The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-02-17

SOh, no. She said in her quiet man.
ner of insistence. 1--WE are about to re-
torn to the east, and shall not see
poor Vladimir for long time"
Hang Vladimir exclaimed Gordon
as he saw his self willed young lady
step into the drosky.
Having alighted at Perm, she hired
another drosky to take her and the
precious books to the forge.
The driver was huge. surly indi-
yidual, whose face was covered with q
thick mass of beard and whose voice
when speaking to one not established
as his superior, was heavy and inso-
lent
Responding to the call of Frances, he
swung his heavy drosky in toward the
door of her hotel. A police inspector
stood near, and the driver saluted in
humility.
Il hate women!' he said to himself,
"They pay nothing and have things
happen to them. l shall get into trou.
BILE before lose her."
Frances stepped toward the vehicle,
and the drivers mouth opened.
'Such a woman!' muttered the dros-
ky driver. "She must be English or an
American. If she was Russian, she
would be princess"
Frances had had ample experience
with his class in all parts of Russia.
She calmly stepped into the drosky and
handed him silver coin
II rt+ +t,o
Paulpoffs, on the South road,' she said.
"Paulpoff- Michael Paulpoff and his
son Vladimir. Do you know them?"
Eyes, know them. But do you
know-what has happened?"
No. Has any one been ill?'
'No; but
The, police inspector came up.
"Any trouble here?" he asked sharp.
ly.
Trouble? Oh, no!'' replied Frances.
II was just asking the driver some
questions"
'Where is it you wish to go?"
''To the ironworkers'-Pau
A warning look that meant volumes
to the initiated shot from the inspector
to the driver.
The horses We're whipped up, and the
vehicle rolled clumsily over the road.
You said something had happened y
said Frances. rs any one sick at the
Paulpoffs?"
''No; it wasn't that" answered the
driver. "But the rain yesterday broke
up the road. did not think you would
wish to come"
Nonsense! There must be safe
WY to get there"
In truth the way was as safe and
comfortable as it had ever been, but
the warning look of the inspector had
prevented the driver from imparting
\ the knowledge he had of the Paulpoffs
"Let the police tell their own tales
they are always true then-according
to police standards" muttered the driy-
er.
1t was long drive to the forge. and
when the drosky drew near, having
passed through the wild and almost
unsettled region between it and Perm,
Frances was struck with an air of
mystery that seemed to have suddenly
enveloped the place.
There was no sound of the tremen-
dous blows of Vladimir that sent the
ring of steel far into the forest. No
smoke came from the chimneys. Old
Mamma Paulpoff had been wont to run
to her door to see every arrival, but she
was not to be seen.
The wolfhound that had been Vladi-
mfrs net sat whining upon the porch
and was evidently weak with hunger.
"Old Borisv' cried Frances. leaping
from the drosky. 'Where is your hand
some master!"
The hound, who remembered her.
placed his cold nose in her hand low.
ine]y. He seemed to feel that he had
found a friend.
Frances stepped to the door and push
ed it open.
"Oh" she cried.
She had opened the door on Prince
Nicholas Neslerov, who stood there
about to depart, evidently, with paint
ing under his arm.
.Mlle. Gordon" he said, with bow
and smile.
..Where are the Paulpoffs?" she ask
ed.
sl$ itWhy, you have not, then, been in
foEmed of their misfortune?"
.sMisfortune! knew nothing Of any
misfortune. What has happened?"
.AThey are dead"
"Dead! All the Paulpoffs deadl I'm.