The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-01-12

pOuuC upon your IAtOer anu carried
him off to the post station? You see.
you yourself put a lot Of the tale into
the fellows head by inquiring whether
any one had driven the count to Balota.
and he could easily invent the rest. It
seems to me that they would have rob.
bed him. more likely. and left him.
"Heaven only knowsl" I said sagely.
Lets get ready at once and drive over
to the post road We may hit the trail
I fancy it rather myself for want Of a
better clew."
So we drove at once to Balota and
asked to see the postmaster A surly
peasant came out and said his horses
were all cut. If we wanted to travel.
we must pay double prices.
explained that we should do so pres.
emily with pleasure on condition that
he first answered a few questions. The
man looked suspicious, but he babe ME
enter the house and sit down.
"Now, said, ''had you a traveller
or, W or three travellers journeying to.
gether from Erinofka last week? ?"
''Stop a minute" he said. Have
you been speaking to that fool of fools
Ivan ArbuzOfT'
could honestly reply. that did not
know whom he referred to by that
name. -.
"Why do you inquire about three
men from Erinofka. then p he said.
"Well, it may be one man or two or
three, l explained. 1T is only one
that l care to know abont. This gentle.
man drove over, as l believe, intending
to take post horses for st. Petersburg
We wish to know the date, and are pre-.
pared to pay for information.
The fellow reflected a short while
He glanced furtively at me once or
twice from under his black. hushy aye.
brows did not like the look Of the
man.
ut is against rules to give such in.
formation, he said, 'or at least
against my practice. You may be spies
upon the track Of some unfortunate
who is innocent of offense.
1--WE are no spies" I said, land this
is a 10 ruble note.
II will look in my book. he growled
''Give me the money!"
The fellow brought a greasy. filthy
account book and turned over page aft.
or page. Here is al entry Of three
BARNS from Erinofka, " he said present.
ly. My heart beat with excitement.
eyes; that will be iti' I exclaimed
"Go on"
"Who engaged a three horse carriage
to Riabova," he continued.
"Goodl" l cried, jumping up. Percy
was equally excited. though be only
understood half that was said. "You
have earned your money, my man. Get
us a carriage and horses to the same
place quickly. and you shall be paid
treble fare"
The savage looking rascal beamed and
departed without loss Of a moment. He
was not sorry, I thought afterward. to
DISCONTINUE the conversation.
It appeared that he had horses in the
stable, after all, for he certainly never
left the yard, and yet, five minutes
later. there stood a 'troika," or three
horsed vehicle. ready for as. We jumped
in.
ITO Riabova quickly" cried to the
driver. who was busy listening to his
chiefs instructions. Rather complicat.
ed ones, it appeared, for the fellow wore
an expression as Of one who is being
taught a difficult lesson.
The postmaster whispered his last
word. and we were off.
II hope they're not Matching any
deviltry between them" said Percy.
II don't like that postmaster Johnny
at all. Do your"
was bound to admit that I did not.
''But we can take care Of ourselves, I
expect" added. and in this PROPOSE.
ton Percy l%aughingly concurred.
"We must try and get in a talk with
the fellow at Riabova before this little
rascal on the box has an opportunity to
square him or warn him, he continued.
''Ten to one the postmaster at Balota
has sent him down instructions to lie
as freely as his tongue will turn the
redhot falsehoods out. We must Ger.
tainly have the first look in"
But at Riabova things did not TURF
out precisely as we had intended. for
nj little driver contrived, in spite Of
our intentions. to deliver his message,
whatever it may have been. before we
could obtain a word with the postmas.
ter. This he did by throwing his reins
to the moujik who met us at the yard
gate and running quickly within the
house. leaving us wondering where the
chief man was to be found.
Percy thought the matter very sus.
picious
''These fellows are playing some deep
game with us. he said. IT don't like
it,
But | was less inclined to suspect
evil-that is. anything more evil than
designs against our money bags.
''It's absurd to suppose that all these
chaps are in the secret Of fathers dis.
appearance | said. ''They have a
game on, but it is only to obtain three