The Raymer enterprise., 1911-09-21

where she was much admired In 90
ciety. Ferdinand appeared somewhat
Ill at ease when asked this question,
but Verney's demeanor was so inno-
cent and ingratiating that the counts
son quickly regained his self posses
sion. and replied that he was fortu-
nate to be acquainted with the lady.
Further questioning by Verney ELECTED
the fact that madame had left Eng
land to pay visit to her old home in
st. Petersburg: and then, as though
tired Of the subject. the father turned
the conversation into other channels.
Late that night Michael Danevitch
restored to his former self, sought an
interview with Count Borolosky, and
In the privacy Of the latter's study un-
folded to him the horrifying story of
his sons treachery. At flrst Borolo-
sky refused to admit the possibility of
Ferdinand's double dealing; but was
stunned into silence when the detect
i've exhibited to him . confession
signed by his son, in which the latter
asserted that he had stolen the pa.
pers At the instigation Of the woman
with whom he had fallen In love. As
= matter of fact, Danevitch had relied
largely on taking Ferdinand by sur
prise when he extorted the confession
from him. The device had succeeded.
for the counts son imagined from
the detectives confident bearing and
emphatic assertions that he was in
possession Of hch stronger evidence
than he really had. It might have
been dificult matter under English
law to have procured Ferdinand's ar.
rest: also such proceeding would have
made the whole matter public, and
probably resulted in some Of Madame
Dubois friends conveying to her full
details Of the affair. Danevitch was
anxious to keep her in ignorance. and
II possible, secure her arrest in st.
Petersburg with the incriminatins
documents in her possession. With q
view to that end he agreed with the
unhappy father that the best thing
that could be done was to connive at
Ferdinand's escape to another coun-
try. This was done. and the infatu.
ated young man went to India, where
he lived until year later. when he
died Of a malignant fever.
Meanwhile no change was manifest
in the political attitude of the Austrian
government, and 1t was evident that
Madame Dubois had not yet succeeded
in dlsposing Of her secret. Danevitch
lost no time In Fastening back to st.
Petersburg. where he put all the re-
sources OF his police bureau into the
work Of watching the movements Of
madame and her confederates. During
the investigations which followed 1t
became clear that the members Of the
revolutionary branch of which Madame
Sophia was an active head, were con.
templating the execution Of new and
fiendish plot that threatened the de-
struction OF the car and his entire
cabinet. For this reason Danevitch
kept his hands of madame. He was
gradually weaving together the meshes
Of net in which he hoped to catch
all the conspirators together. and at
last the night arrived when he re-
solved to strike the final blow.
Over the dirty spaces of the yiborg
district are scattered squat and tum.
ble-down structures. The isolated
streets and alleys Of this quarter fur.
nished rendezvous for the dregs Of
the populace Of st. Petersburg. Gangs
OF thieves had established their head
quarters there. Escaped convicts from
Siberia found security In this refuge
until new crimes found them out,
when they were flogged and sent back
into exile. In one Of the most remote
and lonely streets Of the district there
stood large one-story house, which
had long been unoccupied. Its shut
ters were never seen to open, and the
yard. which had not been trodden by
human feet in years, was covered with
tall weeds. This building had once
belonged to rich usurer, who settled
In this resort Of thieves for the con.
venience Of trading in stolen goods.
The usurer died intestate, and the dis.
tant relatives had been fighting each
other In the courts for years to OBJ
tain title to the property. Every
dark night figures could be seen walk.
ing noiselessly, one by one, through
the yard. endeavorin& not to leave
any traces behind them. Turning
around the corner Of the house. they
would disappear as II they had been
swallowed up by the earth. On this
particular night the house was i'm.
mersed. as usual. In complete dark.
ness; only at times dim light would
appear on the spot where the spectral
forms disappeared.
The mysterious figures had. In fact.
descended into cellar. There were
assembled there eighteen or twenty
persons. several Of whom were WON.
en-. The assemblage was made up OF
disaffected military oficers. writer's.
students. and Of the youth who sought
to create a revolution In Russia. The