The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1911-09-29

ance deserts you.
Il never wrote that letterp'
''It is in your handwriting"
$50 nearly like it that l could not
tell it from mine Nevertheless it is
a forgery
Nicholas eyes flashed. Who would
be interested in perpetrating such a
yillainy?'
81 cannot imagine. Stop! Let me
think. Can it be that they are trying
to get me out of their way" He
paused in deep thought.
''What do you mean?''
81 suspect certain men. certain
man especially. owing to an accidental
discovery l recently made of an at
tempt not on the life of the car. but
on yours
Whom do you suspect?" asked Mich
olas. changing color
One of them is my friend If | ac-
cused him it might be wrongfully. /
would rather go to Siberia than harm
him if he is innocent"
"You will go to Siberia if you do not
give me his name"
"Then | will so to Siberia"
The door opened and a young man
named Pertof entered.
How Fortunate" exclaimed the COM
er, ito find you two together! | have
heard that Warascoff is in trouble, and
I came to say to your imperial high
ness that any accusations against him
oro n I,c1rrI
81 am Sorry to say, Pertof. that |
have indisputable proof. Read that
And he tossed him the letter he had
shown the captain. Pertof read it and
flung it aside contemptuously.
1.-The capital is full of plotting" he
said. 81 believe no accusations. for |
am as likely to be accused as any one.
Dismiss this matter from your mind.
Nicholas We three are intimate
friends None of us knows how soon
he may fall victim to intrigue There
fore let us not worry, but enjoy what
of life remains to us. Bring out some
of that wine | tasted when we were
last together and let us make merry"
The grand duke. though not con-
vinced concluded to fall in with his
friends humor and. tapping bell. he
ordered the wine.
Pertof emptied his glass; the grand
duke slipped his; Captain Warascof
left his untouched
whats the matter, Dmitri?" cried
Pertof isn't his highness' wine good
enough for your
II cannot drink under accusation"
you're squeamish, man. Whoever
troubles himself at being suspected or
even accused in these days is in dan
ger of nervous collapse. III make you
a bet of 100 rubles even that within
thirty days | will be accused of some
conspiracy. I'll make another bet of
100 to 1000 rubles that within sixty
days | go to Siberia and a third bet of
10000 rubles that am executed"
"You are trifing with serious mat
ters," said Nicholas uneasiiy.
mot at ALL We are all in danger,
and if l could make the last named
bet it would be an insurance on my
life for my family"
81 will take that bet.' said Wara-
scoff. with singular look in his eyes.
Done" said Pertof. taking his hand.
The grand duke looked at both men as
if he thought they had taken leave OF
their senses.
Pertof took a cigar case from bis
pocket and was about to strike match
when recollecting himself, he handed
the case to the grand duke.
Nicholas took cigar from the case,
struck a match and lighted it. He had
taken but few whiffs when Dmitri
Warascoff made leap for him,
snatched the cigar from his lips and.
raising a window sash. threw it out.
Nicholas looked at him angrily for
the apparent insult In few seconds
an explosion was heard in the court
below All stood mute for awhile.
Then Warascoff. pointing at Pertof,
said:
There is the man. your highness.
who forged that letter l overheard
him speaking with some suspicious
persons upon the subject of an explo-
sive cigar
Pertof was tried and executed for
the attempted murder of the Grand
Duke Nicholas. The day after the ex-
ecution the widow received an anony-
NOUS letter containing 10000 rubles
1t was in payment of the wager made
between Warascoff and Pertof The
bet was made by Pertof because be
had determined to sacrifice his life to
the nihilist cause and accepted by
Warascof because he had loved the
girl Pertof had married. Five years
later he married his old love