Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1913-06-27

cluded not to say anything about hav-
ing been III. II occurred to me that I
had better change my quarters, and
after a few days ! said TO her that I
thought had trespassed upon her
kindness quite long enough and ]
would go and visit several pensions, Of
which I had a list, with a view to
moving.
/ was much surprised az the troubled
look that came over 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
I must not think OF leaving her TIL !
left St. Petersburg. She seemed 80
averse to my going that I told her !
would remain awhile longer. She asked
how long. and | put her on by replying
. week or two, perhaps longer. This
seemed to satisfy her, and | thought |
saw her draw a sigh OF relief.
One morning Catherine did not ap-
pear at breakfast At this meal. though
II was a light one, she was very regu.
lar. and ! was somewhat surprised l
went to her room and Knocked Re
ceiving no reply, | opened the door
The bed had not been slept in. but the
chamber wal ~disarranged, as though
the occupant had left 1t hastily. !
asked the servants where was their
mistress. They knew no more than l.
and they did 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 q boudolr adjoining my bed.
room to get some money which ] kept
In a desk there. Pulling out a drawer,
I came upon a roll Of bills EXACTLY 90
rublesj that | had paid Catherine the
evening before for board and lodging.
Surprised. ] pulled out other drawers
and on opening the one in which | kept
my passport found 1t missing.
/ was taken quite aback. / had never
dreaded to lose my money. for II | 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
lures aud could suggest no explanation.
| felt assured that neither Of them
had taken It, for IF they had cared to
take anything they could have had
money.
! InvoluntarIly turned to Catherine
as the person most likely to have taken
my passport But why7 And why had
she left the money | had paid her 10
my desk7 I was all at sea with re-
gard to the matter. ! went to a win
dow and stood looking ont, musing
Knots Of persons we're standing about
talking earnestly with one another. as
though something had happened or
was about to happen. ] sent a servant
ont to buy a morning journal. but there
was nothing In It of an unusual ma.
ture.
Calling a drosky. I drove to the Amer
lean embassy and reported that my
passport had been stolen. The young
man to whom ! made the statement
took down my name. where I lived and
all about me that ] would tell him and
told me that he would send me q pa
per to hske the passports place. As
| was about to go away | 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 as%sassInate a minister
in his bed, but It had proved a failure.
He had only been severely wounded
When / asked If the assassin had been
caught he said mo"
Catherine did not appear. and after
lunch | went ont and engaged rooms at
a pension, removing my baggage the
same evening, l left word with the
servants that If their mistress returned
to tell her that ! had gone and give her
my address. 1 was terribly uneasy for
several days. l could explain nothing
as to GATHERINGS action and feared
that l had been involved in some mys-
terious plot against the government
indeed, sac might be connected with
the one to assassinate the minister,
A week after GATHERINGS disappear
anc one morning on arriving and go
ing to my dresser there lay my pass
port
Great heavensF' exclaimed. "Win
these mysteries never ceaseI Surely !
am In danger. ] shall use this dOcu
ment to get out Of Russia us soon as
possible"
That very night | took n train for the
west When ! reached the border.
where the passports are taken from the
passengers for examination mine wal
kept a long while. When II was 70
turned to me I was asked a great
many questions Fearing trouble. !
gave no more information about my
story In Russia than I could help. FL
nRlly the officer. handing me the pass
port, left me, and l suspected that the
officials fancied that they had seen II
not long before. However, l got away
from the cars dominions safely and
have never since had a desire to return
to them.
II was a year later when in a store
on Oxford street In London, standing
at a glove counter. ! happened to look
I'D at a lady standing beside me. She