The Caucasian., 1913-11-20
/ VICTIM or
NIHlllsrs
Strange happenine ae q
Luncheon in Paris.

Y S0u0 sether % SuesS % Ulnc0e00
I Tea en0 40 Q ono papse maja
6Oua oomao Of all eork OF wAae sol
like 60 eaG &C. Che prepssaeio@ asa Gall.
] on nee
f 'tHos came ahis aaonore"
sDt papa eao Ap Russig ewo yeae.
ago and Uhile there got wind Of plo,
% kill the czar. He Wenf with Che ia
I formation to the prince Who was thel
chief q police She plotters sere ar
rested, some OF then executed others
sent to Siberia@
4 While she spdke the youne oan gis
< toned eagerly and when she finished
\ muttered TO himself, ''NoR z pndel.
stand why this is 60 bs done and why
NJ. Portier's life is not to be considered
any more than that of the prince
Mile. portier.ss he asked. I'D eihis
l luncheon 60 be . private one-no on
! present escept the prince and scur GO,
ther?"
THAT y my understanding"
will you permit me % belp yoe Wikk
! your preparations
Certainly. VIII yoa bug Che ssuiss
the ices. or 10 the butchers?''
1t you will leave the fruit 60 no
will see that dish containing the rar.
est in the market sball be on the table. .
Very well. 1ou may attend 90
that And she entered on Aer memo
randa. Fruit 60 be bought b. yvan
Kerchoff." Thee risiug she saia 'Now
j must be Or
Mile. Elise"
"Well?"
IA an noe feeling sess vel
Something tells me that 0oeno oisfoe.
tune hangs owe ma"
Poor fellow. Don't ee3 chat Gag.
When we are ne zen 0e fake ehe
bluest giew e things. its the live"
| 10 hope you will understand what
am going to say % soe : sish zoe D.
know that whatever 1appene 3 @nld
lay down my ufs Sbe sons
/ "For me?"
I "Yes: for yoG'
Y "Oh. that's 0 figure % Opeecb"
II mean it. Circumstances mag elise
0hich will force ne % prove a dis
prove it,
Mile. Porler eas epe muco pseoccO
pied with her preparations - notice
the agonized look on the young mans
face A Russian who had made her ac-
| quaintance at soiree given by mu-
tual acquaintance year before. he
had seen much % her and. though she
only suspected it. worshiped her. At a
quarter to l he returned to the house.
called for Mile. PORTER and handed
her dish Of fruit that had been ar
ranged at the fruiterer's. On the apex
of a pyramid was huge orange.
"How tastefully got upr' remarked
the girl II thank you ever so much.''
"PIace it on the table just as it is.'
II will" And. calling servant. she
| gave the order.
"Where are you going to be. made
moiselle. during the luncheon?''
"Oh. | shall remain where can give
orders to the servants. Perhaps after
the discussion is over papa will call
| for me to go in and be introduced to
the prince"
The young man paled.
"Come." she added. ''you must be
| going l have too much to do to en-
tertain you
"Elise." said Ivan. 1t was the first
| time he had addressed her except with
| the prefix mademoiselle: besides. there
was something akin to despair in his
voice. She waited for him to go on.
With an effort he controlled himself.
'If you will permit me I will remain
here till after the luncheon. I wish to
get glimpse of the prince
Certainly. if you wish it. Perhaps
papa may have an opportunity to in
| troduce you to our fellow countryman." :"
The prince arrived and was ushered
by NJ PORTER into the dining room.
Kerchoff walked back and forth in the
hall. from time to time looking at his
watch He was very pale, and there
was look of horror in his eye. This
be partly controlled whenever Elise
came near him.
Where is Mile. Portier?" he asked
after missing her for some time.
I'm the dining room with the prince
and her father
The young man groaned. He stood
with his eyes fixed on his watch. wait
| ing. watching. listening for the girl to
appear. Then as the hands of the time
piece pointed to twenty-five minutes
after he went to the dining room
door. opened 1t. hurried to the table,
seized the orange on the fruit dish and
plucked fuse from it. which he i'm
mersed in a finger bowl filled with wa
ter. Those sitting at the table looked
at him in silent wonder.
'.Mademoiselle." he said to Elise. Il
told you that would die for you. /
have proved my words | am a nihi
list and have been ordered by my chief
here in Paris to use this, opportunity to
kill the prince and your father as well.
Your coming in here is my death war
liant Messieurs. call for the police. /
shall either die by the law or by the
society"
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