The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-14
Copyright by
Dodd,
Hsad O. Co.
By a Hairs Breadth ~.is "a C..
A Thrilling Tale Russian
Secre
by Hea don Hill


The chief Of the staff made an impassive
motion Of assent 1t is part of the iron
system of police domination that demands
made by the Section, no matter how appar-
emily irrelevant. shall be executed by all
departments without demur or caviI This
one however, was so out of the common.
as affecting the private encourage of the
Emperor. that Prince Lobanof, secure in
his high station, could not repress his sur
prise.
Eth? What is this, Monsieur Vol
borth2" he exclaimed. There is nothing
wrong with the staff, l trust? Surely all
our fellow-trave;ers are above suspicion?"
IhlS is rather a measure of precaution
than OF suspicion" VOlbOrth replied eva
sively. Il have no cause TO doubt the loyal
intentions of any member of the suite,
put must rely on my privilege not to go
further into my reasons for this step-even
with your excellency."
Prince Lobanof INDUCED in the shrug
which Russia has imported from Paris
and his shrewd features assumed a whimsi-
cal expression.
you gentlemen of the Section must be
paramount on an occasion of this kind"
he said. AS have to meet the Austrian
foreign minister in half an hour, | shall
be glad to go TO my room instead of con-
graduating the ladies on the reprieve of
their millinery. Do it in your own way
at your own time"
The three men bowed the holder of
the most important portfolio in the world
passed on TO his apartments, and Vol
staff.
General" he said hurriedly, st shall
be obliged If you will announce the post
ponement of the review to our colleagues.
/, Present yourself in five minutes, and if 1
may suggest a hint, enter hastily, as
though fresh from having audience of their
Majesties. At the same time notify Du-
broWskl that he is for immediate personal
should be in the salon where the suite is
| assembled when these instructions are
given, and, of course, we must not go in
together. Restofski. your work is cut out
for you-a ceaseess hunt for La Tchigorin
under thu auspices of the chief of the VII
emma police, VINO, by now, is awaiting you
at the Office
For it was to the known presence in the
| city OF Anna Tchigorin that the postpone
ment of the days function was really
| due RestOfsd had caught a feeting
| glimpse of the notOrius female Nihiist in
the crowd at the station during the recep-
ton on the previous day, and now for half
an noer the TsarS advisers had been StriV-
| ing TO induce him to consent to seize upon
| the rain as an excuse for a change of pro-
| gramme. Their hard-won victory over I'm
| perial scruples was a relief TO VOlborth,
| for the knowledge that the handsome fiend
| who had shot already Russian chief of
police, was in Vienna, convinced him that
| that in his ignorance of the enemy's ID ms
| he would best battle them by changing
their own as often as possible Besides,
| he wanted to try an experiment.
Restofski, a heavy-lipped, clean-shaven
| mana human automatOn in the art of spy
| ing, nodded comprehension, and disap-
PtdACQ uOWI the next iliSnl Oh stairs IN the
| direction of the courtyard, while the chief
| of the STAFF and Volborth made their way
| along the noble corridors to their own wing
| where they separated de BOisdeffre en-
| tering his own private apartment and Vol
| borth proceeding to the salon.
| Up TO the moment when he turned the
handle OF the door his brOws were knit in
| deepest thought, but when he entered he
met the ripple of laughter that greeted his
| appearance with an amiable smile, joining
as II by accident the group of which Boris
L
/ mo, | have not been consulted about the
weather" he replied to the bantering ques-
| certain arrears of work to make up-in the
4 privacy OF my own apartment"
| The Countess Vassili was near enough to
| oVerhear the remark.
| "Oh come, Monsieur Volborth that won't
| do, she wheeZed, with foolish woman IS
| aptitude to say awkward things. Every
body else thinks that you are bowed down
with the cares of office. or that you are
/ pretending TO be. / don't. In my opinion
| you are up to the eyes in intrigue-engi-
neering a Nihilist plot, or some such abom-
Inwardly matchmaking the old lady for
| thus frlvolously connecting him with a sub
| Iect which he had studiously striven to
keep altogether out OF the mouths and
minds of the suite, Volborth was. neverthe-
| less, grateful to her for the information
that change in his manner had been
| noticed. He determined 30 put a little
| stronger check on his anxieties in the
| future. and his facial muscles were under
perfect control as he answered lightly. with
! humorous affectation of terror
| My dear Countess, pray do not make
| such frightful accusations when our friend
Restofski is about. 1t is we'll he is not here
remainder OF the tour, and that would not
| be pleasant in Paris, where [ hope to enjoy
myself. If you must invent an occupation
/ for me, why not choose the other side of
| the blanket and tax me with belonging IN
| the Section? That would be so much kinder
| because safer-to the object of your solic-
| itude."
This speech. chara cteristic enough of the
man as he was known to his hearers was
| a straw thrown out to feel the direction of
the wind. and its reception reassured him
c0unteSSS testing accusation. VOlborths
method was combination of subtIety and
DARING and 1t was typical of this method to
| thus moot boldly his concealed emplovment
as joke in order to note how it would he
taken. As it was. the laugh of the incon-
gruity of his being either a Nihilist or a
| ponce agent was general with one excep-
| ton. lima Vassii was still standing Nv
the window, and Volborth became CON
sclous that she was regarding him with a
IL instantly required to him that early in
the journey from Petersburg the young
maid-of-honor had seen him in CONVERSE
tim with RestofsH He had been most
careful TO avoid open communication with
his subordinates of the Section but at one
OF the stoppages il had been absolutely nee.
headquarters, for Restofski to consult him
and having received the prearranged SIG.
nal, Volborth had slipped from his saloon
carriage and had gone to that in which the
police agents were travelling. lima haC
| CHANGED TO pass at the time. He had ?
/ high opinion of the girls intelligence, and
he wondered whether she was now nut.
ting two and two together"
Further surmise was for the moment
curtailed by the entrance of General do
BOiSdeffre, who at once created a Diversion
| by informing the waiting suite that RI.
orders for the day had been Cancelled thai
the review would take place on the NOR.
row, and that the Tsar and his party would
go straight from the parade ground to thf
railway station to take their departure fo,
| Kieff. The announcement was received
with a universal chorus of approval in
which Volborth Joined without Showing
| that he was watching Boris Dubrowski's
| every movement
| On hearing of the change of programme
the young officer evinced by a glance at IN,
| door, and by a half-turn towards il that
| he meditated leaving the salon. II sucf
was his Impulse the chief of the star
| promptly checked il.
Captain Dubrowski," proceeded de Bots
deffre, his Majesty purposes spending tn,
| day at the castle of Lainz in the hon,
| that, If the weather moderates he ma,
| have some shooting. He will drive thithei
| in half an hour from now You are m,
| best sportsman on the staff, and | detail
| Captain Baron Alien, who is hereby re
| self in his Majesty's anteroom forthwith
lima mad shifted her gaze from Volbortl
to her recreant lover, and she perceived
| that his face was crossed by a shade n
| annoyance. Discipline prevailed however
and. quickly mastering himself. Bori