The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-02-05
BY FRED WITHSTAND
{ 1850 BY TIE AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION
{ | AAMDR OE:

ton Will make the matter clear from
the beginning. The man now passing
as Count Landrinof was received into
the house under misconception. The
count disappeared last July. He disap-
peared utterly and no trace Of him
could be found until word was received
that he had been seen in London.
"You appealed, of course, to the po-
lice for assistance in your difficulty p
said the pristaf.
cit was the wish of the countess to
dispense with the service of the police
because she was naturally DESTROYS of
keeping the family trouble as secret as
possible. y
The pristaf smiled incredulously and
shrugged his shoulders. proceed, he
said.
81 was then dispatched to England
in order to induce the supposed count
to return, continued Borofsky. 'tBe
ing personally unacquainted with his
excellence, was taken in by him and
actually assisted in attempting to foist
him upon the countess and her son as
the real count. On arrival. however, the
impostor no longer attempted to carry on
the deception. He admitted that he was
not himself the count but that, if per-
mitted to pass for awhile as his excel
lence and to inhabit rooms in his man
sion and to receive certain payments in
money. he would in return make over
to-. the countess certain secrets as to
the fate of her husband which she could
not otherwise learn excepting through
his good Offices, practically admitting
that he was, in fact, that very Andre
whom. we submit, you believe your
men to have arrested on that fatal July
afternoon.
SO that the countess has permitted
this person to live in her house and to
pass as the count for how long-t two
months, more or less-in order that she
may in the end induce him to part with
secrets which must inevitably end his
period Of prosperity and also his free
dom A likely story indeed, my dear
sir, and likelier still that this man, if
he were Andre, would SO disclose his
secretsl''
1--WE have cherished hopes that, fail
ing his good will, we may find means
to compel him to make a confession, =
said Borofsky. r.
'tDo so, then, and afterward return
to me, said the pristaf. "But stay, .
he added "Whence this marvellous
tale, then, of the arrest of Count Lam
drinof in mistake for this other indi-
vidual? Did you not say that Andre
Landrinof supposing it were he-had
boasted that he alone was able to reveal
the secret of the counts fate? He has
know the facts. Explain this. .
1--WE discovered the truth acciden-
tally from another source. said Borof-
sky.
"Ah, the truth! Yes. Well, gentle
men, am obliged to you for this most
interesting may, thrilling narrative,
which I have found very entertaining
Iregret that ], cannot accept it without
support. May this unexpected source
thar you speak of be examined by me
for confirmation of your reports'
cit is impossible. said Borofsky
"We"-
'Ah. | thought so. Good morning,
gentlemen. shall be glad to see you
when you have something little more
definite, and, if | may say SO, a little
more plausible and credible, to lay be-
fore me.
"We shall report to your superiors.
Mr.. Pristaf, = said Borofsky angrily.
"No doubt. and so shall l. . said the
! pristaf, bowling US politely to the door.