Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-06-28
A Mystery Solved
tOriginal. ]

felrol RemSky, a young Russian,
came to America to join his brother,
Dmitri. On reaching the little hamlet
In the far west, where he cypected to
find his brother, Petrol learned that
he had disappeared under very sus-
piciOus circumstances.
Dmitri Remsky, who had come over
some years before, had sought work
with John Mason, who kept IL store.
Dmitri had found it difficult to get on
not knowing the language or the Gus
toms OF the country, and when he an
piled to Mason for cmployment was
literally starving. Mr.. Mason took pity
on him and fed and clothed him. Ma
son, seeing that he was INTELLIGENT. nd
vanccu him gradually from a mere er-
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
u for his trcatment-indcud, he CON
sldercd himself so we'll off that he scnt
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-
vantages as himself. Petrol WAS due
to arrive in Il 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 it. In the
morning Mason went to his cash draw
er and found he contents-some SEQ
gone. The clerk was nowhere to be
found.
All that day the snow swirled. the
wind howled, while the thermometer
stood at 20 degrees below zero. 1t was
impossible to go in search of the fuci-
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 it cleared the snow
was still too deep to warrant a search,
Inc it was not for some time longer
that it completely disappeared. Then
Mason went out by different avenues
looking for his money, but found no
trace of it and gave it 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-
sented to put the other in his place.
But Petrol was too much absorbed in
what had become of Dmitri to be of
steady use. AS soon as he had earned
a 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 d~ischarging
him.
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 striven long. But if 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 follows
excursions instead of ceaSing grew
longer. Instead of hunting within a
dozen miles of the village he extended
his tours over several principal outeS
into other regions. He neither beard of
Dmitri or found his remains. The rob
berry would have been forgotten had it
not been kept alive by the rersevering
Petrol and his interest in saving his
brothers honor. AS it was, the affair
became more and more Il mystery. For
miles around the people were discuss
ing the possibility Of Dmitri's getting
through the blizzard and if he had how
he had done it.
Then Petrol one day set off. rnsolv
LIS " IN Ct Noul SC N VIEW. lit
would be best shielded by an imaMiHary
tempest. He first circled arounu Il
low hill; then struck out for Il wood.
Emerging from this, he G~eliNeratol
how next to proceed. Finally Il" con
Guided to follow Il creek. Reaching :;
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. ey-
posing Il foot. Scratching away. he
came to a leg and at last exposed Il
body thinly covered by earth that had
fallen on it. 1t was the body of
Dmitri.
AS soon as Petrol had recovered
from the shock he searched the cloth.
ing for the missing money, There
was only a little change in the vest
pocket.
Dmitri had fallen on his face. haa
been covered with snow. and when it
melted a portion of the bank had fallen
and covered him. He was about to
leave the body to 90 back for nSS;>.-