Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-02-05

presenting his card he was at once
admitted to Court Gabel's house and
ushered into the presence of portly,
elderly gentleman, somewhat pomp-
Gus, but with 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 | are very old friends,
dating from the days when he was
first attache at the Russian court. !
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
Nishkoff on Wednesday next, with all
the gentlemen Of his court, to ques-
ton his hate 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 | vouch can accompany his
gentlemen
His voice grew low and he bent for
ward and began speaking earnestly.
1T will convert you, my friend said
Count Ga6el. ut Is positively the
most wonderful exhibition ever vouch-
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 1t means to us
who have been privileged thus to
learn for surety that death is in truth
only transition! Imagine what 1t
means tc the Tsar to have the advant-
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 to
make use of very harmless decep-
ton" he said. You are not mar
ried?"
NO answered Paul.
Good, Good" exclaimed the jovial
old man. Because of course you must
have some sort of excuse for being
taken TO Nishkoff You must be
some relative OF mine, for instance.
You don't speak Russian? IIa! HIN!
Then you can't be a blood relation
Ha, | have it! You shall pass as
the fiance 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 a 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 a fashionable part of st.
Petersburg, where he was warmly vel
coined by the countess. A few words
of explanation from the count in Rus
sian vastly amused her,
"Clothlde will be here in a few
minutes" she said to Paul in English
"But wait! | myself will go and tell
her that her fiance 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.
Yet Paul was hardly surprised when
she came In, for fate seemed resolved
to link their fortunes together.
The strangeness of that meeting
filled him with a realization of the
dramatic nature of the parts they
were to play.
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 a day, Clo-
thilde?"
She raised her eyes for an instant.
II think | 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
to him
They found themselves side by side
upon the window seat after dinner,
while the old count snored peacefully
in his chair and the countess knitted,
casting secrets, sly, amiable glances
toward her guests. She had taken
an extraordinary fancy to this young
American. She did not know very
much about Clothilde, who had always
moved in a circle loftier than her
own; but the good souls mind was
filled with matchmaking. If Clothilde
could learn to care for him as
much as he evidently cared for her
1t seemed to be case of love at
} sight Perhaps-well stranger things
had happened. She saw In her mind
the acceptance of Paul as Clothilde's
, lover, the marriage ceremony, the
! bridesmaids, in white, with fragrant