Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-02-12

story in Goldrock's own words, as he
gave it to us in the smokeroom OF the
Anglo-American club:
1T happened last year." said Gold
rock, as he hoisted his feet on to the
mantelpiece and addressed his words
to the clock.
81 was crossing to Liverpool and
happened to strike up an acquaintance
with the young Pole who shared my
stateroom. He was a pleasant young
fellow, and in the course Of a day or
two we became great friends. He told
! me that his name was Ladislas Nado-
koff, and that he had been studying
medicine at Philadelphia. He further
more confded that he was on his way
to London to visit a friend of his
youth.
,, 'In return | told him how | was go
ing to England to spend few months
with my married sister, the Countess
of Darnford, with whom my wife was
already staying, having crossed before
me, since l had been detained a few
weeks in New York on business.
"Nadokoff then told me he, too, had
sister, who was married to Rus
sian nobleman who was sort of sher-
iff in his own country, and commander
of a posse of Cossacks. So, on the
strength of our aristocratic connec-
tions, our condolences grew so that we
used to talk quite freely of political
matters.
ssNodnlynrf'c nn1itiac n blt iYpd
At the time | thought this was be-
cause he was quite young, and had
not learned that political views should
be used as means to profitable end.
But his politics had been acquired
in some other place than America, the
land of the free. He hinted of old
scores, dating back hundreds of years,
which were to be wiped out by young
er and more vigorous generations. Not
withstanding his family connections he
hated the Russians. Down with every
thing and hang the expense was his
motto, and he talked lot about the
iron handed tyranny of the Russian
government, while l sat around and
swapped sympathetic seditions.
81 noticed that often as we were
talking together a gentleman with a
bald head and large white mustache
used to pass along, and lean OF the
rail or look at the sky when he came
within earshot of us.
Then | used to change the CONVEX
sation to railroads or pork, which are
far safer subjects than Russian poll
tics; for somehow | mistrusted this
elderly gentleman. who spoke English
like a German, drank his tea with a
lemon, and while he gave himself out
as a commercial traveller, walked as
though he were waiting for the clink
of the spurs at his heels and the rat
tie of his sword at his side.
He was registered on the passcn-
ger list as Mr. William Smith. which
was strange, considering that his hand
kerchief was embroidered with the in
| itials j. X 1t takes a Russian to
spell Smith with X.
"As we approached Queenstown, Ma
dokoff, who had been looking i'll and
worried throughout the voyage, seemed
to grow more i'll at ease.
AT bedtime, the night before we
! reached Queenstown, he did not turn
up in the stateroom. | waited till long
after lights out then / grew anxious
| about him, and passed the word for
the steward. who went to look for him.
He had disappeared.
"The ship was searched high and
low by the watch, who were warned
by the captain to hold their tongues
about the matter, but no trace OF him
could be found.
"''Es just been and gone and
slipped overheard said our stateroom
steward; they do sometimes, you
know.
| Strange to say, as we were hunting
round the decks Mr.. Smith. who,
knew, had retired to his stateroom an
hour or more before, joined us in our
search.
Still stranger as I was returning to
my berth, | saw Mr.. Smith disappear
ing down the passage, although his
berth was situated ON tie other side
of the ship.
when | looked over at Nadokoff' S
empty berth | noticed that his port
manteau had been moved since | had
lett the cabin. When | came to open
my own portmanteau found it locked.
Then | remembered tnat earlier in the
evening, as Nadokoff was going along
to the stateroom from the smoking
cuddy on deck | had given him my
key. and asked him to get me a few
cigars, which were stored away in the
pocket of my flannel jacket.
HE had evidently jumped overboari
with my key. but | was too troubled
about him to worry about that. be-
| sides which | knew that my wife had
a duplicate key on her bunch.
"At Liverpool half crown to the
customs officer passed my portmanteau
all right, and | did not open it till
reached my brother-in-law's house in
Park lane, where my wife VA stay
ing. My wife had the key on her ring
and stood by as | unlocked the bag.
"'You dear old boy she cried, as