Canyon City news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1903-1908, 1904-06-03
The Mystery Of GraSlOv
CONTINUED from lst page. J

stood horror stricken 1T the empty
chains hanging on The wall With
fear IN his heart he crcpt back to the
stairs. glancilg ncTvously Irouud him,
for he knew the strength of llc tmcri-
eau Nrslrrov. 10 whom lac went look
ed in surprise al the ashcu face.
Curses upon uS all said Iansky
hoarscly They are gone"
Jansky looked shrcpiShly N tho gov.
eTnor. and Npslprov locked at lanSEy
like an angry wolf
Gone Both prisoners gone cried
the governor. rs this trueT'
Unfortunately the thing | thought
impossible is fact"
Ncslcroy'S face was white
II thought-you told me-thcy were
both in chains he said, his voice
strained and tense
Il did. and ii was true. With my
own hands chained them. The
American was in the dungeon at the
first landing and Paulpoff was down
in the lower cellar With my own
lands | chained them, and | hold the
key to the door The key TO the chains
still hangs where placed il. This is
miracle The men must be devils in
human form
The American is something like a
devil" said Neslerov grimly, but |
doubt if he has supernatural powers.
If those chains have been loosened.
Jansky. some human agent has done
il. and there is 4 traitor in the pal.
ace"
Whom does your excellcncy sus-
pect:"
MY cousin Olga
THAT girl, She would no more dare
90 down in those dungeons than she
would enter den of wild beasts And
how could she learn that they were
down there
1T is not quite a secret. Some OF
the servants saw them brought in"
Since the princess came the servants
have had enough to do without talking
about two prisoners Of whom they
know nothing. Anyway, how coult
Olga. who has spent but little time IL
Russia and none near Graslov or Perm
ever hear of the paulpoffs:"
Il know not. But certain il is there
is traitor here. This escape, If escape
it is. will cost us dear"
If escape it is. 1t may not be an es
cape after all! The chains are old ant
rusty. Perhaps they have given way
and the prisoners may be wandern;
around the passages. | will send 70
ltzig."
Neslerov was terribly disturbed. IL
paced to and fro in the police office, ant
his face did not regain its color. II
was playing for high stake-the high
est stake-playing for his lfe-and til
game seemed lost.
Jansky sent for ltzig, and lie came be
fore them.
You went to sleep last night. thur
dered Jausky. whose theory was tina
10 obtain the truth from culprit 20
must terrify him at the start.
Il swear did not, your excellency.
replied Itzig, shivering in terror.
You lie, | went in the guardroom
ard you were asleep. ! found there
portion of a bottle of wine. Who CAV
you that?"
Il. A bottle of wine. never taste
wine in my l.fe. Brandy and vodka
plenty, but wiue-I am too poor"
oh, you did not buy this wine. Som
one at the fete gave it TO YOU VIII
was itT'
Il know not, l swear l know no
who put the wine in my room"
l.
there with dishes. You had your feas
and got drunk. Who brought the stut
10 you"
II swear no one. If there was
feast, it was some one elsc's.'
How could any one else eat ther
and you not know it,
ltzig saw he was lost.
II may haye-perhaps l slept mo
ment.''
"A moment. You slept hours, ant
the prisoners you were guarding have
escaped"
"Impossibler' gasped Itzig. almos
sinking through the floor.
= Enough Of this" said Neslerov
'Itzig is here and if he has permitted
the men 10 escape he can De punished
any time. We are wasting precious
moments. Let us get down 10 the dun
geons and find them"
Jansky took a pistol. and so did Ne
slerov. They went to the guardroom
Jansky took the lantern and opened
the door and iron gate. He led the
way. Neslerov and Itzig following.
See? He has gone" said Jansky
pointing 10 the chains.
Are you certain this is the room"
Certain AS ! am alive"
Then for the other, and keep a
watch. They are not armed. but re-
member Paulpoff's strength, and the
other is no pygmy."
Again Jansky led the way. He did
not tell Neslerov he had not been to
visit Vladimir. In his agitation al
finding the American gone he had as
tumed. of course, that if one could es
cape both ,0uld Reaching an obscure
corner. toward which Denton had not
Glanced TO 20 in his search they found
another stairway leading downward