Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-06-14

| he was not to be seen. At the foot OF
| the stairs he had stepped back, allow
ing the American to precede him, ancg
what had become of him afterwards
was mystery. 1t was the tall Officer
with the grizzled locks whom DarreIa
| confronted as he turned.
This Is great surprise to me-" saida
| he.
HE had been shot in the back" ~
piled the officer. 1--WE have our OWE
opinion as to how it happened. The,
body was brought here, which is uu.-
usual. Moreover. as you asked to sess
him, and it was so convenient
He finished the sentence with a.
[ shrug of the shoulders.
IL know nothing OF this" said OAR
| ren earnestly. 81 never saw the mara
until this afternoon
when you had violent Quarrel.,'<
| added the officer.
Nothing of the kind" retorted Dar.-
rel. Il can bring abundant evidencae
to prove that It was the merest trlfe."
He walked hastily to the table and1
bent over the body, which was clothed
In the coachman's rough garments thaS-
the man had worn when Darrell hads
dislodged him from the box of ths,
coach. BE turned the corpse upon it's
! face, though shrinking from the touch
of it The clothing had been cut opens
! for an examination Of the wound, but
1t was not very much soiled with blood
The bullet had struck below the lefk~
shoulder blade, and It seemed to have
remained In the body.
"a doctor has seen thisT' said Oar
rell. What does he tell you? Hovz
long could the man have lived after re-
| ceiving the injury? Where was he
foundP
He was found upon the Rue de
Richelieu." replied the officer. "Per-
hsps you may judge, from the location.
how long he survived his injury"
IF you mean to intimate that I M
hicted it" said Darrell, you are utter
ing an absurdity, and the earlier YOU
dismiss the idea from your mind the
sooner you will reach solution OF
the puzzle which this crime presents
CAS- you have seen Captain Ladislov,.
| according to your request" said the Of
ficer by way OF reply, 81 would sug-
gest that we return"
he waved his hand toward the stair,
way. Darrell bowed and walked in the
direction indicated. When they came
whereat the officer was certainly sur
prised, though he endeavored not to
show II. He sat down by the table ana
motioned Darrell to a chair near by.
81 would like to Inquire began the,
officer, taking up n paper from the
desk, and then he paused. reading what
was written in that document With.
close and increasing attention. "Ou
second thought" he continued. laying
down the paper. 81 have decided to
ask no further questions"
Then" said Darrell, with your per- o.
mission, would like to ask a few"
Il am not at liberty to answer" was
the reply. "But-yes, will ask one
myself Do you know a Russian wom-
an named Vera ShevaloffT"
Vera Shevaloff," repeated Darrell.
as If weighing the name upon his lips.
Il have never bad the pleasure of be-
ing presented to the lady"
The officer bowed.
THAT is ALL" he said. 'I crave YOUR
pardon for having detained you SO
long"
Darrell rose slowly and with as calm
countenance as possible, though the
surprise was almost overpowering.
Il wish you very good evening"" he
said.
He was permitted to find his own
way out OF the station. Upon the
street. while he was walking toward
the cab stand, he encountered the de-
tective, Fontaine.
1T was | who cleared you, mon
sieur," said that individual II testi-
ned that you were at the ball"
The truth is mighty and will pre-
VAIL responded Darrell giving the
man money. but surely there was.
some other cause
ut Is crime of the nihilists," whfs-
pered Fontaine. "a paper was found,
torn and lying on the pavement. near
where the body lay. 1t was a sort or
warrant from the car, and II showed
that Ladislov, who was an agent of the
Russian secret service, was engaged In
making an arrest-a kidnapping, let us
say-when he lost his life. 1t Is al
ways a risk. The puzzle was solved
While you were down stairs. All, IT
takes little time for NJ. Cochefert to
get at the bottom OF things"
"CochefertP' cried Darrell. "Chief OF
the bureau de la surete2 Was he
there?"
1t was he who sat at the elbow OF
the commissaire," replied Fontaine.
1 am sorry that | did not succeed In
seeing his face" said Darrell GOOD
night, my friend. Remember that
have more money whenever you feea
that you have earned it. And listen-
would like information about that pa
per- the warrant of arrest. 1t interests
me. ] pay we'll"
II Is habit OF the Americans" saIn-
Fontaine.
(To CoNTINUED.)
The Popular Song
Above the voices of the spring