Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-12-24
CHAPTER XIV.
NEsLErov KNOWS MS PERIL.

- y ueep Slu1nDer winch laQ not
refreshed him after the ball,
Jansky, superintendent of police, was
grooming and muttering in his own eff
forts to wake up. He knew he was
awake, but the effect of the heavy drug
was still upon him. Itzlg, however,
having succumbed to n lesser quantity
tllan was taken by Jansky, was sooner
awake and had been relieved by the
day guard and gone to his own quar-
tiers. The first question Neslerov asked
was for Princess Olga. When he learn
ed that she was still sleeping, he went
to see Jansky.
What Is the matter with you?" he
asked. you seem to be ILL.,"
Il do feel rather ILL., said Jansky. 81
don't know when felt like this"
you were drunk; that's all. You
were drunk when left you Did you
drink any more?"
Yes; in making the round of inspec-
ton discovered Itzig asleep and n
bottle of wine half gone. drank the
rest"
"Itzig asleep! AT his post! And this
danger near us?"
"Pooh! The girl suspects nothing. A
girl of her age, even though she be a
princess could not dissemble SO well. I
tell you Olga suspects nothing"
'"rhen why is she here?"
"Well, she is eccentric, us you know,
and 1t is quite possible that she would
like to be the wife Of the governor of
Tomsk."
Neslerov laughed.
"She would like to kill him, rather"
Gwen SO, she does not suspect"
But this thing Of Itzig being asleep
atihis POSITIVE must examine into It,"
=s'The poor devil wanted his share in
the festivities, suppose. We must not
deal too severely with him. He GER
tainly did not steal the wine. Some
one must have given 1t to him."
"Who? I must find that out. But,
since he has been asleep, you had bet
ter examine the prisoners"
''They ale there all right. How could
they be otherwise"
But you know what 1t means to me
If they escape"
Escape. | will stake my head they
cannot escape. Why, to pass out from
the dungeons they must open the iron
gate and the door of the guardroom.
Sees here is the key to the guardroom
door,
"Still," said Neslerov hesitatIngly, II
wish you would make an examination
"Oh, If your excellency wishes it,
will do so gladly. But promise you
they are there"
Jansky was still stupid from the
drugged wine, but he knew what he
was doing. He went to the guardroom
and unlocked the door leading to the
dungeons. In the passage he obtained
lantern and passed through the iron
gate. He went down the stairs and
through the passages, which he knew
well, to the dungeon. He entered and
stood horror stricken at the empty
chains hanging on the wall. Will
fear in his heart he crept back to the
stairs, glancing neryously around him
for he knew the strength of the Ameri
can. Neslerov, to whom he went, look.
ed in surprise Mt the ashen face.
Courses upon us ALL" said Jansky
hoarsely. "They are gonew
Jansky looked sheepishly at the gov.
ernor, and Neslerov looked ut Jansky
like an angry wolf.
"Gone! Both prisoners gone" cried
the governor. as this true?"
Unfortunately-th thing thought
impossible is fact"
Neslerov's face was white.
II thought-you told me-they were
both in chalnsw he said, his voice
strained and tense.
II did, and 1t was true. With my
own hands I chained them. The
American was In the dungeon ut the
first landing and Paulpoff was dowr
In the lower cellar. With my OWL
hands chained them, and I hold the
key to the door. The key to the chains
still hangs where placed it. This II
miracle. The men must be devils II
human FORM"
"The American is something like {
devil" said Neslerov grimly, "but
doubt IL he has supernatural powers
If those chains have been loosened
Jansky, some human agent has done
it, and there is a traitor in the pal
nee"
"whom does your excellency sus
pect?"
'Aly cousin Olga"
"That girl! She would no more dar'
go down in those dungeons than sh'
would enter den of wild beasts. Ant
how could she learn that they wer
down there"
'It is not quite a secret Some o
the servants saw them brought in"
"Since the princess came the servant
have had enough to do Without talkin