The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-06-19
A SINGULAR Ret
b. F. A. MITCHELL


ersburg, the one the Grand Duk,
Nicholas, the other Captain Dmitrt
Narascoff OF the Russian army. The
grand duke was sitting behind ar
ebony desk; the captain YVES stand,
ing before him.
Your treachery Is an unpardon,
able sin" said Nicholas. II have
advanced your interests by attach.
ing You to the Cars staff, thus
opening to you a career You have
repaid me by diabolical conspiracy
against the majesty's life
Il have mott" exclaimed the cac-
tain, Indignantly.
Il have the proof" tl"
Let me see 1t"
The grand duke held before the
young man a letter written In the
captains handwriting and signed by
him, The accused man started back,
q sudden pallor overspreadinS his
face
"Ah!" said Nicholas, Jelly. when
confronted with evidence, your as
surance deserts you"
Il never wrote that letter."
1T is In your handwriting
SO nearly like 1t that I could not
tell 1t from mine, Nevertheless 1t Is
forgery"
What do you mean?"
II suspect certain men, certain
man especially, owing TO an acct
dental discovery / recently made of
an attempt not on the life Of the
Gar, but on yours. 1t may be that,
thinking would inform upon them,
they have determined to forestall my
Information"
"One of them is my friend II !
accused him, It might be wrongfully,
/ would rather go to Siberia than
harm him II he is innocent"
You will go to Siberia If you do
not give me his name"
Then I will go to Siberia"
The door opened. and a young
man named Pertof entered.
How fortunate" exclaimed the
newcomer, ITO find you two to-
gether, have heard that Warascoff
IS in trouble, and | came to say to
your imperial hlghness that any ac-
cusations against him are absurd"
THE capital Is full of plotting"
he said II believe no accusations,
for | am as likely to be accused as
any one. Dismiss this matter from
Your mind, Nicholas. We three are
Intimate friends. None of us knows
No hn 70 a vi i'm To n
trigue, Therefore let us not worry.
but enjoy what OF life remains to US.
Bring out some Of that wine ] tasted
when we were last together and let
us make merry"
Let us drink to Russian h1e-
Sort, but merry"
Pertof emptied his glass; the
grand duke slipped his; Captain
Warascoff left his untouched.
What's the matter, Dmitri?"
cried Pertof isn't his highness'
wine good enuogh for your"
Il cannot drink under accusation"
You're squeamish, man. Who
ever troubles himself at being sus-
pected or even accused In these DAYS
Is in danger OF nervous collapse. I'll
make you a bet of one hundred
rrbles even that within thirty days |
will be accused Of some conspiracy.
I'll make another bet of one hundred
to one thousand rubles that within
sixty days | go to Siberia and third
bet of one hundred 10 ten thousand
rubles that | am executed"
You are trlfiing with serious mat
ters," said Nicholas. uneasily,
II will take that bet" said Waras-
colt. with a singular look in his eyes.
Done" said Pertof. taking his
hand, The grand duke looked at
both men as If he thought they had
taken leave of their senses.
Pertof took a cigar case from his
pocket and was about to strike
match when recollecting himself, he
handed the case to the grand duke.
Nicholas took q cigar from the
case, struck a match and lighted it.
lie had taken but few whiffs when
Dmitri Warascoff made a leap for
him, suatched the cigar from his lips
anu, IdtSiuE a NihdOn odohI NiiNN ~
out. Nicholas looked at him angrily
for the apparent insult. In few
seconds an explosion was heard in
the court below. All stood mute for
awhile. Then Warascoff, pointing at
Pertof, said,-
There is the man. your highness,
who forged that letter. l overheard
him speaking with some suspicious
persons upon the subject of an ex-
plosive cigar,
Pertof was tried and executed for
the attempted murder of the Grand
Duke Nicholas. The day after the
execution the widow received an
anonymous letter containing ten
thousand rubles. 1t was In payment
of the wager made between Waras-
coff and Pertof. The bet was made
by Pertof because he had determined
TO sacrifice his life TO the nihilist
cause. and accepted by Warascof be-
cause he had loved the girl Pertof
had married. Five years later he
married his old love.