The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-08-06

SIDE ner IN ner DOx.
II have so much wished to see you.
she was saying. 1T has troubled me
not a little to think that after the serv-
ices you rendered to both my husband
and myself no adequate explanation
was eve made you Of what must have
seemed ingratitude on our part In not
taking the necessary steps to prevent a
repetition Of the attacks upon us by
those two men,"
You wrong me-" replied Tarzan.
MY thoughts Of you have been only
the most pleasant. You must not feel
that any explanation is due me. Have
they annoyed you further?"
They never cease" she replied sad
ly. Il feel that | must tell some one.
and l do not know another who so de-
serves an explanation as you. YOu
must permit me to do so. 1t may be
Of service to you. for l know Nikolas
Rokof quite well enough to be posi-
tive that you have not seen the last OF
him. He will find some means to be
revenged upon you. | cannot tell you
here. but tomorrow l shall be at home
to NJ. Tarzan at s."
1T will be an eternity until tomor-
row at s. he said as he babe her good
night.
From a corner of the theater Rokof
and Paulvitch saw NJ. TarZan in the
box of the Countess de Coude, and
both men smiled.
At 4:30 the following afternoon a
swarthy. bearded man rang the bell at
the servants entrance OF the palace of
the Count de Coude. The footman who
opened the door raised his eyebrows in
recognition as he saw who stood with
out. A low conversation passed be-
tween the +wO.
At first rhe footman demurred from
some proposition that the bearded n
made, but an instant later something
passed from the hand Of the caller to
the hand Of the servant. Then the lat
ter turned and led the visitor by Il
roundabout way to a little curtained
alcove off the apartment in which the
countess was won to serve tea Of an
afternoon.
A half hour later TarZan "a usher
ed into the room. and presently his
hostess entered. smiling. and with out
stretched hands.
For Il few moments they spoke of
the opera. of the topics that We're then
occupying the attention Of Paris. of the
pleasure of renewing their brief ac-
Quaintance which had had its inception
under such odd circumstances. and this
brought them to the subject that was
uppermoSt in the minds Of both.
You must have wondered" said the
countess finally. what the object OF
ROkoff'S persecution could be. 1t is
very simple. The is %intrusted
with many Of the vital secrets Of the
ministry Of va. He often has in his
possession papers that foreign powers
would give a fortune to poSSesS-Se-
cretS of state that their agents would
commit murder and worse than mur.
der TO learn.
There is such a matter now in his
possession that would make the fame
and fortune Of any Russian who could
divulge it to his government ROkOtf
and PaulVitch are Russian spies. They
will stop at nothing TO procure this in
formation. The affair on the liner-l
mean the matter of the card game
was for the purpose of Matchmaking
the knowledge they seek from my huS-
band.
Had he been convicted Of cheating
at cards his career would have been
blighted. He would nave had to leave
the war department. He would have
been socially ostraciZed. They intend
ed to hold this club Over him-the price
of an avOwal on their part that the
count was but the victim of the plot
of enemies who wished to besmirch his
name vas to have been the papers
they seek.
You thwarted them in this. Then
my reputation was to be the price in.
stead Of the counts. Was it not too
horrible: But | happened to know
something of NJ. Paulvitch that would
send him to the gallows in Russia if
it were known by the police OF st. Pc
t%ersburg. | dared him to carry out his
plGa and then | leaned toward him
ana whispered a name in his ear. Like
that" she snapped her fingers
he flew at my throat as q mailman.
He would have killed me had you not
interfered."
The brutes." muttered TarZan.
why do you not turn the scoundrels
over to the authorities? They should
make quick work of them
She hcsitated for a moment before
replying.
There are two reasons she said
finally. lone Of them it is that keeps
the count from doing that very thing
The other. my real reason for fearing
to expose them. I have never told
only RokOf and | know it. | wonder
why 1t is that | want to tell you the
thing that | have not dared tell even
to my husband. | believe tnat you
would understand and that you could
tell me the right course to follow. |
believe that you would not judge me
too harshly."
Il fear that | should prove a very
poor judge. madame" Tarzan replied.
$50. 80 y,, hoI Ion, o.;I%. 80 ,o,l,r