New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-09
1.-THE RUSSIAN CIPHER.


shall II be as Carmen, madame?"
sark into chair in disnay. Carmen. ms
was the creatures idea Of originality. Il was 100
lu6icrous for anger. I laughed. and then. as
raised my eyes to Nine Nirots Indignantly oeWil-
dered countenance. my glance fell upon a dress IN
4 wardrobe behind her. and I pointed 70 1t In a
futter OF excitement
some one has originality. after ALI" cried
What does that dress represent!
An ice palace. madame.
1T IS superb
.Ce-tairIv madame it is superb; IL is a miracle
and ther. carried away with enthusiasm siie
brought it forth and diated upon it. \ pale green
dress. covered with d shimmerins' sparkling mex
work that looked ike frost itself
..you see madame the headdress forms the
snowy pinnacle OF the tower. and the eau ue ~.
embroidered skirt follows the frosted outlines Oh
the building which is fac-simile Of the ice palace
raised last winter upon the Neva- An emerald
satin mask with tiny crystal icices hanging from
the edge in place OF the usual fringe OF lace COM
petes the costume" 49,.
Il must have it cried: st is incompatible
1T is sold madame"
u VIII pay double"
''IEnpOssible.'
''TrebIe"'
Il would willingly give :, 70 madame. as u
pleases her fancy. but cannot II was oeSisL9u
according to sketches sent me"
-Tushr irnpatlentiy exclaimed. Make du-
plicate"
1T is impossible. madame. for the dress Is Tor
3
And for whom I superciIioJsly querisd' foT l
was beside myself with vexation- Some NOBODY
vho has secured a card by chance and wishes 10 %
thought princess in disguise. ehc'
y make for no such people, Nine N!rot eA-
claimed, with reflection Of my own annoyance
The dress IS for the Countess Zarfne. l. rna--
arne viii suggest something else
turned nv eyes from the dress that torTnsnted
me and racked my brains fcr sorne'nlIs l--1'
should excel It's spendor but no idea came 70 me-
and with a corteuptuous glare faced the lnoI-
fensIve ulIIiner. who had tried 70 please me luz
wears and had never more than half succeeded
TO be original nowadays" 1 said. inclIeren'ly'
'ts after al. commonplace tnat 70 0s C0.liN'-
place is to be original I viii 80 az Carmen
The daintiness Of ny epigrsm pleased me 50 Wei
| that was almost content, yet as drove Vo"aIo
the Bos the desire for the costume came upon ne
| again and I was discorsolate- For II was no
ordinary bal r1asque, where everything was 20 De
pretence. from the characters represented 20 tIe
/ fable that the dancers knew not one eloIner- II
was all 70 be real. and no Discrimination -heEe was
! 20 be no urmasking tina but every ore was 70 %
/ ;ncosnito from the beginning TO the end II was
r1ored that even the host and hostess would drive
up to their own house and enter amid the throns-
/ No one was 70 know any one, and yet every one
was to know every ore; no master OF the ceIe-
monies m host and hostess, no introdCctions or
formal presentations The fact that one vas there
was an Official stamp upon ones passport OF rep1-
tztfou Il was Bohemian idea worthy Of her VINO
had brought II TO Parasitic Countess Zarfne. wife
Of the Russian Ambassador. and since perforce
must be masked. I would have dazzled by art n
stead Of nature; yet il was not 70 be. and gre"
peevsh as I nursed my discontinue
Ny landau pulled up entered the gates and
Monsieur Roche the Premier. from whom had
received in the past many diplomatic commissions,
| raised his hat and extended his hand
| Madame. the gods Iowa me-.
I Monsieur, you are too modest; you should have
| used the feminine"
u wanted 10 see you more than any other woman
in Paris" he answered. ard therefore repeat
the gods love me-
Those whom the gods love, monsieur and I
smiled. for 1 would have given worlds TO quarrel
with some one eLc preferably my pest OF friends
ger for me is past And tasn, without waiting for
an invitation ne calmly stepped into the carriage
/ Here was indeed. candor too wonderful for words.
and gazed repcovlngly upon him
You must help ne, ma cneTe," ne said, gravely.
1T is pleasantly. but serious matter-one that
toucaes my reputation nearly
You know our relationship with Russian"
The pretty girl with inviting graces 70 gallant
Precisely he answered. in a tone OF apprecia-
ton at my sinile but me pretty girls love letters
More than that" he cried. iupetuously. "detrt-
ne most secret cipher Of he government been
properly il The capitals Of EJyr-.oPe-
CJIeTlg Rave {1st lstt count zaFfne he Rus,
si11os1 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ls-e7Iaee tbat hts govern
nent suspects Is OF triHiHg Mon Diea!- Monsil "
who holds this cipher
/ Myself and Count Zar1re When Il is charged
I the cipher is sent TO Petersburg by him direct
TIE d5Iostc derteHis Ne have az l JARED tie
cipher three times. We have sent different rnessen-
same The world learned TIE Message at once and
We are fast becoming TIE laughing stock OF Eu-
rope for the pretty girl is ready 10 offer 50 much
And tie count could not help you. mon amir"
He was brusque almost TO rudeness, but his
/ H4h monsieur his wife, what OF herr I asked
with a smile for well knew the destinations Of
s6s knows, s: know monsieur ea=xs-sd;
ful influences against tins alliance"
He lowered his voice and continued irnpressively:
I for them tc obtain our secret paIers open them.
read them, and then reseal them and pass them On
But that would be useless without the key to
That e stolen n Paris"
The count himself. and dispatched at once 70
th9Sz 2Tait1 5 IL sir,,,,t, - -,,,,,-a Nth
The countess Is wonderful woman" h. ad-
IS These people can gain access 10 the document Is
kew Of the cipher-tnat is stolen here
And. Of course. the thief is known already" !
Al390st he rsRliss Nth the first lash Of en-
thing we are certain He moves In diplomatic Cir
10 Russia by the end Of the week On Wednasday
| morning I hand the new cipher 70 the count. at
: vere the countess viii discover the thief She
/ suspects on Of her husbands secret aries"
you have enlisted a new and powerful ally, mon
sfeur" cried with a jealous trernOr IN my voice
/ tut tut" he answered mildly. you are the ally
| I must have. for. frankly. DO not believe a word
the countess says
Then the saints be praised calculated: you
are not the slmpleton that feared you were But
J-o-l too far. my friend. for all Is true excepting
one thing the name OF the SPY. and that Is
Let Us be diplomatic" he interrupted. until we
ave sure. Take the missing quantity X
'STVhv not r. replied. and then started
with slight surprise at the coincidence. for the
countess herself cantered Up 20 the side OF the car