Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-07-08

envoy of a foreign power, my person
is inviolable, and | can therefore af-
ford to risk an indiscretion.
"'Remain here, | beg of you, while
| go forward and effect an entrance
into the apartment from which that
light proceeds. Should not return by
the end of fifteen minutes, | authorize
you to go to NJ Velovitch and inform
him of the affair
THE lad was at first disposed to be
indignant at my thus proposing to ex-
clude him from the perils of the en-
terprise. But by dint of an appeal to
the authority of his beloved mother,
succeeded at length in winning his
consent to the plan | had suggested.
THE light | had observed streamed
out under an ancient and massive
door, set in a deep stone arch at the
extreme end of the passage.
Il laid my fingers on the oaken
handle, and turned it with infinite deli
cacy and slowness. AS soon as it
ceased to revolve under the pressure
of my hand. | gave a gentle push to
the door. To my delight it yielded. l
gave another push equally slight, and
the door responded with horrible
grating sound. Further concealment
was useless; l boldly flung the door
open. and stepped through.
THE first glance was sufficient to
tell me that | had merely gained an
ante-chamber, forming a sort OF gen.
eral approach to the various rooms OF
which the suite was composed. This
anteroom was deserted, but immedi-
ately on the right lay a room Of which
the door was partly open, and from
which proceeded the light that had FL
tered out into the gallery. Hastily
closing the outer door behind me,
made two steps into this inner room.
Never shall forget the thrill, the
absolute stupor of amazement, which
overcame me at what | beheld. There,
half-risen from the chair on which he
had doubtless been seated when
aroused by the creaking of the door,
| saw the very figure which Boris had
described to me, the tall form, the
dark robes, and, above all, the pale
and terrifying countenance Of the mon
arch whose death had cast half Europe
into mourning.
What exclamation ! uttered when
first caught sight of this startling ap-
partition do not recollect. But when
the parsonage before me thrust his
hand into his pocket and drew out a
revolver, it was impossible for me to
doubt that was dealing with man Of
flesh and blood. Like lightning | pro-
duced my own weapon, which l leveled
at his breast, at the same time ex-
claiming:
"'Hold! l am the envoy of France!
In the name Of the tsar, who are you?
HE lowered his revolver, took
steady look at my features which he
no doubt began to recognize, and re-
piled IN mournful tones:
"I am Alexander ILL.,
"At the same time he sank down
again into his chair, while my pistol
dropped from my hand, and | had to
cling to a table for support.
"'Sire!' was all | could gasp out.
But-but-pardon this intrusion, !
imagined your majesty to be
"Dead? Yes, l know it, he re-
sponded, still in the same melancholy
voice. But sit down. Since you are
here, and chance or fate has put you
into possession of my secret, you had
better know all. Sit down, M. le
Baron, am no longer an emperor.
Il obeyed, still struggling with my
astonishment.
"'First of all tell me by what means
you have penetrated to my hiding
place, in which l imagined myself Sc.
cure from all mankind said the ex'
tsar.
In as few words as possible | re-
lated to his majesty the incidents
which have been telling you. He lis
tened with deep attention.
"'Ah, well. baron. remember you
of old, he remarked, with faint
smile, when l had finished You al
ways had the reputation for worming
out more secrets than any other man
in Europe, and l ought to have fore
seen that it would be necessary to take