Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-08-11


very secluded. She would not ac- |
company the count when he invited
her to go out. and she so strongly per-
suaded him not to go that he yielded |
and 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.
The 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
seemed to indicate that the occupant
of the room was sleeping soundly.
Roko carried tiny lantern, and he
flashed 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 a night-table. on which
stood 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 a 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 20 bring doctor
to him. as he was feeling rather i'll
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
drive on the Neva for a couple Of
hours. asserting that the fresh air
would complete his recovery. On his
return be declared tina. 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 barley-tea-
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 tclled out
the strokes Of two Immediately he
arose, dressed himself. took from his
portmanteau revolver. and lighted
lantern provided with shutter to
shut on 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
rider along which he passed, and
gained the main door that gave access
TO the street He opened 1t 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 anteroom 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. OF
sacred picture hung The pretty wild
ow was also sleeping. BY this time
the count had undergone strange
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 q
startled cry. The four policemen had
concealed themselves; Danevitch
alone was visible. Seeing strange
man by her bedside. Madame Julie
called loudly for Roko. The Creole
sprang up to find himself in the grasT
of two stalwart men. while the re
volver 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 an
arrested?" she asked
THAT you win learn later on
Sufficient for you to know you are
prisoner"
She recognized the hopelessness o
resistance and was. of course, aware
that her faithful watch-hound. Roko
had been rendered poweriess. But !
IS did not dawn upon her that the coun
d and Danevitch were one and thu
e same. Half an hour later she wa
d conveyed to the jail with Roko- B!
e this time she had in some measure re
covered her self-possession, and aske'
I. Danevitch airily II he knew how he
% guest the count was.
II He is perfectly well, madame" re
y, Piled the detective. You may judg
% for yourself. for,it was I who pIaye'
" the part of the count so effectively
Madame Julie gasped as the trutl
:" came home to her. What fool / hav
/; been!" she cried bitterly. but tel
n me. how was It that Peter Trepol
% asked me to invite you to the ball?"
Peter Trepon is my agent
3 madame"
Is With gesture Of despair Madam
sr Julie buried her face in her hand
y and groaned as she realized how thol
is oughly she had been duped.
d. Several hours before the widow an
ID Roko were swept into the net pre-
s. pared for them. Alexander vlassoysk
ID vror arreatod IN Moacou Dauevftc