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

him to observe no indication that we
were interested in his actions And at
first we thought we must be mistaken
as to his connection with revolutionary
people. anarchists and m~alcontents and
shady characters generally, for his con-
duct was quiet and exemplary, and he
came and went in and out of the house,
mistaken by most Of those who saw
him for Count Landrinof
''Confonnd the fellowl' said Percy
one day after a fortnight or more of
this blameless existence "When is he
going to start nibilist meetings in the
house, and so onY He gives us nothing
to go uponl
"a watched pot never boils, !
laughed; lat least not till II is sick
Of watching
Nevertheless presently a little steam
began to issue from the spout Of our
kettle, and we knew that the water
was on the move
In other words, our friend began to
show a little activity He went about
the town more frequently Queer, weird
looking people came at intervals to see
him and sat in fathers study in con.
sultation with the impostor. The time
had come for us to start work as anna
teur detectives, an occupation most
cordially disliked.
But father was still unbound. Indeed
we were no further on toward clearing
up the mystery than we had been a
week after his disappearance, and moth.
or fretted and wept.
Great heavensl To set all this right
and see dear mother happy once more !
should spy with the best and meanest.
One evening Borofsky returned home
in the best Of spirits
"What is It. Borofsky 2 I inquired.
for / saw that he was longing to be
asked.
eve had q good haul today" he
raid, rubbing his hands. "Our friends
busy over some deviltry, I'd stake my
existence on it. He has been present at
. secret committee meeting this after.
noon. and I know where they met and
how many were present"
what they plotted" I asked.
land who they werer'
lyon are going too fast, my dear
cir I" said Borofsky. ''How could I pos
sibly know all thatf ! was not in the
room and all these people ] have seen
today for the first time.
"But how did you get to see them at
allf" I asked. Didn't you run a great
Siskf'
"Some risk. no doubt. but I wasn't
Borotsky, mind you'll was disguised.
I went to my lodgings early in the aft.
ernoon and put on a beggar's dress that
] have In stock-a perfect disguise. In
this ] returned here. standing outside
this very door till our friend came out.
! did the same yesterday. but be kept
waiting several hours and never
came at all. Well. this afternoon I had
hardly been here a quarter Of an hour
when out my jumps into a
arosky and drives away.
Luckily |, too, had a drosky wait.
Ing round the corner and into this
jumped. throwing the cloak over me
that was already prepared for my use
In case Of need and lay folded ready Oh
the cushion,
~ followed his drosky right across
to the island side, down the first line,
over the Tuchkof bridge and into the
Peterburgskaya. He turned into a small
street that led out Of the prospekt, and
] stopped in the main thoroughfare a
few yards farther on. threw the cloak
to my driver and hurried back to the
corner Of the small street.
"His drosky was returning empty,
and he had disappeared, and ! thought
] had lost my man but almost imme.
diately another trap drove up, turned
into the street and stopped at a little
wooden house half way down 1t. So !
limped toward the gate Of that house
q beggar again, now--and took my
stand near by
"No less than seven other individuals
drove or walked to that gate, sir, and
entered the little wooden house, though
] was not exactly on the spot when all
arrived, for the first that came gave me
4 grievnik (10 kopecks) and babe me 90
farther, very much farther; but we
need not specify the destination he had
fixed upon me. The next was no more
polite. and rather than cause anger or
rouse suspicion / moved a few doors
away. When all had arrived--nine or
ZEN there must have been in ALL
waited a few minutes and then depart.
cd"
swell done, Borofsky. said !. "You
have certainly advanced matters today
II was undoubtedly a meeting Of sorts.
Our friend 10 up to no good, I'll be
swornl Well, now we know one Of his
haunts, anyway Wen catch him out
yet. and then we'll name our terms for
saving his head from the only place it's
At to I'll, and that's the moose"
What manner Of men were these
Of hiss" asked Percy; "the
members Of this charming com.
mitteei A set Of desperate looking
eutthroats. I'll bet.
~ lWlno. 4, sn~,, s~tvoA u u.{l d.