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

it9 Why should two fellows have
bounced upon your father and carried
him off to the post station? You see,
you yourself put 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 1t
seems to me that they would have rob-
bed him. more likely, and left him.
Heaven rnly knows!" said sagely.
"Let's get ready at once and drive over
to the post road. We may hit the trail.
/ 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 few questions. The
man looked suspicious, but he babe me
enter the house and sit down.
''Now," / said, chad you traveller
or two or three travellers journeying to-
gether from Erinofka last week9'
'sStop minute, he said. ssHave
you been speaking to that fool of fools
Ivan Arbuzof2"
could honestly reply that did not
know whom he referred to by that
name.
sWhy do you inquire about three
men from Erinofka, them he said.
"Well, it may be one man or two or
three. | explained. 'sIt is only one
that care to know about. This gentle
man drove over, as 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 short while.
he glanced furtively at me once or
twice from under his black, bushy eye
brows l did not like the look Of the
man.
1T is against rules to give such in
formation" he said, cor at least
against my practice. You may be spies
upon the track of some unfortunate
who is innocent Of offense.
s'We are no spies, said, stand this
is 10 ruble note. -
81 will look in my book. !" he growled.
Give me the money!"
The fellow brought a greasy, filthy
account book and turned over page aft
er' page. "Here is an entry of three
BARNS from Erinofka. he said present.
ly. My heart beat with excitement
eyes; that will be its' l exclaimed.
@Go on
''Who engaged three horse carriage
to Riabova, he continued
s'Good!" cried, jumping up. Percy
was equally excited. though he only
understood half that was said "You
have earned your money, my man. Get
us carriage and horses to the same
place quickly, and you shall be paid
treble fare. y
The savage looking rascal beamed and
departed without loss of moment. He
was not sorry, thought afterward. to
discontinue the conversation.
/ 1t appeared that he had horses il, the
stable. after all, for he certainly never
left the yard. and yet, five minutes
later, there stood t'troika, or three
horsed vehicle, ready for u.s. We jumped
in.
''To Riabova quickly!"I 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 difficult lesson
The postmaster whispered his last
word, and we were off.
81 hope they not Matching any
deviltry between them, said Percy.
81 don't like that postmaster Johnny
at all. Do your
| was bound to admit that did not.
tBut we can take care of ourselves,
expect, added, and in this PROPOSE
tion Percy laughingly concurred.
''We must try and get in talk with
the fellow at Riabova before this little
rascal on the box has an opportunity tc
square him or warn him, he continued
tsTen to one the postmaster at Ballots
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 turr
out precisely as we had intended, fol
our little driver contrived, in spite oi
our intentions, to deliver his message
whatever it may have been, before WE
| could obtain word with the postmas
| ter. This he did by throwing his reinl
to the moujik who met us at the YARD
gate and running quickly within til,
house, leaving us wondering where tn.
| chief man was to be found.
Percy thought the matter very sus
| picious.
"These fellows are playing some dee]
game with us, he said. 81 don't lik,
it."
| But was less inclined to suspec
evil-that is, anything more evil tina,
designs against our money bags.
its absurd to suppose that all thes,
chaps are in the secret of fathers dis
| appearance, | said "They have
game on, but it is only to obtain thre,
OF four times their due for the horses
and SO on. The other fellow merely sen
message to this fellow that we wer,