The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-04-15
VI


After the departure of Matrena, Rouleta-
billie turned his attention to the garden.
Neither the marshal of the court nor the
officers were there any longer. The three
men had disappeared. Rouletabille wished
to know at once where they had gone. He
went rapidly to the gate, named the officers
and the marshal to Ermolai. and Ermolai
made a sign that they had passed out.
Even as he spoke he saw the marshars
carriage disappear around a corner of the
road. AS to the two officers, they were
nowhere on the roadway. He was surprised
that the marshal should have gone without
seeing Maizena,, or the general or himself,
and, above all, he was disquieted by the
disappearance Of the orderlies. He gath
cred from the gestures of Ermolai that they
had passed before the lodge only a few
minutes after the marshals departure.
They had gone together. Rouletabille set
himself to follow them, traced their steps
in the soft earth of the roadway and soon
they crossed onto the grass. At this point
the tracks through the massed ferns became
very difficult to follow. He hurried along,
bending close to the ground over such
traces as he could see, which continually
led him astray, but which conducted him
finally to the thing that he sought. A noise
OF voices made him raise his head and then
throw himself behind a tree. Not twenty
steps from him Natacha and Boris were
having an animated conversation. The
young officer held himself erect directly
in front OF her, frowning and impatient.
Under the uniform cloak that he had
wrapped about him without having both
cred to use the sleeves, which were tossed
UP over his chest, Boris had his arms
crossed. His entire attitude indicated
hauteur, coldness and disdain for what he
was hearing. She talked to him rapidly and
mostly in q low voice. Sometimes a word
in Russian sounded, and then she resumed
her care TO speak low. Finally she ceased,
and Boris, after u short silence, in which
he had seemed to reflect deeply. pronounced
distinctly these words in French, pronounc-
ing them syllable by syllable, as though to
give them additional force:
You ask a frightful thing of me-"
ut is necessary to grant it to me-" said
the young girl with singular energy. You
understand. Boris Alexandrovitch! 1t is
necessary"
Her gaze, after she had glanced penetrat-
ingly all around her and discovered nothing
suspicious, rested tenderly on the young
officer, while she murmured, MY Boris!"
The young man could not resist either the
sweetness of that voice, nor the captivating
charm of that glance. He took the hand
she extended toward him and kissed it pas
sionately. His eyes, fixed on Natacha, pro-
claimed that he granted everything that she
wished and admitted himself vanquished.
Then she said, always with that adorable
gaze upon him, This evening" He replied.
Yes, yes. This evening! This evening"
upon which Natacha withdrew her hand
and made a sign to the officer to leave,
which he promptly obeyed. Natacha re-
manned there still q long time. plunged in
thought. Rouletabille had already taken
the road back to the villa. Matrena Pc
trovna was watching for his return, seated
on the first step of the landing on the
great staircase which ran up from the
veranda, When she saw him she ran to
him. He had already reached the dining
room.
Anyone in the house?' he asked.
"No one. Natacha has not returned,
ana
Your stepdaughter is coming in now.
Ask her where she has been. If she has
seen the orderlies, and if they said they
would return this evening, in case she
answers that she has seen them"
Very well, little domovoi doukh. The
orderlies left without my seeing when they
went"
"Ah,' interrupted Rouletabille, 'before
she arrives, give me all her hatpins."
What"
II say, all her hatpins. Quickly
Matrens ran to Natscha's chamber and
returned with three enormous hatpins with
beautifuliy-cut stones in them.
These are alp"
"rhey are all ! have found. / know she
has two others. She has one on her head,
or two, perhaps; l can't find them.'
take these back where you found theHl."
said the reporter, after g~lancing at them.