The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-09-29
AN ELUSIVE MISSION
By WINSTON Allnr

shl whom tue police knew TO have
concocted the murder. win omit how
tracked her to the border and take
up the story after she had passed Il.
She made directly for Austria and
thence Tor Venice. This indicated that
she would 20 to America rather than
England and that she would probably
sail from one Of the two principal ItaI-
ian ports-Genoa aud Naples. Genoa
being the shorter distance. / took the
train for that city, hoping to head her
or before she left the port
The reason for my being chosen for
this work was that I had seen the girl
quite often during her trial on a charge
Of having been implicated in another
political crime. Having boarded the
train At Venice soon after its depar.
ture, thinking there might be one
chance IN dozen that Vera Treperhoff
would be aboard. walked through
the side aisle. looking into every com
pertinent In the middle compartment
OF the third car noticed youth with
the light hair and eyes Of the north.
and 10 a twinkllng spotted my quarry.
Not wishing to make myself known.
Ipassed on
concluded not to make any attempt
at arrest till the girl left the train.
This would neeessitate my watching
the departures at every station and
the risk that she might elude me. But
] knew the stops aud kept my eye on
her as soon as we slowed up until we
were again well on the way. My in
tention was TO have her arrested at
Genoa or wherever she allghted. since
! could better fulfll the legal condi-
tons at a definite point Besides.
did not believe she knew her danger.
The last time saw Vera Treperhon
was in leaving Alessandria. The com
partment in which she sat had been
ernptied except by herself kept my
eye on her till the train had reached
pace OF some forty miles an hour.
There would be no further stop I'm
we arrived at Genoa, and felt conf
dent that / should take the girl back
70 Moscow and gain the commenda-
tion Of the government, also hand
some reward.
Just before reaching Genoa l took
my hand baggage TO the compartment
where Vera Treperhoff sat with the
Intention of remaining there till the
train pulled up at the station. She
was not in the compartment. she was
not 10 the car. ! went through the
train from front to rear opening every /
closet, but nothing could ! find OF the /
girl wanted. / scrutinized every pas
senger, man and woman. boy and girl, 4
but vera was not among them. short 4
" before we slowed up for Genoa 1
made up my mind that she had. after 4
all, recognized me and preferred death 4
By jumping from the train to the hor-
rors OF Siberia.
At Genoa / engaged a special loco
motive to 20 over the route to end the
body or any truce Of the eulprit In
vestigated every kilometer Of the track
between the terminus aud Alessandria.
but found nothing to give me the
slightest clew. was informed that
the rate Of travel over the section
where | had missed the girl was tifty
miles an hour. No one could have
jumped from the train and retained
sufficient life to crawl away. offered
a reward Of 10000 rubles to any one
10 the vicinity who would give me any
information whatever leading TO a
clew. The offer brought many re-
ports Of girl limping through the
country, but they ell proved to have
been made up
Never in all my Official experience
have I been so utterly incapable Of
forming a theory as TO any escape
from nv clutches. Familiar with every
device that could have been adopted,
| went over them carefully and elm
mated all of them. That young girl
not over twenty years ola could have
left train going at a rate Of fifty
miles an hour seemed incredible. To
assume that she could have passed
from It later in disguise would be an
insult to my professional skill.
feared to return to Russia and tell
the truth lest | should be accused Of
at Vera Treperhoffs escape,
and If | lied / would be detected
chose the alternative Of going to Arier
lea to makg new home. sailed
from Genoa. and, going on deck one
there in steamer chair in
excellent health was Vera Treperhoff
Approaching her, informed her that
she had nothing to fear from me and
asked her how she had left the train.
This was her reply:
Il recognized you the moment ] saw
you and knew your erraud Between
Alessandria and Genoa Is 7 in the
railroad connecting It with the road
to Piacenza. knew from my time
table that there was no further stop
TIL Genoa ard you would arrest me
there. While on this y a train going
II the same direction and nearly at the
same speed occupied the next track.
Ia twinkling was out through the
window Oh the foothoard and stepped
10 the footboard Of the other train.
Passing oven it till / came to q vacant
] climbed in. The train
was on soon stopped ] alighted and
.ook a later one to Genoa
This may all seem very strange but
here is one thing stranger still Vera
rreperhoff converted me to the revolu-
ionary cause and within few weeks
II our landing the girl whom ] lad I,
10 nearly taken 10 Rnssla 70 endure .