The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-05

by giving him one from the gold case
that Princess Olga had filled for me.
We walked along I'm silence for a few
minutes. when Clough suddenly sur.
piised me by saying: II have noticed
the careful watch that you and the dc.
tectives have kept on my movements
ever since the prince landed, and have
drawn my own conclusions as to what
you know or guess. You need not be
afraid of me, though, Fraser; told
olga yesterday that refused to be a
party to assassination. She wanted me
to offer cigarettes, containing a power
ful explosive, to the prince"
Fortunately, small stream runs
through Lord Selven's grounds. With
out stopping to explain. snatched the
half-smoked cigarette, from Clough's
mouth and flung It into the water.
Then tore off to where had left the
prince. cursing my folly as ran.
Until Clough's speech, the bare pos
sibility of such an atrocious and cow
ardly method of assassination had
never occurred to me. Now, / did not
doubt that the cigarettes in my gold
case (as was afterward proved con-
tanned an explosive substance calcu-
smoker as soon as the burning ash
touched 1t. Princess Olga's cunning In
placing harmless cigarettes in my sill
yer case, well knowing that ] would
smoke first, had duped me completely.
and her plot would have been only too
successful If Captain Cloueh had not
been induced to confess to me the
secret under which he labored.
I shall never forget that two minutes
race along the turf of Selven park.
The life of Prince Sergius and the
honor Of Great Britain depended on
my speed, while a sickening horror
clutched at my heart. telling me that
perhaps ] was already too late; at
that moment the prince might be ly-
ing dead under the oak trees, killed,
unwittinSly by the hand of him who
had been appointed his guardian and
protector.
How that fend of a woman must
have chuclled when she made me the
unconscious instrument of her wicked
design.
These thoughts let wings to my feet,
and | arrived. painting and breathless.
before his imperial highness Just as
he was putting n match to the paper
tube of death.
stop. your highness, stop" cried.
and, relieved at the preventation Of
tho catastrophe, I stammered out an
explanation of my seeming imperti-
nence
You came just in time, Sir George"
remarked Prince Serglus, patting me
affectionately on the back as / con-
cluded. Another three minutes, and T
should have smoked Princess Olga's
cigarette"
Both the Russian and the English
secret service authorities maintain
discreet silence as to the whereabouts
of the beautiful Olga Skobensky.
have heard of a story which tells of a
nihilist princess being immured at
Cronstadt. who was made every day
TO smoke from q box containing 90 or
dinary cigarettes and one that she had
placed on former occasion in my gold
case. 4 day came on which she chose
this particular cigarette, and the
memory of the chief of the ninth Sec
tion was avenged. Instead of being
blamed for my imprudence I was re-
warded far beyond my deserts. Prince
Sergius gave me the Order of st. An
drew and Captain Clough a greater
gift still.
For his sister. Muriel, after thank
ing me for rescuing her brother con-
sented to be my wife. Need I say
more 10 tell you of my happiness?-
Chicago Herald.