The daily Alaskan. [volume] (Skagway, Alaska) 1904-1924, 1906-08-16
A Mystery Solved

he had disappeared under very sus'
picious circumstances.
Dmitrl Remsky, who had come over
some years before, had sought work
with John Mason, who kept q store.
Dmltrl had found 1t difficult 10 get on,
not knowing the language or the Gus
toms of the country, and when he APP
piled to Mason for employment was
| literally starving. Mr.. Mason took pity
on him and fed and clothed him. Ma
son, seeing that he was intelligent, adj
vanced him gradually from a mere err
rand boy TO clerk and ut last gave him
charge of the store during his own alb
sence, which was quite often.
The youngster, who was now about
twenty, showed the most intense graft
tude for his treatment-indeed, he Goa
sldered himself so well off that he sent
his savings to Russia to bring his
brother over, knowing the dreadful
condition of the Russian peasant and
desiring TO give Petrol the same ad-
yantages as himself. Petrol was due
to arrive In a week, when one evening
a blizzard such as is not unusual In
the west came up. During the night
Mason heard footsteps In the store be-
low his rooms. but as his clerk slept
there thought nothing about 1t. in the
morning Mason went to his cash draw
er and found the contents-some $3.50
gone. The clerk was nowhere to he
found.
All that day the snow swirled, the
wind howled, while the thermometer
stood ut 20 degrees below zero. 1t was
impossible 10 go in search of the fugi-
tive. Indeed it was not expected that
he could get very far away, though the
blizzard had not reached great severity
till near morning, and he might have
covered a good deal of ground during
the night. When 1t cleared the snow
was still too deep TO warrant search,
and 1t was not for some time longer
that 1t completely disappeared. Then
Mason went out by different avenues
looking for his money, but found no
trace Of 1t and gave ii up for lost.
1t was about this time that Petrol
appeared to learn that his brother had
repaid his benefaCtors by making off
with their cash. The poor boy was
crushed. He could not believe that his
brother could be so base. The Masons
treated him kindly and, though they
had been robbed by one brother, con-
scented to put the other In his place.
But Petrol was too much absorbed In
what had become of Dmltri to be Of
steady use. As soon as he had earned
& little money he would sally forth to
search for him, only returning when
his money was gone. Mason humored
him and permitted him to spend his
time In this way without dlscharging
BIN.
But week after week, month after
month, passed away, and there was
no news of Dmitri. Mason believed
that he had made his way to another
region, though he did not see how he
could have done so In face of the biz
card, against which no human being
could have Strlven long. But II he
had fallen surely his bones must be
bleaching not far from the scene of his
robbery. Every foot of ground had
been searched, and no trace had been
discovered.
Petrol alone refused to believe that
his brother had taken the money.
Spring passed into summer and sum-
mer into winter, but the young fellows
excursions instead OF ceasing grew
longer. Instead Of hunting within a
dozen miles Of the village he extended
his tours over several principal routes
into other regions. He neither heard Of
Dmltrl or found his remains. The rob-
berry would have been forgotten had il
not been kept alive by the persevering
Petrol and his interest in saving his
brothers honor. AS II was, the affair
became more and more mystery. For
miles around the people were discuss
ing the possibility Of Dmltris getting
through the blizzard and If he had how
he had done it.
Then Petrol one day set off, resoly-
ing to follow course in which he
would be best shielded by an imaginary
tempest. He first circled around a
low hill; then struck out for wood.
Emerging from this, he deliberated
how next to proceed. Finally he con.
cluded to follow a creek. Reaching a
place where it appeared that the bank
had caved, he stopped and looked
about him. Below him he noticed a
boot protruding from the soil. He
went down to it and pulled it away, ex-
posing a foot Scratching away, he
came to a leg and at last exposed a
body thinly covered by earth that had
fallen on it. 1t was the body Of
Dmltrl.
As soon as Petrol had recovered
from the shock he searched the cloth
ing for the missing money. There
was only little change in the vest
| pocket ..-.
Dmitri had fallen on his face, had
been covered with snow, and when 1t
melted portion Of the bank had fallen
and covered him. He was about to
leave the body to go back for assist
ance when he noticed about five yards
ahead bit OF cloth protrudlng as the