Tombstone epitaph., 1915-05-09

O.cfcame We suspicious. I ventured to approach the tsars confidential chamberlain at an interval between the dances, and to sound him delicately on the subject. His reply was characteristic of his na- tion and government.
 My dear baron be said sharply. there ;s nothing so detestab!e as court gossip. It is most annoying to his majesty to have his late fathers name connected with the wanderings of a moon-struCk boy Take my advice, and dismiss the affair from your mind
 His manner convinced me that more importance was attached to the incident than he pretended. However, feigned to be perfectly satisfied. and returned to the grand duchess. who was anxious to know whether her robe would have been approved in Paris. But the hour agreed on for the rendez- yous was approaching, and had 10 make the best excuse I could think of 10 tear myself away from the imperial lady.
 Boris met me. as We had arranged, in small passage leading out of the anteroom. and We made our way unob- served up back staircase into the ia nous haunted gallery. The page on duty was just leaving as We arrived.
 "I had come armed with my re yolver. which I had loaded carefully with my own hands. took advantage of the interval, while we were waiting for the approach Of the apparition. to make my companion provide himself with a similar weapon out of the pages room. Lest our presence in the gal iery should serve as a warning to the mysterious visitor and prevent his ap. proach. We concealed ourselves in this room. which was plunged in profound darkness.
 Half an hour passed In this way. without anything occurring. l began 10 grow impatient, and 10 accuse Boris in my own mind of having invented some fable. But when hinted this to him he became so indignant that l was NOAA AA SPAAV NA HI S'.as Nc " lieve that the boy had really some grounds for his story.
 At last, tired Of this useless per, formance. I, rose from my seat and moved cautiously out into the gallery, glanced up and down it without per, ceiying anything in the least resemb, ling the figure of the previous night. All at once. however. did see some, thing which caused my heart to give a great bound. Looking at the far end of the gallery, where the deserted apartments of which Boris had told ceiyed q faint glow of light along the floor
 Instantly I turned to the threshold of the room in which I had left the young prince. and beckoned to him to come out into the gallery. He saw by my manner that l had made some i'm portant discovery. and obeyed my ges. ture with shaking limbs. No sooner had he emerged from the doorway, and followed with his eyes the direc' ton in which I pointed, than he gave a great gasp of terror.
 "'The deserted suite.' he exclaimed in hoarse whisper. There has never been a light there in all the years that l have known this part of the palace,
 q nodded my head.
 Tt is what I expected you to tell me- l whispered back.
 "'But what is to be done?' he mur mured. Shall summon the guards or inform volevitch. of the secret DO | liceT T considered well before answering One of those subtle munitions which are horn of a long experience in secre, | politics warned me that l stood on the threshold of some discovery of no or dinary kind. one which 1 might per haps regret having to share with the secret police. and which, for many req sons, 1t might be better that Boris him self should net be made acquainted with.
 | No 1 said at last, we have nc right to act precipitateiy. Whatever we may suspect, we as yet know noth ing that would warrant Us In commuui eating uith tho aufhar,fieS As fhe