Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-23

Well" said Balichin. 1T is time to
close up. 1 must so back to my shop.
Come over and see me some time when
trade is dull
That WILL" said the other.
Balichin departed more puzzled than
he had been when he entered All day
he had seen persons going into Novgo-
rods store. and every customer came
out with a package. He had noticed
that no package seemed light to the
carrier. and most Of them were large
and always seemed to have consider
able weight One young woman stag.
gered under her load But while he
had been in Novgorod's shop several
customers had entered and all had
gone out empty handed.
Balichin after closing his shop went
upstairs Che lived over his place Of
business) to supper. He told his wife
about his visit to his neighbor and the
puzzling questions concerning that
neighbor's business, ending by saying
that he believed there was q mystery
connected with Novgorod's shop.
II will make some observations my
SELF" said the woman in a caustic tone.
And she did. That night she slept
by a window overlooking the shop op-
posite. She was a light sleeper and
would be awakened at the slightest
noise. In the morning she informed
her husband that no goods had been
delivered at the shop opposite; but.
though it had been closed all night,
with never a light to be seen on the
premises, every now and again she had
seen a person emerge from 1t, and every
person carried a package.
Great heavensr' exclaimed Balichin.
Does the man sell goods all day and
all night too? 1t is as much as 1 can
do to keep up my trade during the day."
"Achr said the woman. There Is
something wrong in this. Leave 1t to
me. You men are very stupid about
such matters"
The next evening when the butcher
went upstairs to his supper he said
to his wife, well, have you noticed
anything strange today in the shop op-
POSTER
ITO be sure have. How many diff
ferent customers do you suppose Nov
gorod hast"
IL don't know"
Guess"
"a hundredT'
"a hundred! Not by any means.
Guess again"
Balichin guessed all the way down to
twenty and then. being too curious to
waste any more time guessing, begged
his wife to tell him.
There have been seventy-two Gus
toners in the shop today and only nine
persons" said the wife.
How do you make that outr'
mine persons have averaged going
there eight times"
"Phew!'
There were four men, two women,
two young girls and boy"
"well. what does 1t mean"
at means that Novgorod is playing
trick. He is making a show of doing
business After awhile the custom
ers of the other provision dealers, see.
ing so many persons going into his
shop to buy goods, viii 60 there, too, to
see what induces the others to buy
there. The real buyers will gradually
increase. and Novgorod will eventually
absorb all the business"
But how do you explain those leav-
ing the shop at night with bundlesr'
at Is to give an impression that he
does so much business that 1t cannot
all be done In the daytime"
"You are wonderful woman at OBJ
servatlon," said her husband thought
fully, but l don't think much of your
deductions
The next day Nine. Balichln was
surprised to see handsome carriage
with Hveried coachman and footman
drive up to the shop opposite. A lady
alighted. went into the shop and In q
few minutes returned to her carriage
attended by Novgorod, who bore q
package which he handed to the foot
man. Then the equipage drove away.
Nine. Balichin ran downstairs and told
her husband that a member OF the no
bility had bought goods of Hovgorod.
You see that l am right" she said.
HE has induced the lady to buy of
him to attract others. He will soon
have all the trade in this part Of the
city"
An hour after the lady had driven
away BalIchin looked across the street
and was surprised to see Novgorod's
shop deserted. While he was wonder
| ing what It meant he heard a report.
followed In less than a minute by
another.
The Gar Alexander had been assas,
sinated.
In the search made by the police for
| clews to those implicated in the plot
| they visited Novgorod's shop in the
Malaja Sadovaga, a street on which
the emperor was expected to pass on
the day of his assassination. They
found tunnel dug from the rear OF
the shop TO a point where a fugitive
might escape. 1t was not used. The
lady-a countess-who was in the plot,
visited the shop shortly before the as
sassination to notify those there that
the car had changed his route Nov
| gorods customers were the removers
Of the dirt from the tunnel.