The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-11-25
AN ODD
GROUP
By GRANT, WHEELER

Alan Chandler just before the break
Ing out Of tho revolution intRussia some
years ago went to st. Petersburg now
Pclrograd-on business He had stud
led before going the Russian language
under. Russian instructor and could
converse fairly well in that tongue.
| On The train between the border ana
ST. Petersburg lie fell in with Il young
! l;ussian who on hearing that lie was
an American chatted with him agree
lahly, expressing much interest in the
great American republic.
"Where are you going to stop in st
Petcrshur.!' asked the young Russian,
NO gave his name as Peter Alexan.
drovcll.
~ suppose shall so to 4 hotel until
can find apartments" Alan replied.
IL have rooms in the house Of an Old
lady who is very motlerly and is al
ways attentive to her dodgers wants.
dare she say she may have some va
cant ruams." 't it
Alan jumped ut this chance Of get
ting settled, for he disli;ed hotels and
| was glad to avoid them even tempo.
rarily. He went TO the lodging house
and waited in a reception room while
| AIeSandrovieh interviewed the land
lady. Then lie and the landlady .rcjoin-
cd him. and the latter said that there
were no rooms vacant at the time, but
an occupant was soon Ia go away. IL
meanwhile the American would accept
couple OF rooms Of Alexandrovfch's
suit that be did not need he would be
| welcome to them.
The landlady. Nine Grontsky. was
indeed 4 lnOtlerly woman. Her face
was especially. benevolent; her hair
was white; her features bore the
stamp Of suffering. It, seemed to
Chandler when he looked at her thar
he was gazing upon one Of the Chris.
tan martyrs who had lived nineteen
centuries before He mad only a few
hours acquaintance will. Alexandra.
yich. too short to warrant his trusting
the man. but was SO drawn to Nine.
Groutsky tliat he resolved to accept
the offer for the sake Of efecting an
entrance 20 the old lady's house
There was but ono other roomer in
the house besides tho American and
/ Observation-Disclosures - Pole. Hc
was seldom there. but when lie WIS
there heeand Alexandrovicll were sew
eral times observed by Alan to have
their heads together; Stanislaus was
the person who was expected to va.
cate his rooms. But day after day
passed and lie showed no sign OF do
ing so. ="
Meanwhile Alan was taken Ill. Ile
was so carefully. n,irscd rby Nine.
Groutsky that when. lie recovered he
would not Ieavc1 her on any account.
although there was something mystic
rious about ,Alcxandrovich that excited
his distrust Khan could not discover
that he had any, occupation Hc woul"
be absent sometimes for days. and
when he returned instead, Of imention.-
ing his absence or, any. incident cofl-
nected with it he never referred, to IT.
One day when. Alan returned, from
the transaction Of certain business lie
had on hand he found Nine. Grout-
sky talking with q handsomely dressed
young lady. The girl looked up at
Alan with pair OF eyes which. SO long
as they were Fixed upon him, held him
spellbound. What it was in their dark
dcnths tn make him feel that for their
possessor he would Jump off tire brink
of a cliff he did not know. and yet Ee
| saw her only II few moments While
rassing through q room to the stair
case leading to the second floor.
Not a person Chandler met under
this roof but impressed him. They
were all different. but were all linked
together by somu mystery. The; land.
lady. seemed to be- the guiding spirit.
At least, Alan could not but notice
that they all seemed to lool; up to her
with reverence. Though the sentlest
anon: them. she appeared to be the
strongest.
The girl who had fixed those won
lro,ls eyes on Chandler never came to
the house again. He was minded I"
ask the lnndlady who she was. but
somehow he felt that there was
barrier between him and the others IN
the house thav he was forbidden 10
pass.
Cnc day when he was walking on
the street q police officer tapped him
an the shoulder and directed hin, I"
20 with him. The policeman took HIN
to police station. where sat an officer
ut desk. Pulling out 4 drawer. he
took therefrom a little leathcrn case
ana. opening It. began to look ,fronlsit
to Chandler and vice versa. Presently
he handed the article to Chandler, ask.
ing: ''' - '2.-.7 - en-
rs that Your passport
Chandler. thunderstrucE, said he be-
lieved that It was.
.Yon Americans are very incau'
tions," said the officer.
what do you rncnn:"
IT will show you il you will come
Will, me-" -
lie led the way to 4 sleigh standing
ut the door and mot ohed Chandler 10
enter it. Then they were driven out
of the city to q road ab,n. which
in the distance Il crowd were seen
slowly approaching. When they reach
cd the sleigh Chandler saw that they
"a