The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1913-01-31

ter, where. In a bedroom on the fifth
floor. they found the body Of a young
woman stabbed to the heart. On a
piece OF paper pinned to her dress the
folio wing lines were scrubbed in pen
ell:
This woman. n wretched spy In the en-
ploy OF the Russian police. has for q long
time past watched young men and girls
studying at the Paris universities. Two
girls who recently returned TO Russia
were. on that oma information. ar
rested at the frontier. and have not been
heard OF since. There are. W. know. 9TH
or female spies now carrying on their ne
farious work in some OF the French wa
tering places. and their turn will soon
come.
The police are Investigating the affair.
which has created q tremendous sensation
among the Russian students here"
There was a moments silence when
had finished, and then w or three
of the guests remarked that II was a
terrible business. The count remained
silent. He 500 after went 70 bed,
and l followed his example.
The next. morning after breakfast l
sat outside the hotel smoking my
cigarette. The guests were at the
springs or strolling about, while the
countess had gone On one OF her usual
peregrinations. Toward W the count
appeared. and. passing me gave me
one OF his formal mods. | went up to
him.
Pardon me-" | said; II owe you On
apology for in%terrupting you some
what rudely last night: but ] took the
liberty OF stopping you from launching
] into what looked very much like a
diatribe against the Russian authori.
ties. You were apparently not aware
that a political spy was sitting within
a yard Of you"
"A spy" he gasped.
Yes, a spy, In the person OF that
good-looking girl, Mile. Eugene Arco.
So. now. you will perhaps accept my
apology"
M. Guibert," he laughed. Il don't
know whether to challenge you TO
fight or TO ask you to do MI the
honor 10 lunch with me today"
There is no necessity for either"
| replied. II am only too happy to
have rendered you a slight service"
How did you know she vas a spy?'
he asked. Have you any proof?"
No, only strong suspicion. But We
shall now have proofs"
The head waiter was standing at
the door.
Il have not seen Mile. Arco this
morning" I called out to him. 81 hope
che Is not ILL.,"
She has gone away" the man re-
piled. "She left early this morning"
The count looked puzzled. We
walked a little way down the road.
and then ! said:
Il had my doubts about hat girl
from the start: she Is a bungler. a
novice In the business. Fancy her
suspecting me, a native OF Brittany. OF
being a Russian Nihilist! Political
spying Is dirty work: but 81 you do 1t
you must do 1t well or II becomes dan.
gerous, especially to the spy. And
! that is why I tried to knock the fear
into that young creature by reading
out that paragraph last night"
Yes, about those unfortunate girls.
Poor thingsi"
Reserve your pity for another &C.
casion, count ] invented that story"
M. Guibert!" he cried, Il compli.
ment you on your perspicacity. May
I ask what your profession is?"
Il am a commission agent"
Well" he laughed, you would have
made q fine detective"
You are very kind. But for every
body's sake Il will be well not to men
tion this affair"
The count nodded assent.
After the spy incident the count be-
came very friendly and talked freely
to me on many subjects.
The countess undoubtedly neglected
her husband.
Visitors kept pouring in. many Of
them members Of the ~so-called smart
set" I did not like the appearance Of
several OF the newcomers. and / was
glad my cure was drawing to an end.
Then q remarkable incident occurred.
The countess had gone on n OF
her excursions with her male and 10
male followers. the organizer Of the
party. al usual, being Rene Soudier.
Bright, witty. excelling In all sports.
Soud'-r was adored by the women and
popular with the men. except with the
count. The latter disliked him o
daily, and rarely or never spoke 20
him.
The party had left after luncheon,
and was not expected back before z
o'clock. At three In the afternoon. as
I returned from q walk, l saw the
count walking up and down In front
OF the hotel. Something evidently had
gone wrong. The moment he saw me
he gripped my arm and led me to q
secluded spot In the garden.
M. Guibert," he began In an ex-
cited tone which he tried hard to con-
troll: IN. Guibert, you proved yourself
very shrewd when you dealt with that
Russian girl. Allow me to apply to
you for advice. Ny wife's pearl neck
lace has been stolen. Do you mind
accompanying me up-stairsr"
The apartments the count occupied
In the hotel consisted Of a drawing
room, his and his wife's bedroom. and
-. 49, a.