Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-05-23

word OF honor that you are unaFmeas
md your highness Is well aware that
such lenieney is seldom shown in st.
| Petersburg
| We'll, sir, even il my word Of honor
failed to disarm me your poIiteness
would. / carry a revolver DO you
wish ita''
IF your highness Will condescend to
give it to me-
The prince held the weapon, butt
| forward. to the officer, who received it
with d gracious salutation.
s.You know nothing Of the reason for
this actions
Nothing whatever, your highness-
"Waere are you going to take mef'
a walk Of less than three minutes
will acquaint your highness with the
spot
| The prince laughed.
sOh, very well,g he said. May l
write note to friend who IS wait
| ing up for mel
Il regret, your highness, that no COM
| munication whatever can be allowed
The prince stepped down from the
] vehicle, walked diagonaily across a
very dimly lighted courtyard with his
guide, entered that section of the rec
tangular building which faced the
Neva, passed along hall with one gas
Jet burning, then outside again and
Immediately over a gangplank that
4 brought him aboard a steamer On
the lower deck passage ran down
the center of the ship and along this
the conductor guided his prisoner,
opened the door of a stateroom in
which candles were burning and a
comfortable bed turned down for oecu-
pancy.
81 think your highness will find ev-
erything here that you need. If any
thing further is required, the electric
bell will summon an attendant, who
will get 1t for you"
Gam l not to be confronted with
whoever is responsible for my arrest?'
Il know nothing OF that, your high
ness. Ny duty ends by escorting you
here. must ask if you have any
other weapons upon you
mo, have not"
"Will you give me your parole that
you will not attempt to escape?
II shall escape If can, of course"
"Thank you, excellency," replied the
officer as suavely as if Lermontof had
given his parole. Out of the darkness
he called a tall, rough looking soldier,
who carried a musket with bayonet
ait the end of 1t. The soldier took his
stand beside the door Of the cabin.
Anything else?" asked the prince.
Nothing else, your highness, except
good night"
sOh, by the way. forgot to pay my
cabman OF course it isn't his fault
that he brought me here"
81 shall have pleasure In sending him
to you, and again good night"
@Good night" said the prince.
He closed the door of his cabin, pull
ed out his notebook and rapidly wrote
two letters, one of which he addressed
to Drummond and the other to the car.
When the cabman came. he took him
within the cabin and closed the door.
sHere," he said in loud voice that
the sentry could overhear if he liked,
show much do owe your"
The driver told him.
stThat's too much. you scoundrel!' he
cried aloud, but as he did SO he placed
three gold pieces in the palm OF the
drivers hand, together with the two
letters, and whispered:
sect these delivered safesy. and I'll
give you ten times this money il you
aan on Prince Lermontoff at the adj
dress on that note"
q The man saluted, thanked him and
retired. A moment later he heard the
jingle of a bell and then the steady
throb of an engine. There was no win
dow to the stateroom, and he could
not tell whether the steamer was going
up or down the river-up, he surmised,
and he suspected his destination was
Sehlusseburg, the fortress prison on
an island at the source Of the Neva.
He determined to go on deck and solve
the question of direction. but the SOL
der at the door brought down his gun
and barred the passage.
Il am surely allowed to go on deck"
"You cannot pass without an order
from the captain.
"Well, send the captain to me, then"
| II dare not leave the door" said the
| soldier
! Leslnontotf pressed the button, and
| presently an attendant came to learn
what was wanted.
'tWill you ask the captain to come
hereg'
| The steward departed and shortly
after returned with big, bronzed,
bearded man, whose bulk made the
stateroom seem small.
you sent for the captain, and am
here
| so am IT, said the prince jauntiIy.
"aIy name is Lermontofr Perhaps you
have heard of me?"
The captain shook his shaggy head
II am a prince of Russia and by
some mistake find myself your passen-