The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-03-30

-Aa Professor Shiskin hesitat.
ed for an instant. Then the
demands of courtesy had their way. I'm sorry," he
muttered. I'm not myself. I'm an old man, and l
grow f%orgetful. Sit down Mr.. Bristow. I'm very
glad to see you. Ask me what you will"
Even unto the half of your kingdom?" queried
the reporter. Il want more than that, professor. ]
want Miss Olga!'
"Olga!" The professor half rose. What do you
mean?" he gasped.
81 mean that l want to marry her" returned Bris-
tow. The people who called Bristow cheeky would
not have known him. His heart was humping pain
fully, and his color came and went, though he man
aged to keep his features calm. 1--WE love each
other and we want to marry"
! man. Then he burst into a fit of laughter that
made the reporter look at him in amazement.
But, unheeding, the professor cackled on as ii he
would never stop. His shrunken form fairly shook
with merriment that rapidly grew hysterical. So
long it continued that Bristow forgot his own ex-
cited feelings and grew anxious.
Al last the old man Gained himself. Il beg your
pardon, Mr.. Bristow," he quavered. II beg your
pardon. l was very discourteous. l was not laugh
ing at you. but at the way things come about. What
creatures of fate we all are! We think we control
events, but events really control us. Mr.. Bristow!
I have been worrying myself sick about Olga, and
here you come, pat to the moment, to set everything
straight. You say that Olga loves your"
"Yes!" The reporters voice was hushed and rev.
erent.
to have her marry you. But | must impose some
conditions
The professors voice had grown stronger. Years
seemed to have fallen from his shoulders. BrlstoW
stared at him in wonder.
"Anything you like" he ~stammered.
Shishkin smiled. oh. 1t won't be hard on you"
he promised. Though you may find my conditions
difficult to understand. Let me explain. | am COM
PEELED to go on this trip concerning which l have
written you. am compelled to take Olga with me
or to appear to do so. l don't want to take her,
but | cannot refuse openly. But no one acquainted
with her will ne on the vessel. If l can find a sub
stitute who resembles her somewhat, no one is like
lv tn detect the change The trouble has been to
get Olga's consent and to hide her away while l
was gone. Your proposal makes this easy"
Amazedly the reporter listened. The old man was
showing a new phase OF character-a phase novel; TO
Bristow, who had always thought OF him only as an
aged scientist engrossed in matters far removed
from worldly scheming. But then, neither had he
ever thought of him in connection with Russian ter
rorism, in which it now seemed that he was in
volved. Breathlessly, yet delighted at his easy sue
cess, he waited for the old man to continue.
Professor Shishkin did not keep him waiting long.
Now" he went on. My consent to your marriage
to Olga is conditional on this. You must ind some
one who reasonably resembles Olga and who is
willing for a consideration to go with me in her
place. You must bring her here the night before
we sail. l will have an old minister friend OF mine
waiting. He can marry you and Olga. Then olga
and the substitute will change clothes. When you
take Olga away. the substitute can remain. She
can wear a veil as long as any one who knows Olga
is likely to see her. Once on the yacht, we Will be
safe from detection"
Bristow gasped. Scarcely could he believe his
ears. The professor had taken to intrigue as il he
had been dabbling in it all his life. What next?
But" he questioned, where can l find a substl-
tute? Do you know of any one like Olga"
Dozens of them. Hundreds OF girls in New YORK
resemble her more or less. Olga is of a very com
mon type"
The reporter flushed angrily. He did not think
Olga of a common type! To him there was no one
like her. Still, he could scarcely quarrel with her
father for saying so.
at won't be as easy as you think" he returned
'sStil, it might be done"
at must be done. Otherwise Olga must go WIFI
me. A power stronger than DEGREES II"
ooh! Well! In that event-Let me Think" The
reporter was beginning to enter into the spirit o