Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-03-27

cinded not to say anything about hav.
ing been i'll. 1t occurred to me that |
had better change my quarters. and
after Il few days | said to her that !
thought | had trespassed upon her
kindness quite long enough and |
would go and visit several pensions. of
which | had a list. with a view to
moving.
| was much surprised at the troubled
look that came owe her face at my an
nouncement, She asked what she. had
done to offend me. and when | replied
that she had done nothing she said that
| must not think of leaving her till l
left st. Petersburg. She seemed so
averse to my going that | told her l
would remain awhile longer. She asked
how long. and | put her off by replying
a week or two, perhaps longer. This
seemed to satisfy her. and | thought l
saw her draw a sigh of relief.
One morning Catherine did not ap-
pear ut breakfast. At this meal, though
it was a light one, she was very regu-
lar, and l was somewhat surprised. |
went to her room and knocked. Re
ceiving no reply, | opened the door.
The bed had not been slept in. but the
chamber was d%isarranged. as though
the occupant had left it hastily. l
asked the servants where was their
mistress. They knew no more than l.
and they die not seem to care since
their wages had been paid up to the
end of the present month.
After l had eaten my breakfast l
went to a boudoir adjoining my bed
room to get some money which | kept
in a desk there. Pulling out a drawer.
l came upon a roll Of bills exactly 60
rubles) that | had paid Catherine the
evening before for board and lodging.
Surprised. l pulled out other drawers
and on opening the n in which l kept
my passport found it missing.
l was taken quite aback. l had never
dreaded to lose my money. for If l did
l could get more. but since coming to
Russia ! had not relished the idea of
losing my passport. | questioned the
servants. but they were stupid crea-
lures and could suggest nc explanation.
l felt assured that neither Of them
had taken it. for If they had cared to
take anything they could have had
money.
l i%nvoluntarily turned to Catherine
as the person most likely to have taken
my passport. But why? And why had
she left the money l had paid her in
my desk? ! was all at sea with re-
| gard to the matter. | went to a win
dow and stood looking out. musing.
Knots Of persons were standing about
talking earnestly with mi another, as
though something had happened or
was about to happen. l sent a servant
out to buy a morning journal, but there
was nothing in it Of an unusual ma
ture.
Calling a drosky. 1 drove to the Amer
lean embassy and reported that my
passport had been stolen. The young
man to whom 1 made the statement
all about me that l would tell him and
told me that be would send me a pa
per to take the passports place. AS
l was about to go away l asked if
anything unusual had happened. he
called me into his Office and. after
shutting the door. said in a low voice
that an attempt had been made the
night before to assassinate a minister
in his bed. but it had proved a failure.
He had only been severely wounded.
When l asked if the assassin had been
caught he said NO"
Catherine did not appear. and after
lunch l went ont and engaged rooms at
a pension. removing my baggage the
same evening. ! left word with the
servants that if their mistress returned
to tell her that l had gone and give her
my address. l was terribly uneasy for
several days. | could explain nothing
as to GATHERINGS action and feared
that | had been involved in some mys.
ferrous plot against the government
indeed, she might be connected with
the one to assassinate the minister
A week after GATHERINGS disappear.
ance n morning on arriving and go.
ing to my dresser there lay my pass.
port.
Great h%eavens!" exclaimed. 'Wil
these mysteries cease: Surely
am in danger shall use this docu
ment to get out of Russia as soon as
possible
That very night ! took a train for the
west. When J. reached the border
where the passports are taken from thu
passengers for examination mine wa.
kept a long while. When it was re
turned to me was asked a grear
many questions. Fearing trouble.
gave no more information about m,
story in Russia thar ! could help. ri
nally the officer, handing me the pass
port. left me. and | suspected that tn,
officials fancied that they had seen |
not long before. However. l got ava,
from the cars dominions safely ant
have since had a desire to return
to them.
1t vas a year later when in a stor
on Oxford street in London, standin,
at a glove counter. l happened to loo
up at a lady standing beside me. Sh
loOl.o6 ot mo at tho coma %ipoo Oh