The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1911-07-21

her TO go out, and she so strongly per.
Soaded him not to SO that he yielded
ana remained indoors One night he
had retired to rest and had been in
HIS room about an hour when he
heard the handle of his door move
Inc door was not locked, and very
gently the latch was raised and the
door opened. Presently Roko crept in
on his hands and knees. He paused
and listened to heavy snore that
seemed to indicate that the occupant
or the room was sleeping soundy.
Roko carried a tiny lantern, and he
mashed ray across the sleeper's face.
Satisfied that there was small danger
OF his awakening he produced phial
containing a colorless liquid and ap.
preaching night-table. on which
stood a jug of barley tea, which the
count was accustomed to drink in the
night time, the Creole poured the con-
tents OF the phial into the jug, and
having done so withdrew as quietly
as he had entered. Soon afterwards
the count rose, procured light, and
took from his portmanteau large
flask, into which he emptied the bar
ley tea.
At the usual morning meal he did
not put in an appearance but sent a
request asking her to bring doctor
| m him no fnn1irr Vofb nr
When the physician appeared the pa
tient stated that he must have eaten
or drunk something which had upset
him. The doctor prescribed for him.
and in the course of the afternoon the
count said he felt better, and in spite
OF Madame st. Joseph's arguments to
the contrary insisted on going for a
drive on the Neva for a couple of
hours, asserting that the fresh air
would complete his recovery On his
return he declared that he felt much
better, and refused an offer from the
lady to have Roko sit up with him
during the night. About midnight the
door of his sleeping apartments
opened and once again Roko crept
silently to the bed and emptied the
contents of phial into the barleytea.
Soon after the intruder had with
drawn the count jumped up, poured
the tea into another flask, and then
lay down in his bed again until a
neighboring church clock tolled out
the strokes OF two. Immediately he
arose, dressed himself, took from his
portmanteau revolver, and lighted
lantern provided with a shutter to
shut off the light when required. AT.
ter listening carefully at the door a
moment and satisfying himself that
nobody was stirring, the count pro-
ceeded along the corridor. descended
short flight of stairs to another cor
ridor along which he passed, and
gained the main door that gave access
70 the street. He opened it cautiously
to admit eight men who filed into the
hall without speaking. Following the
count they proceeded to the sleeping
apartment of Madame Julie st. Joseph.
In an arteroom Roko lay on couch
fast asleep. Four men remained in the
anteroom; the other four and the
count entered the lady's chamber.
Here a shaded lamp burned on a
bracket, and close to it an ikon, or
sacred picture hung. The pretty wild
ow was also sleeping BY this time
the count had undergone a strange
I transformation His beard and nous
tache had disappeared, revealing the
smooth-shaved, mobile face of Michael
Danevitch. He shook the sleeper's
shoulder and she awoke with a
startled cry. The four policemen had
concealed themselves: Danevitch
alone was visible. Seeing a strange
man by her bedside. Madame Julie
called loudly for Roko. The Creole
sprang up to find himself in the grasp
of two stalwart men. while the re-
volyer under his pillow was seized by
his assailants.
Madame Julie St. Joseph said
Danevitch, you are under arrest. Get
up and dress yourself"
A look of terror swept across the
widows face ION what grounds am
arrested?' she asked.
THAT you will learn later on.
Sufficient for you to know you are a
prisoner"
She recognized the hopelessness OF
resistance and was, of course. aware
that her faithful watch-hound. Roko,
had been rendered powerless. But 1t
did not dawn upon her that the count
and Danevitch were one and the
same. Half an hour later she was
conveyed to the jail with Roko. By
this time she had in some measure re-
covered her self-possession, and asked
Danevitch airily if he knew how her
guest the count was.
"He is perfectly well. madame re-
piled the detective. "You may judge
for yourself, for it was l who played
the part of the count so effectively"
Madame Julie gasped as the truth
came home to her. What fool have
been!" she cried bitterly. But tell
me, how was It that Peter Trepon
asked me to invite you to the ball?'
peter Trepoff is my agent
madame"
With a gesture of despair Madame
Julie buried her face in her hands
and groaned as she realized how thor
oughly she had been duped.
Several hours before the widow and
Roko were swept into the net pre-
pared for them. Alexander Vlassovsky
was arrested in Moscow. Danev1tch
learned that fact by telegraph when
he went out from madames house IN
the afternoon. He had first begun to
suspect Vlassovsky after that inter-
view when he was making inquiries
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