The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-01-08

another, rented the shooting of that
splendid moor.
Hubert was decorously sympathetic
about our family trouble, for of course
he knew of it. though we carefully pre-
served it from becoming matter of
general knowledge and little tattle.
Then he told me that he had just been
to Erinofka, and that an extraordinary
and horrible murder had been commit
ted in the village. No stranger had been
seen about the place, it was said. yet
one of the villagers had been stabbed
dead in his hut-heaven only knew why
or by whom. for he hadn't an enemy in
the world.
My heart almost stopped beating
when I heard this. glanced at Percy
and caught his eye. His face had sud-
denly gone quite pale; go. he said after
ward, had mine.
sWhat is it?"ssaid Hubert care
you one who can't bear to hear of blood
shed2 I'm sorry told you.
81 don't like horrors said, ssbut
do go on; what was the poor fellow
likes Did you go and see him!''
81 did, as it happens. A small fellow
with bald head, rather; little eyes and
a longish beard.
1t was our mysterious informant to
the life.
Then his tale had been true, and the
unfortunate fellow had actually met
his doom for breaking faith with his
terrible employers. How did the rascals
know that he had broken faith2 Was
it our fault? God forbid! had tried
my best to shelter him. 1t was his own
fault. He ran the risk with his eyes
open. Probably the poor wretch did not
really believe the threats of those fear.
full people whom he had driven to Ba-
lota.
And these were the very persons into
whose hands father must have fallen. If
it were indeed so, then God help himl
We decided to tell mother nothing of
this last development, for it could only
brighten and shock her and would do no
good
But we persuaded her to allow us to
engage the services of a private detect
i've, one who should be entirely uncon-
nected with the police. If we could find
suitable person, we explained, he
could go to Erinofka and take up the
trail where we had lost it. We were
known there now and would be taken
in at every turn by those. or their
agents, whose interest it was to keep
the truth from us. A professional de-
tective would be far more likely to
manage successfully this delicate mat
ter of clew hunting than we should
Somewhat regretfully, my mother
agreed to allow us to employ such a
man, and by dint of many inquiries we
hit upon a young fellow. by name Bo-
rofsky, who suited us very well.
Borofsky was not very much older
than /. He may have been 90, at most,
while my age was just 10 and Percy
about the same; not a very aged trio to
undertake and conduct so delicate an in
Auiry as this of ours.
He dined with us on the evening Of
his engagement, and we talked over the
entire subject. Borofsky thought well
of the work we had done at Erinofka.
We had hit upon the right track, no
doubt. he said. But probably the ras-
calls who had drugged and carried ia
ther off had long since placed him in
safety, and even if we could follow the
trail as far as st. Petersburg we should
lose it there
"But what do you suppose they
wanted with the count, Mr.. Borofsky %
asked Percy. s.Money, by way of ran
som, or what?''
Heaven knowsH' said Borofsky.
''That lie one of the things we must find
out. .
Then our friend startled us by saying
BY the way, the pristaf of the police
department. of this district mentioned
your father to me today. l was at the
Office on another matter of business
which does not concern this affair
What do you think the pristaf saidg''
81 am sorry you spoke to the police
about my father, replied somewhat
warmly. 1T is the very thing we are
trying to avoid. /"
81 did not. believe me. 1t was the
pristaf who mentioned him, apropos of
nothing particular, and, mind you.
though | am no great lover of the po-
lice, am ready to admit that their
system is marvellous, and they general
ly know where to lay their hands upon
any given person was not speaking
of your father, nor had mentioned
him. But the pristaf said, you are to
undertake business for Count Landrinof.
Borofsky, conclude, since you have
been for two days in communication
with the young count (They watch
us, you see, these fellows. st is odd
that the old bird should have gone to
prosecute his inquiries in London,
whatever they may be, while the young
one leaves London in order to work out
something here.
:" is the count in London. then3'
said innocently. Il did not know it,
And the pristaf said. Certainly and
that your father had left ST. Petersburg
III the-I forget the exact date about
| !, week or ten days ago. OF course we
+ 1 IL