Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-07-08
FREDERICK COUNTY, MD, THURSDAY JULY g. 1916

Is nOneycOmDed.
while the prince was still hesitat-
ing, he suddenly became aware OF an
unusual sound coming from the far
end of the gallery, where it ended In
the disused apartments | have de-
scrbed The sound appeared to be
that of a door slowly turning on its
hinges. In an instant Boris realized,
or thought he realized, the situation.
The parsonage of the garden had ar
rived in the vacant suite by means or
a secret stairway from the garden
door, and was now about to pass
through into the gallery, with the OBJ
ject, no doubt, of making his way
finally into the imperial corridor
There was not a moment to lose.
Unarmed as he stood there, Boris for
tunately recollected that in the little
chamber, which | have spoken OF as
set apart for the use OF the pages,
there were pair of loaded pistols and
a sword. He darted in through the
open door of the room, snatched Up
the sword and one of the pistols, and
had got back nearly as far as the
threshold, when he was arrested, and
his very limbs were rooted to the
ground, by the sight of the figure
which passed noiselessly along the
corridor outside.
Imagine tall and somber appari-
tion. with long black robes sweeping
H., hon oh n Ilpn
cowl from whose recesses cleaned
out, pallid and spectral in the light OF
the moon, the features OF the dead
monarch, Alexander lll!'
At this point his eXcellency pretend
ed to perceive for the first time the
change which had taken place in the
position of the chessmen.
"Ah! You have moved your king,
he exclaimed, and promptly shifted his
attacking bishop so as to give me
fresh check. Then he returned to the
narrative.
"A moment passed. The first shock
of terror over, the awe-struck page
ventured to the door of the chamber
ghost had disappeared, as suddenly
and as mysteriously as it had come
Were there no other rooms off the
gallery into which it might have
passed." | demanded, not to appear
too credulous.
There were none. The only other
door in this part of the gallery was
that which have already described as
closing off the imperial corridor
"Be sure that | put the same ques-
ton myself when my young friend told
me the story His manner convinced
me that he was not lying, and that he
really believed himself to have seen
the specter he described.
AS you know, am not a believer In
the supernatural. | sought to shake
the boys supersttous state of mind.
"'What you saw was some illusion,
some trick OF the imagination l said
to him.
"IIe shook his head mournfully.
81 am as certain Of what | saw as II
it were before me now he replied. My
mother will tell you that am not sub
ject to idle fancies.
"The princess confirmed this state
ment with a nod of her head.
81 am sure that my son must have
seen something like what he de-
scribes,' she said to me, though 1t Is
evident to me that it must have. been
some living person, masquendlng as
the ghost of the tsar. The question is
for what purpose such a disguise could
have been assumed, and on this point
confess | feel uneasy. What do you
say, my friend?'
Il shook my head
"I fear that the first suspicious OF
Boris were correct replied, and that
the enemies of his majesty have re-
sumed their internal schemes
Both mother and son appeared
struck by this view of the circum-
stances. But Boris was by no means
prepared to abandon his belief in the
supernatural character of what he had
seen.
merely a first visit added, "a recon
noissance, to discover the nature OF
the ground, before introducing some
explosive machine or other, and the
villain may easily have kept himself
out of sight for a few minutes. Doubt
less he returned Immediately, only you
had then left the gallery.
"'But there is an easy way OF put
ting the matter to the proof. If am
right in my suspicious this creature,
whoever he may be, will infallibly re-
turn at the same hour another night
Tonight, on account of the presence OF
everybody at this ball, will be his most
favorable opportunity, as he may con-
tidently expect to find the imperial
suite deserted. l propose to you that
we repair to this little room of yours
together, at the moment when the
page who has replaced you tonight
comes off duty, and if this mysterious
parsonage again presents himself, l
will compel him to disclose his
Identity
Boris welcomed this idea. | could
see that be was secretly ashamed OF
the ridicule which attached to MIN for
his story of ghost-seeing, and that he
was anxious to re-establish his char
acter. The princess was good enough
to express her opinion of my courage
and devotion in terms which it would
not become me to repeat to you. In
the end we arrived at an understand
ing, and departed to the palace to-
gether.
"Throughout the progress of the ball
during which the Grand Duchess
Olga condescended to become my part
In d