The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-18
CONTINUED FROM yesterday

q t1Ou&nI
that snare might have served as well as
the one he was setting. THE writer. who
ever she is, hatters me in the same way
as those others have been doing recently
Dy dttr1buting to me police functions. As
Stunning my inquistorial capacity. she
warns me against one of the ladies of the
SUITE am telling you this purposely,
Observation-Disclosures Mademoiselle Nassili.
This outrageous letter charges your be-
trothed with revolutionary leanings.'
The writer lies Wiley. lima is above
his better self asserting itself to denounce
what he knew was a false accusation
against an innocent girl. And then, as
Volborth had expected. the thought must
have crossed his mind that of all people in
the world Olga Palitzin had most interest
IN Vllifying lima were she base enough to
do so. He did not believe she was so base,
but he was all eagerness to convince him
self that she was not-again just as Vol7
borth had expected. SHOW me that writ
ing" he said.
Snatching the letter volborth handed to
him, he glanced at it and broke into a
hearty laugh.
That is no more Olga Palitzin's writing
than it is mine,'' he said. See here'-and
in his zeal to confound the double lie he
pulled unopened letter from his tunic.
This is Olga writing. Compare the two,
and confess that your informant lied.
SO are traps laid for the unwary. 1t was
now Volborths turn to reach over for the
letters, and they were at once surrendered
for his inspection. Placing them beside
he saw that the letter received by Du-
browsk was In Olgas writing, with which
he was really perfectly familiar. The en-
velope bore no stamp or postmarks, the
inference being that il had been inclosed
under cover to the individual who had
delivered il. His own letter had also been
an Enclosure, so that the two differed only
in the writing.
This discovery as it stood was valuable,
but how to get sight at the contents was
the problem In order to gain time, while
"a m could
have been written by the same hand, Vol
borth went on 10 descant upon the salient
Boris laugh with ridicule of the fictitious
accuser, when he saw his chance.
The Countess Vassili and lima, attended
by old WoronZoff and General de Boisdeffre,
had risen from the table where they had
dined and were about to return TO the train
On their way TO the door they would have
to pass close to the table at which Boris
and Volborth were sitting. The latter S
quick eye noted that the imposing proper
tons of the countess took up most of the
space in the alleyway between the tables.
He contrived that I'm passing she should
jerk his elbow with the result that both
the letters which he had taken in his hand
with the apparent intention of returning
them to Boris fell to the floor. At the
same time. to all seeming from the same
cause, a cup of black coffee at his side
crashed down on TO the letters copiusly
staining them in equal proportions with
the dark fluid.
Instantly he stopped down to recover the
letters, hoping that amid the babel OF
apology and explanation, which as he had
fOreSeen promptly arose, and also because
of Ilmas presence, Boris would forthwith
put away the letter which he would pass
to him. This would not be the one from
the princess, and the substitution would
contents of his own letter being in the
cipher of the section would be unintelligi-
bic to Boris when he discovered the mis-
take"
His grasp had already closed on his own
letter, and he was reaching for the more
important one, when set OF taper fingers
almost touched his own, and To- the pre-
cious missive was spirited away. Regain
ing his seat he was just i'm time to see
lima handing the letter to its rightful
owner.
You were about to give it to Boris"
said the maid of honor, regarding him with
a sweet smile. In saving you the trouble
i have made amends for my mothers acct
dent, have l not?'
You have more than done that made
moiselle, replied Volborth, both literally
and flguratively showing his teeth a little.
You have placed me under an obligation
which 1 shall do my best to repay"
Every one laughed at what was taken for
an exaggeration of politeness intended to
be amusing. But Ilma's expressive eyes
showed that the real significance of the
reply was not lost upon her; and thus
even in the moment of his defeat NOlborth
scored a minor victory by satisfying him
self that his discontinue was no freak of
chance. In his love of keen fence he would
have liked to congratulate his fair young
antagonist had the issues been less ire
mendouS
The countess and her party passed on
and a minute later the clang of the warn
ing bell told him that further designs upon
the letter must be postponed. For Boris
rose and went out on to the platform
where Nolborth had to leave him i'm order
to confer with RestofsH before the train
started He found his colleague waiting
at the previously appointed rendezvous
a lamproom ct the end of the staton-and
learned that the inquiry set on foot about
the supposed SerjOv had led to no enlighten-
ment. ReStOfSk had seen the head steward
of the Austrian refreShment contractor
and had gathered that the man had been
engaged. with many others specially for
A messenger had been despatched to the
address which he had given, but had re-
turned with the report that no one answer
ing to his description was known there
For the rest, nothing had occurred during
the stay of the train to signify present
danger.
Having in turn informed Restofski Of
what had happened in the dining room
Volborth fastened back to reioin Boris.
and he quickened his steps when far down
the long vista of the platform he saw the
aid-de-camp under one of the station lamps
reading his letter. a fresh ruse for pos
sessing himself of it had already half
formed in Volborths mind. and then he was
suddenly brought to a standstill by a hand
on his shoulder and a voice in his ear
whittier away so fast, stormy petreI?S
The speaker was Prince Lobanof. return
ing to his own compartment from the i'm
perial saloon where he had been dining.
Il have very urgent business, if Your
eXcellency will excuse me-" Volborth re-
piled, directing the princes gaze to the
distant Boris.
"Ah!' said Lobanof "There are new de-
velopments, then? Getting serious Ell?
Well, L will not detain you"
And the distinguished minister passed
on, little thinking with what consequences
that twenty seconds delay was fraught-
TO himself most of all. When VoIborth
turned again towards Dubrowski the latter
was tearing the letter into a thousand
pieces with the air of having thorouehiv
mastered the contents. The next moment
he stepped forward and flung the fragments
into a brazier of live charcoal thus once
for all preventing the communication from
being seen by anyone.
Baffied for the second time that night
and set himself to the only possible way
OF learning the contents of the letter
that of beguiling the information from,
Boris himself. The train started inmadi
ately, and he stuck close to the aid-de-
camp, following him into the smoking car
and subjecting him to every subtle device
that human ingenuity could invent Rut
II was all TO no avail. BY no means no
could employ, direct or circuitous could
he bring Boris back to the letter In fact
the young officer had imbibed so freely at
dinner that he was disinclined for tete-aN
tete conversation of any sort and was soor
the center OF other lively young blades ~
the staff, who kept things going merriIv tiII
bedtime. When the attendant came to saw
that the sleeping berths were down in tho
gentlemens car, Volborth was not one whit
the wiser.
All through the summer night tho inner
ial train rushed across the fertile GaIician
plains, stopping nowhere but at Jarosjau