Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-12-11
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Continued from last Week. /


here" said Olga. How were these
chains fastened:"
'With a small iron key. 1t was on
long chain, SO | presume it hangs in
that passage at the head of the stairs.
The stairs are not far from this spot.
1t was not a long distance when | was
brought here
1T may not be far, but in what direc-
tion?"
'There was a stupid kind Of fellow
down here once after l was brought in.
He brought me some food. | watched
him and think l can guide you to the
stairs. Count three passages to the
left from that black stone in the wall"
yes; this is the third"
''Now go Trough that till you reach q
heap of rubbish in n little court. re-
member the rubbish heap, for l Stun
bled over it. At this rubbish heap the
passage divides, and one lane leads to
the left and the other to the right The
one on the right will lead you to the
stairs"
"Come, Thercse"
Taking her lantern, Olga again start
I'd, carefully following the directions of
Denton She found the rubbish heap
and, taking the passage TO the right,
soon came to the stairs. She left The
rese at the foot of the stairs while she
crept softly up.
In the guardroom ItZig still lay snOr-
ing, and Olga glanced at the door to
make sure the bolt had not been dis
turbed If a dozen Cossacks had been
hammering at the door she would not
have faltered now. She searched in
the little passage and found a small
iron key suspended from a peg by a
chain.
at must be the one" she said. and
she seized it and sped below.
Remain here" she said to Therese,
"and If ! am lost again you can guide
me back to the stc,rs as the American
guided us to him"
She wound her way through the pas
sagcs and at last reached Denton.
you are a brave little woman" he |
said. Il did not think there was a wo- |
man like you in the world-eXcept one"
- suppose you mean Frances Cor |
don said the princess.
"What! DO you know her"
81 met her at the great fair in Mos |
COW. She was very charitable"
While she talked she tried the key. /
Ii fitted the locks in the chains and one !
by one they dropped changing against |
the wall anG Denton was free
"Now, then" she said, Vladimir |
Paulpoff is here. Do you know how to
fnd him:"
NO: l do not know where they put 1
him. | know it was not near me, for |
have been calling him. l received no
answer"
I'VE caEnot remain here in safety
much Iongtc," she said. THE day
light will brig activity in the palace.
Jansky, superintendent of police, is
lying drunk in his office, and Itzig,
the guard, is also unconscious The
superintendent will be discovered and
there will be an uproar. 1t will spoil ;
all if we are now discovered
We must make haste and find
Vladimir" said Denton. Il do not
feel that can leave him. If they !
discover NJ absence, they may kill
him"
Find him if you can. If not, l must
watch over his welfare till you re-
turn"
Return. From PERM
NO. Perm is too far l have work
ed to bring the denouement in the pal
ace. | have sent a message TO the
governor general at Tobolsk. l have
with me a woman whose te-timOny is
worth millions All we need now is
what Papa Paulpof can tell us. You
must bring him"
Il will"
He tried to find some clew to the
place where Vladimir was incarcer-
ated, but there was nothing to guide
him.
II cannot find him, and | believe he
is safer than you will be if Neslerov
traps you here. Neither you nor / will
ever get out alive We must leave
him.
Then come, and may God give him
his protection till we can give him
justicer
They hurried to the stairs. The door
was relockcd, the iron key hung in
its accustomed place and the door to
the guardroom unbolted. The halls
were still lighted by the brilliant
lamps of the fete, though daylight was
coming on. But there was no one
stirring.
Quick said Olga. LET US under
stand each other. Therese, who is
here as my attendant, is the widow Of
a servant of the Grasloy household
loyal TO the old duke She is willing to
tell the truth. Has Paulpof spokenE'
YES He told me all, and | was
about to start for Perm with the por-
trait Of Princess Alexandra when l
was arrested by Jansky and brought
here"
"And now you are free! Why did
you take this interest In the mystery
of GrasIovF"
Because" he answered after a slight
pause, Miss Gordon, whom l have
known for a long time, loves Vladimir,
and think Vladimir loves her"
"Ah," she exclaimed, peering at him
closely, "and for hcr-for her sake
you wanted to publish-thc truth"
Yes. and for his sake also
"Then he is not the only one who
loves her, this American girl" she said.
His face became flushed, but he did
not answer.
Now 90" she said. Find Paulpotf
and bring him here. You know where
he is"
He is still in the hut at Tivoloffsky,
If Jansky has not spirited him away"
"Thcn lool, for him there, and if he
is gone the governor general viii help
us find him. Oh, | wish De Muloff
would come"
She sped into Jansky.s room and re-
placed the keys in his pocket Then,
returning She said
God bless you' Help me establish