Jefferson jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 1907-1926, 1912-01-26
AnOrange.
D. IVAN WTKOW9xY

the c9JO OF ColOOSu MEo8SON'AJ WIZ
handed her She directed the servant
to admit him
MY dear countsss.- ~ said, Il have
come to ask . favor. Knowing you 70
b Intimate with the imperial family.
that the empress estsems you highly.
should be obliged II you would use your
influence to secure for my nephew .
com mission In the navy"
Colonel, you ovsrrats my indus1cA
| am not often hidden to the palace
Indeed. I fancy l have been forgotten
there
How can that b when Grand Duke
V. Is to dine with you this evening"
who told you thatr'
why. the dukes movements are a.
ways known. He informs the police
Of bis engagements In order that they
may provide for hiA safety"
do the police consider publishing
his wherea bouts providing for his
safetyT
They have not published his com.
ing here was converstng With one
VI tue ROhNC OA1NA0AA 0OOob UC(oAAA0
my nephew an appointment In the
ar..y. This man knows Of my &C.
quaintance with you and said 70 me:
Grand Duke V. dimes with the count
ess today. II you see her and ask her
influence in the matter she will I'M
doubtedly secure 4 promise Of the ap-
pointment while he u at the table,"
well my dear colonel. am willing
to oblige you II ind an opportunity.
but you must not rely too much upon
me- 1 wish you were to b a member
Of our dinner party. l would invite
you except that the grand duke. ~
you know. must have q list before
hand of other guests wherever be goes.
and now there II not time"
II have no especial desire to meet
him. But since you are to grant mo
this favor b there nothing ! can do
for your
Nothing that think Of"
II have Just received u box Of fruit
from the south. Would you IKE some
for your tabier'
Indeed I would Fruit at this SEA
son IL not to be had"
II will bring It before the dinner -
over"
'Can you not send itT'
Send 1t! No. Do you suppose l
would trust a servant with what can
not be bought for love or money! He
would either eat It or sell 1t and say
that he had been robbed shall
bring 1t myself What o'clock viii
your dinner be served7"
AT half past & We shall be ready
for fruit by half past 0. The grand
duke does not Ike to sit long at table:
he is q very busy man."
Michalovsky left her shortly before
the dinner hour.
did they7 I know better The police
do not tell such secrets. Alexis got It
elsew here But where? He certainly
could not have got 1t from any OF the
| dukes household. The colonel would
not use 1t for any other purpose than
the pretended one But the dukes life
is In danger every moment from revo-
lutionists. and II 1t is known that he
II to dine with me tonight he may b
ASA ssinated either coming or going.
will send a messenger suggesting
that he stay away"
She wrote a note stating that his sx-
pected visit was known and begged
him not to come. But he replied In
person.
"Ah. countess" he said CALAMITY. do
you suppose fear would cause me to
forego the pleasure Of dining with
your
Did nothing happen on the wayT
Nothing"
but I fear for your return"
Danish It from your mind l am
here to enjoy a pleasant evening with
you. Let US throw fear to the winds"
They dined together. and during the
dinner the countess asked the duke for
the appointment AZ she had promised
| lat whose request do you ask me for
this favorr' he said after promising
the commission.
| my cousin. Colonel Alexis Michalov.
sky"
| Colonel Michalovskyr
| "Yes. Do you know himr'
"Only as colonel Of regiment"
At the moment u dish Of exquisite
cut glass was brought in on which
was mellow fruit. surmounted by q
large orange. The dish was set on
the table between the two. and the
countess was taking the orange from
the top OF the pyramid when the serv-
ant said to her:
Colonel Michalovsky bsgs that be
may speak to you moment 1t u
about the appointment He wishes to
change bis request"
But the countess did not hear. On
taking up the orange she noticed a
small spot where It had been plucksd
under her nose and noticed 4 pecul-
lar odor. Then suddenly she saw a
tiny lash such N might come from
the fuse OF a tirecracker. There was
beside her a fsyer bowl that had been
placed on the table with the frui1
The countess quick A. dash I'm
mersed the orange In the water. White
as cloth. she told the duke 10 run for
bis life.
Not while yoo cit st1.l." he said
When the bomb was cut opsn By the
police II was found to b an orange
skin Oiled With nitrogiycsr1n. The fuse
had burned within An aiRhth Of an