Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-09-03

over"
''Will you permit me'to help you with
your preparations
Certainly. Will you buy the fruits,
the ices, or golto the butchers or the
fishmonger'sT'
eff you will leave the fruit to me 1
will see that dish containing the rar-
est In the market shall be on the Ia
ble'
Every well; yOu1may attend to that"
And she entered on her memoranda.
Fruit to be bought by Ivan Kerchoff"
Then rising, she said, Now must be
or"
mile. Elise"
'Wen?"
CT am-not feeling very well.
Something tells me that some misfor-
tune hangs over me-"
Poor fellow! Don't feel that way.
When we are not well we take the
bluest view of things. It's the liver"
81 hope you will understand what
am going to say to you. 1 wish you to
know that whatever happens would
lay down my life for you
For me?'
Eyes; for you"
"Oh, that's q figure OF speech"
Il mean it. Circumstances may arise
which will force me to.prove it."
you are blue today, aren't you? Go
and take a horseback ride in the Bots.
1t will jolt these notions out of you
Instead 1 will go and attend TO your
commission. l will bring the fruit just
before l o'clock"
Mile PORTER was too much preoccu-
pied with her preparations to notice
the agonized look on the young mans
face A Russian who had made her &C
Quaintance at a soiree given by a mu-
t1al acquaintance a year before, he
had seen much of her and, though she
only suspected 1t. worshiped her. At
quarter to 1 he returned to the house.
called for Mile. PORTER and handed
her q dish of fruit that had been ar
ranged at the fruiterer's. On the apex
of a pyramid was n huge orange.
How tastefully got upr' remarked
the girl. 81 thank you ever so much"
place it on the table just as 1t is"
ST will" And. calling a servant, she
gave the order.
"Where are you going to be. made
moiselle, during the luncheonT
ooh, shall remain where 1 can give
orders to the servants. Perhaps after
the discussion is over papa will call for
me TO go in and be introduced to the
prince"
The young man paled.
Come" she added, you must be
going / have too much to do to enter
tain you"
ELISE" said Ivan. It was the first
time he had addressed her except with
THE prefix mademoiselle; besides, there
twas something akin to despair in his
voice She waited for him to go on.
With an effort he controlled himself.
'If you will permit me 1 will remain
here till after the luncheon. 1 wish to
get a glimpse of the prince"
Certainly, IL you wish 1T. Perhaps
papa may have an opportunity to in
trOduce you to your fellow country
man."
The prince arrived and was ushered
by Mr.. PORTER into the dining room.
Kerchoff walked back and forth in the
hall, from time to time looking at his
watch. He was very pale, and there
was a look of horror in his eye. This
he partly controlled whenever Elise
came near him.
where is Mile. Portier?" he asked
after missing her for some time.
'In the dining room with the prince
and her father"
The young man groaned. He stood
with his eyes fixed on his watch, wait
ing, watching. listening for the girl to
Iappear Then as the hands of the time
lpiece pointed to twenty-five minutes
after / he went to the dining room
door, opened it, hurried to the ta'ifs
seized the orange on the fruit dish and
plucked a fuse from 1t which he i'm
mersed in a finger bowl filled with wa
ter. Those sitting at the table looked
at him in silent wonder.
"Mademoiselle," he said to Elise, az
told you that l would die for you.
have proved my words. am a nihilist
and have been ordered by my chief
here in Paris to use this opportunity
to kill the prince and your father as
we'll. Your coming in here is my death
warrant. Messieurs, call for the police.
I shall either die by the law or by the
society"
BY the interposition of Elise PORTER
not q word of the affair was spoken
beyond the three persons present. Ker-
choff walked out of the house unmo-
: Tested, but week later he died by the
) hands of the nihilists.
LETITIA r. FULLER.