Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-11-29
CHAPTER XIV.
Jpor rpov RN0WS HIS PERIL,

rov was rousing himself IRON
a deep slumber which had NO
refreshed him after the ball
Jansky, superintendent Of police, was
groaning and muttering In his own Ell
forts to wake up. He knew he Was
awake, but the effect Of the heavy drue
was still upon him. Itzig, however
having succumbed to a lesser quantity
than was taken by Jansky, was sooner
awake and had been relieved by thu
day guard and gone to his own quar-
ters. 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 your" he
asked. "You seem to be ILL.,"
81 do feel rather ILL.," said Jansky. 81
don't know when l felt like this"
"You were drunk; that's all. You
were drunk when l left you. Did you
drink any more?"
"Yes: in making the round of inspec'
tion | discovered Itzig asleep and q
bottle Of wine half gone. ! drank the
rest"
"Ttzig asleep! At his post! And this
danger near usY
Pooh! The girl suspects nothing. A
girl Of her age. even though she be q
princess, could not dissemble so we'll.
tell you Olga suspects nothing"
"Then why is she here?"
...Well. she Is eccentric. as you know,
and it 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"
"Even so. she does not suspect"
"But this thing Of Itzig being asleep
at his POSITIVE must examine into It"
"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 II to him."
"Whos I must find that out. But,
since he has been asleep, you had bet
ter examine the prisoners"
"They are there all right. How could
they be otherwise"
"But you know what 1t means to me
If they escape"
Escape! I 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.
See, here is the key to the guardroom
door,"
STILL" said Neslerov hesitatingly, II
wish you would make an examination" )"
"Oh, If your excellency wishes 1t. I
will do 80 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
q 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. With
fear In his heart he crept back to the
stairs, glancing nervously around him,
for he knew the strength Of the Ameri-
can. Neslerov, to whom he went, look
ed In surprise at the ashen face.
"Curses upon US all!' said Jansky
A>o,no11 sSrNhor <onop,
Jansky looked sheepishly at the gov
ernor, and Neslerov looked at Jansky
like an angry wolf.
"Gone! Both prisoners gone! cried
the governor. "Is this true"
"Unfortunately-the thing I thought
impossible Is fact"
Neslerov's face was white.
II thought-you told me-they We're
both In chains| he said. his voice
strained and tense.
81 did, and it was true. With my
own hands I chained them. The
American was in the dungeon at the
first landing and Paulpoff was down
In the lower cellar. With my own
hands I chained them, and hold the
key to the door. The key to the chains
still hangs where placed it. This Is
a miracle. The men must be devils In
human FORM"
"The American is something like q
devil" said Neslerov grimly, "but
doubt IL he has supernatural powers
If those chains have been loosened
Jansky, some human agent has done
II. and there Is a traitor In the pal.
ace"
"Whom does your excellency sus'
pect"
my cousin Olga"
"That girl! She would no more dare
20 down in those dungeons than she
would enter a den Of wild beasts. And
how could she learn that they were
down thereT
ut is not quite secret. Some o.
the servants saw them brought In"
"Since the princess came the servants
have had enough to do without talking
about two prisoners Of whom the!
know nothing. Anyway, how coult
Olga, who has spent but little time II
Russia and none near Graslov or Perm
ever hear of the Paulpoffs"
81 know not. But certain 1t Is ther'
is a traitor here. This escape, II escap'
it is, will cost us dear"
"If escape it Is! 1t may not be an es
cape after all! The chains are old ant
rusty. Perhaps they have given way
and the prisoners may be wandering
around the passages. will send TO
Itzig."