Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-02-12
A PRESENT FROM THE PRINCE.

know. It's too wicked of you
Il felt bit uncomfortable, for the
fact was l had been too busy in New
York to remember my usual visit to
Tiffany's, besides which ! had never
set eyes on the jewel case before.
I'm afraid it is not for you, dear
said l, as l opened the case My wife
gasped as the lid few up, and showed
a bracelet formed of heart-shaped
mass of opals framed in a most Won
derful setting of diamonds.
"'Oh! how lovely she sighed; but
anyway, | hate opals; they are un-
lucky. But who is it for, dear?' she
| added.
Il told her | did not know. Then |
saw tucked in under the bracelet a
small note. opened it.
Dear friend it ran, I can bear
my life no longer, so tonight | shall
! jump overheard My last request
am sure you will faithfully execute.
Take this bracelet to the Countess Ia
linsia, and tell her it is parting gift
from her old lover, Prince Ladislas
| Nadokoff. She lives IN Park lane, quite
close to your sisters house. Farewell,
dear friend may we meet in kinder
and less troubled world. Thine,
Ladslas.
my wife had lifted the bracelet.
and, as women WILL for its better in
spectlon, was about to clasp it on her
wrist.
Don't. dear said l hastily. l did
not reason why, but somehow l dis
liked the idea of her wearing it.
She put it back in the case obedi-
emily, but laughed at me for super
stitious old hubby.
Then | showed her the letter, and
told her the story of my friend on the
boat. Then she cried a little, and Of
fered to deliver it to the Countess Ia
finska, an offer which gladly accept
ed, TOR l was beginning to look for
ward to my commission with some
misgivings.
81 hate scenes. My wife likes them,
so the next morning after breakfast
she made a careful toilet and prepared
| to visit the countess.
81 gave her the bracelet and my
blessing, and told her to break the
news gently to the countess, who might
still be fond of her old lover, and how
to dodge the count, If such person
existed. and to bluff the game through
on the pretense of calling for SUBJ
scription for home for lost dogs.
my wife had not left the house many
minutes before Jeanette, my sisters
maid, made her appearance at the door
of the breakfast room.
"If you please. sir said she, there's
gentleman waiting to see you Then,
with a giggle, ''E's got policeman
with him.
"'Show him in, and the cop as WE'LL
said l, beginning to feel a little un-
comfortable. for | remembered that l
was in a foreign country.
I'm a minute, who should walk in but
Mr.. William Smith. The policeman
stayed outside with Jeanette. 1t
seemed to me that he knew Jeanette,
and that he came as near winking at
her as policeman could.
"'Mr. William Smith, believe said
/, rising.
Forgive me-Mr. Goldrick,' said
my visitor, politely, but William
Smith is merely my nom de guerre. |
am Johann Natchachieff, of the Rus
sian imperial police.
"'Oh. lori | murmured, under my
breath. What have l been doing?
Pleased to meet you, Mr.. Katchachieff,
| replied, politely. What do you want
of me?'
"'You remember a young man who
shared your stateroom on the Umbria"
Just bit
He jumped overheard the night be-
! fore that vessel reached Queenstown
he continued.
"'That's So, | assented.
What require to know is: What
became of certain bracelet in his pos
session.
Then you won't find out from
met | replied. rather shortly, for
did not feel like giving away poor
Ladislas love affairs to trap and
Russian trap at that.
"'I,ook here said he, furiously. If
you do not tell me at once, have an
order for your arrest from the chief
commissioner Of the English police
81 beckoned to the policeman who
was standing at the door with jean
cite.
"'Come here, constable, and see fair
play said |.
THE bracelet, said l was placed
in my portmanteau by Mr.. Nadokoff
before he jumped overheard with a
note, in which he asked me to deliver
il to a lady who lives close by here.
My wife has just gone out for that
purpose
'Heavens.' cried the Russian,
where does she live? That bracelet is
bomb and was sent by secret So
ciety in New York as means to the
assassination of the Countess Zalinska,
who is the wife of the chief OF police.
Directly the clap is snapped
81 didn't wait to think. just
streaked to the door, pushing the po-