Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-08-09

plug with a flourish at one OF them.
which was also starred. 1t then turn
ed and ran across the paper toward the
left encouuterlng square marked
"Botka" and ending In a large circle
bearing the name Paris"
Darrell pulled out the knife and eyed
II with wonder. slowly augmenting as
his senses cleared. or course it was
possible that this weapon had been
taken from Vera and had come into
Getchikoff's possession. but why was
1t there? What was he expected % do
with it7 Murder his guards7
AT the thought be walked to the door
and shook It. calling >"Hellor' which
is good In all languages.
There was no answer. Darrell cross
ed to the window. 1t was not IA stem
ed. No guards were to be seen. He
raised the sash and thrust out his
head. The town was still except for
the songs of birds. glad Of the bright
morning.
Darrell returned to the table and sat
down upon the edge OF it. his right
hand pressed against his aching fore
head.
''They drugged me-" he muttered:
that's clear. And l had some rath-
er remarkable visions In the ,urse
OF the night as they now come back
to me: but this beats them ALL
He removed Vera's dagger from the
table and thrust IL through the belt OF
his blouse, putting the diagram into
his breast. Then he went to the win
dow and climbed out. A shot from a
concealed guard would not have sur
prised him, but It did not come.
II began to dawn upon him that he
was really free, but his mind was not
yet clear enough to comprehend the
manner of IT. Dimly he now remem-
bered that at some point OF the night
he had been half reused by the noise
Of rifle shots. They had been quite
near, but the drug had held his senses
prisoner. However, he recalled the
direction from which most OF the noise
had seemed TO come, and, turning to
look that way along the rambling vii
lage street, he saw the form OF a man
lying on the turf by the wayside. It
proved to be a Circassian soldier, and
the man was dead. He had been shot
through the body.
1t was impossible that an attack had
been made and Getchikofr and his es-
cort driven out No force OF Circas-
slams capable OF such a feat could have
been I'm those parts, and had the deed
been done there would be more evil
dence OF the struggle. He could see
, only this dead man and the battered
door and windows OF a building across
, the way to justify a conclusion that a
rescue had been attempted.
Looking at the building more closely.
he discovered that IL was the one In
which he had been prisoner for his
, first few hours In the town. Could
Vera have led a party 20 free him1 If so,
and che had so far succeeded as to be
able to leave her dagger In the room
where ne lay asleep, why had she gone
out again and locked the door behind
herr He laughed at the absuriity.
Returning to the dead Circassian aft
er viewing the wrecked house, he look
, ed more closely at the body and reach
| ed the extraordinary conclusion that
the man had been shot after death TC
the eye OF one instructed I'm such mat
tiers 1t was quite plain that the soldier
had died from the effects OF blow OF
the top OF the head, received severa
days ago. Indeed there was indication
that the wound had received medica
attention, but this was the more diff
cult TO decide because, like many 9th
ers Of his race, the poor fellow haC
been accustomed TO shave his crown.
In field bordering the road was an
other Circassian, shot through the head
but there was every reason TO believ,
that he had died of fever.
Clearly" said Darrell, 'this Is /,
fake rescue. Getchikoff did not dar,
to take me to Stavropol. He has OF
ganized this farce with the aid of Cir
cassian stragglers from Gredskov an,
two corpses from the ambulance train
But Vera's dagger7 No; can't seen
to fit that into the scheme"
The thought Of the weapon reminde,
him of the diagram, and he looked a
it again. What did the squares mean
Towns2 There seemed to be an un
necessary number OF them. Botka wa
a town, and it was represented by
square, but it was drawn differentl
( AAOAi NLOSS bhdt WCAS lOSClHei
'They are houses In this village,
was DarrelPs conclusion
The line upon the diagram indicate,
,, that he must visit certain house
What should ne find there? Some forr
OF death--a part of this strange plot
1t might be so, yet he did not hesitate.
There was little difficulty in follow
ing the clew. The house marked on
to be visited was easily recognized
: the other squares, indicating othe
: houses, serving as guide. II was
better house than that in which he ha
been confined. There were two storie
and three rooms on the ground floor.
hall leading back to the largest G
them, which was in the rear.
Darrell walked along the hall some
what cautiously-for his mind was nc
: quite free Of the idea of a snare-an
t pushed open the door Of the large room
p He saw a table, upon which were
j part of roasted fowl, some bread, an
9 a glass flask containing milk. cha