Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-07-04
A Mystery Solved
lOriginal.l

In the far west, where he expected t
find his brother, Petrol learned tina
he had disappeared under very sus
picious circumstances.
Dmltri Remsky, who had come owe
some years before. had sought worl
with John Mason, who kept store
Dmitri had found 1t difficult to get on
not knowing the language or the Gus
toms Of the country, and when he ap
piled to Mason for employment wal
literally starving. Mr.. Mason took pitt
on him and fed and clothed him. Ma
son, seeing that he was intelligent, ad
vanced him gradually from mere err
rand boy to clerk and at 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-lndeed, he con-
sidered 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-
vantages as himself. Petrol was due
to arrive in week, when one evening
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 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 fugi-
tive. Indeed 1t 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 good deal of ground during
the night. When 1t cleared the snow
was still too deep to warrant a search,
and 1t 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
sented to put the other In bis place.
But Petrol was too much absorbed In
what had become of Dmitri to be Of
steady use. AS soon as he had earned
q little money he would sally forth to
search for him, only returning when
bis money was gone. Mason humored
him and permitted him to spend his
time In this way without discharging
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
gard, 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 |
Every foot of ground had |
been searched, and no trace had been |
discovered.
Petrol alone refused to believe that |
lis brother had taken the money.
Spring passed into summer and sum-
ner into winter, but the young fellows
excursions instead of ceaslng grew |
onger. Instead of hunting within
loZen miles of the village he extended |
lis tours over several principal routes
nto other regions. He neither heard of |
Dmitrl or found his remains. The rob-
oery would have been forgotten had 1t
lot been kept alive by the persevering
petref and his interest In saving his
,rother's honor. AS 1t was, the affair
became more and more a mystery. For
niles around the people were discuss
ng the possibility Of Dmitri's getting
through the blizzard and If he had how
le had done 1t.
Then Petrol one day set off, resolv-
ng to follow course In which he
would be best shielded by an imaginary
empest. He first circled around a
ow hill; then struck out for wood.
Emerging from this, he deliberated
low next to proceed. Finally he con-
luded to follow q creek. Reaching a
,lace where 1t appeared that the bank
lad caved, he stopped and looked
bout him. Below him he noticed
,oot protruding from the soil He
vent down to it and pulled 1t away, ex-
'oslng a foot. Scratching away, he
anne to leg and at last exposed a
'ody thinly covered by earth that had
allen on 1t. 1t was the body Of
)mitri.
AS soon as Petrol had recovered
rom the shock he searched the cloth |
ng for the missing money. There I
vas only little change In the vest
ocket.
Dmitri had fallen on his face, had
cen covered with snow, and when 1t /
Melted a portion of the bank had fallen [
nd covered him. He was about to :
cave the body to go back for assist
nee when he noticed about FIVE yards
head bit Of cloth protruding as the
DOT had protruded from the soil. He |
vent to 1t and little by little uncov-
red another body-that Of man. He
vas lying on the ground, but had
urned, with a revolver In his hand ,
ointing back. In his pocket was $3.50.
Dmitrl went back and examined his
rother's body. There was bullet :,
ole in the chest.
The riddle was solved. A thief had {
ntered the store, taken the money and
lade off, with the clerk after him. ,
he thief was Identified as one who [
ad broken Jail the same night. /
Politeness Is coin destined to en-
oh those who give It away.