.
l sat and reread my telegram, while
the blood in my head seemed to surge
and prevent my brain working sufi-
GENTLY to grasp the meaning of the
words.
The message ran thus:
From Countess Landrinof, St. Petersburg, to
Count Boris Landrinof, Toddlestone:
Come to me as soon as possible. Will have to
stay. Am in terrible distress about your father,
"What is it, old man? Not bad news.
I hope" said Adkins.
Heaven only knows what it meansl'
I murmured. "Read it. will you? My
head seems to buzz so. Is my poor ia
ther dead, do you think?'
I believe I burst into tears or made
myself otherwise supremacy ridiculous.
The sudden blow was too much Of a
shock for me in the midst Of my deliri-
Gus JOY.
Adkins read the message.
"Oh, no, old man." he said soothing.
ly. II should say certainly not that;
not by this telegram. Cheer up. Well
wire at once for more news"
eyes, We'll do that" I said. "I'm
sorry I'm such a fool, but I didn't
know the old man was even ILL.,"
perhaps it's only money" suggest
ed Toogood.
"Oh, no, it can't be that" l sighed.
It could not. I was sure; for my father