River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-12-11
Copyright. 1919, by w. G. Chapman

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ushered into the presence of portly
elderly gentleman. somewhat pomp-
Gus, but with a saving sense of humor
which, together with certain art
/ lessness of nature, attracted Paul.
And so you wish to investigate the
phenomena Of the monk Apollodorus,
young man" he said, when he had
finished reading the letter. Lord
Tresham and l are very old friends,
| dating from the days when he was
first attache at the Russian court l
am sure that / can obtain permission
from his majesty and you have come,
luckily, at precisely the most favor
able time, for his majesty departs for
Nishikoff on Wednesday next, with all
the gentlemen of his court, to ques-
ton his late father concerning an
important matter of foreign policy,
upon whose adoption or rejection,
may say in confidence, grave issues
depend. His majesty is only too anX-
ious to make converts, and anyone for
whom / youch can accompany his
gentlemen"
His voice grew low and he bent for
ward and began speaking earnestly
ut will convert you, my friend" said
Count Gabel 1T is positively the
most wonderful exhibition ever youch-
| safe to man. / knew the late Tsar
Alexander. And since his death,
have seen him at the Nishikoff monas-
tery-seen him, touched his hand,
just as it was in the flesh, and spoken
with him face to face and heard his
! own voice answer me. 1t Is wonder
/ full. Imagine what it means TO us
who have been privileged thus to
learn for surety that death is in truth,
only transition! Imagine what 1t
means to the Tsar to have the aGvant-
! age Of his fathers counsel upon mat
ters of state!"
He suddenly became aware that he
was talking with utter abandon to a
stranger and, sitting up in his chair
resumed his severe manner
Mr. Lane, it will be necessary 10
make use Of a very harmless decep-
ton" he said. you are not mar
ried?"
NO, answered Paul.
Good, Good" exclaimed the iovial
old man Because Of course you must
have some sort of excuse for being
taken to NishikoR. You must be
some relative of mine, for instance
You don't speak Russian? Ha, HIM!
Then you cant be q blood relation.
/ Ha! | have it! You shall pass as
the tiance of my wife's cousin, very
charming lady of royal blood who is
staying with us and Is friend of the
| Tsaritsa. She will. ] am sure, will
ingly accept you in that capacity for
she loves jest She is as convinced as
| in the reality of these phenomena
and SO will you be too. Now you must
send to your hotel for your baggage
and come home with me-
Paul was completely disarmed by
the old counts hospitality. In fact
nothing but strong sense of duty
prevented him from throwing away
the dark lantern and calcium powder
which he had brought in his suitcase.
But he conquered this impulse and at
the end of the day waited upon the
count again, entered the droshky
which was waiting outside his office,
and was whirled away to Gabel's resi-
dence In fashionable part of ST.
Petersburg, where he was warmly wei
coined BY the countess. A few words
of explanation from the count in Rus
sian vastly amused her
"Clothilde will be here in a few
minutes" she said to Paul in English.
But wait. ! myself will go and tell
her that her tiance is expecting her."
And she tripped out OF the ROOM leav-
ing Paul and the count alone.
Clothilde! 1t could not be the
same, unless she were ubiquitous;
| and yet the mere sound of the beloved
name brought up the memory of his
! lost love, and the old Indebtedness
wrapped itself round his heart again
Her name was like music His love
for her was measureless: and, even
though he despised himself for his
weakness. he knew that it was des-
tined to be eternal
Yet Paul was hardly surprised when
she came in, for fate seemed resolved
to link their fortunes together. The
sight of her set his knees to trembling
and heart a-Quiver. She was fairer than
ever in his sight, though more mature;
but with the loss of the first bloom of
youth she had acquired something
which he had never read in her face;
a quality Of womanliness, an awak-
ening of the soul that drew his own
in rapturous responsiveness.
The strangeness of that meeting
filled him with a realization Of the
dramatic nature of the parts tE2y
were to play. He. posing as the in
vestigator. yet pledged to tear the
mask and trappings from the false
monk, and she, the chief aid to the
impostor. were bound to be compan-
ions on that strange journey; vet
neither could denounce the other
since both were equally guilty in de-
ceiving their host and hostess Paul
went forward to meet her
Well how do you like each other?"
inquired the countess amiably. DO
YOU think you can permit Mr.. Lane
to act as your fiance for day, Clio
thilde?"
She raised her eyes for an instant.
IL think l can" she murmured, and
the blood flushed her checks and
then receded leaving them whittier
than ivory In that moment Paul felt
assured that she was not Indifferent