Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-11-30

"stemp."
The valet was preparing to follow
the prisoner, and was quite calm
again.
YES, sir"
"1f he won't sit still to be shaved,
cut his head OF"
Eyes, SIR
Van Torp's eyes were awful to see.
He had never been SO angry in his
life. He turned and saw Lady Maud
pressing her handkerchief to her right
temple. The ball had grazed it.
though 1t had certainly not been
meant for her.
"Rufus!" she cried in great distress.
what have you done?"
THE question is what he's done to
you." answered Van Torp. II believe
the BLACKBOARD has shot you!"
ITS nothing. Thank God it hit me!
It was meant for you"
Van Torp's rage instantly turned
into tender care, and he insisted on
examining the wound, which was
slight but would leave scar. By a
miracle the ball had grazed the angle
OF the temple without going near the
temporal artery. and scarcely SINCE.
ing the thick brown hair.
Van Torp rang and sent for water
and absorbent cotton, and made a
very neat dressing, over which Lady
Maud tied her big veil. Just as this
was done Stemp appeared at the door.
Its ready, sir, if you would like to
come and see. I've not scratched him
once, sir"
"All right" Van Torp turned to
Lady Maud. do you feel faint? Lean
on my arm"
But she would not, and she walked
bravely, holding herself SO straight
that she looked much taller than he.
though she felt as IL she were going
to execution.
A moment later she uttered a loud
cry and chung to Van Torp's shoulder
with both hands. But as for him. he
said only two words.
You hellhound!"
The man was not Boris Leyen.
The eyes, the upper part of the face.
the hair, even the flowing mustaches
were his, but not the small retreating
chin crossed by the sharp, thin scar
of sword-cut long healed.
Il know who you are" said Van
Torp. surveying him gravely. You're
Long-legged Lewis brother, that dis
appeared before he did. remember
that scar"
Let me of easy" said Long.legeed
Lewis brother. i've not done you
any harm"
Beyond wounding Lady Maud. aft.
er trying to pass yourself off as her
dead husband. No. won't let you
off. Boatswain, want this man ar
rested. and we'll take him and all his
belongings before the British consul
in Messina in less than an hour. You
| just attend to that, will you7 Some
i body go and tell the captain"
Aye, aye, SIR"
The rest is soon told. A long IN
quiry followed, which led to the solu-
ton of the mystery and sent Count
Ypryi Leven to Siberia; for he was
Boris Leven4 twin brother.
The truth turned out to be that there
had been three brothers, the youngest
being Ivan. and they had all entered
the same Cossack regiment. and had
served in the Caucasus, where most
officers learn the Tartar language,
which is spoken by all the different
tribes 1t will be simpler to designate
them by the English equivalents for
their names.
Boris behaved himself tolerably
well in the army, but both his broth
ers. John and George. who was his
twin, were broken for cheating at
cards. and emigrated to America. So
long as they all wore their boards as
officers of Cossack regiments usual
~ do, they were very much alike.
They were all educated men Of refined
tastes. and particularly fond of music.
/ When his two brothers were cash
tered. Boris resigned, entered the dip.
lomatic service, married Lady Maud
Foxwell, and was killed by q bomb
In st. Petersburg.
John and George separated In
America when they were tired of
punching cattle.
John was something of naturalist
and was by far the most gifted of the
three as well as the most daring. He
,gravitated to China and at last to
Mongolia, wandering alone in search
OF plants and minerals, and 1t was to
him that baraka showed tue ruby
mine. He got back to civilization
with his treasure aud took It to
Petersburg unmolested.
There he found George earning a
poor living in an obscure position in
the public service. his conduct in the
+! army having been condoned or over
looked. John. who was the incarna-
ton Of selflshness. would do nothing
Tor him. George, exasperatad by him
and half starved, murdered him in
such way that he was supposed to
have died by an accident, took posses
sion Of his hoard of unsold rubies. and
wrote to his twin brother to come and
share the fortune John had left them.
George and Boris had been In con-
slant correspondence, and had even
helped each other with money from
time to time. Some weeks elapsed
after Boris return to st. Petersburg
before his death. and during that time
ne told George. who knew London
well and had. moreover, helped him in
his attempt to get divorce, vast
number OF details about HIS married
life and his wife's behavior, her char