The Washington times., 1903-04-19

other passengers. Colonel Sudekin Cap
tain Andre Dagmar, Donald Chumleigh,
the convicts (Baranok and ValborJ and
a strong guard of Cossacks.
Bad weather had made the Journey
from Irkutsk an inordinately long one.
Just two months had passed since they
started
Andre was dizzy with JOY when his
feet trod the old familiar station and
he saw through an open widow the
long, glittering perspective of the
Nevskoi Prospekt
The past seemed to him a bad dream.
from which he had suddenly awakened.
He had double reasons to be happy, for
! in his pocket was an appointment TO his
old regiment or the Cossacks OF the i'm
periaI guard
Outside the station Andre parted from
the colonel and as he was driving away
in drosky to his fathers residence, on
the Court Quay, the colonel whispered ii
his ear: 4 know where to find you Be
in readiness when 1 send you word II
may be tomorrow. it may be a month, it
may even be never"
4 shall be ready" replied Andre Let
it be soon. colonel This mystery is
getting TO be more than I can endure"
Have patience said the colonel,
have patience," And as Andre ratified
OF in the drosky he re-entered the sta
/ tion TO attend to his charges
This duty he performed in a rather
curious manner. Feodor Baranok he
dispatched to the fortress in a closed
carriage; Donald Chumleig gh-who had
been kept vigorously apart from the
convicts and from Colonel sudekin and
Andre well. during the entire journey
he sent to the city prison in the Gus
tody Of six Cossacks, assuring him as
the guards led him out to the carriage
| that he would be free man il a day
or tw5-a promise that made Donald
thoroughly happy.
! Then Colonel Sudekin and VaIbort en-
tered a third carriage, and attended y
/ a half dozen mounted Cossacks. drove
to quiet hotel on the Nevskoi Pros
pekt
You viii be my guest for The pres
ent," said the colonel Significantly as
/ they were riding along the street. To
morrow We viii set out on our guest
If it prove successful, We viii take the
next step without delay. You are sure
you can find the pIaee?''
Yes" replied yaIport, quietly. II
can find it. I will be true 70 my prom
ise- Baranok has brought this all On
himself. It viii be a fit reward for his
perfidy."
! moment later the hotel was reached.
a pair OF communicating rooms were as
signed to the colonel. He occupied one
himself, Waldorf and three cossacks tha
other
/ It IS doubtful if Valbort slept much
that night, but Colonel sudekin was so
fatigued by the long railway ride that
he did not rise until late in the after
noon of he following day
After hearty dinner he and TaTbort
left the hotel in closed carriage at
tended by two Cossacks.
| Following instructions given from
time TO time by VaIbort. they drove
by devious ways through the city. and
] finally stopped before squaHd house IN
a neighborhood which was regarded by
the police as the very hotbed Of Nj
hilism.
It was in this very house that Waldorf
had been arrested more than a year
previous.
He now entered it escorted by Colonel
! Sudekin and one Of the Cossacks. Il
was tenement house. and the land
| lord. who came 10 the door-not the
proprietor OF Valbort's time promptly
responded to Colonel Sudekiu's whis-
pered request by leading the way up-
!
The memories associated with this
spot caused Valbort TO turn pale. but
without hesitation ne drew ahe bed out
from the wall tore away the fadeI
| carpet. pried up the end of a plank with
his knife. and revealed q small square
packet yellow and dusty
| There" he said. handing it TO the
colonel, lit is we'll that I decided not
to destroy it
Colonel Sudekin glanced at the faded
writing on the wrapper.
For my son Donald. ne read aloud
/ Then ne put the packet securely in his
pocket and led the way downstairs.
As they were driving back through
bundle and drew out a necklace Of sill
I yer DeduS ana IoideQ pa per
The former he restored to his pocket,
and the latter ne read through with
every Indication OF intense interest It
/ contained dozen sheets. pinned to-
getheT and covered with close writing.
You have read this before?" he
asked.
vaIbort nodded his head in the affirm
stive
We'll. =, resumed the colonel. your
story seems 10 be true in every partie-
ular- It is the most amazing thing that
has ever come to my knowledge If We
can but find those two parties now. or
even one, the chain will be complete
We will take the next step at once"
He looked at his watch. and then.
leaning out of the carriage, whispered
some direction 10 the driver.
It was between : and 5 o'clock in the
evening when they drew up before a
three-story house in a street near the
| Nevskoi Prospekt
II had succeed front A bakers