The Washington herald., 1915-01-03
Copyright. 1915.

fancy. ana a NtSDeLd dit bcAliN "a
had harassed the government unui II
was fairly beside itself-and all in theh
campaign for the vote.
And while time was being wasted in
futile questions in Parliament. came the
heartIess damage to one OF the most val
uablo pictures in England's treasure
house Of art. the National Gallery.
Finally, in some way to eXpatiatc the
crime that had been committed, the sec
rotary Of a great women's anti-Suhraglst
union announced that her committee was
prcparcd To organize concert at
Albert Hall. the receipts of which should
90 toward paving for the loss. Artists
from all countries. of greatest fame and
talent hastcncd to offer their services.
ROYALTY, too had promised to hC pres
..ut. and public interest was excited 10
fever pitch ny the news that the great
Russian violinist. NJ. SasCha Roronot'
had promised L. come from Moscow,
bringing with him his famous Stradi-
varius violin. valued at G@0".
1t was two days before the concert-and
tho chimes from ST. Martin s-in-the
Fields had just struck midday when
Mr.. Narkom seated in tn" red Limousine.
Swung out of the Strand into Chandos
street and crossed in front of the Ma
fional GALLERY down the steps of which
streamcd an evcr-mOving thrOng of peo-
rlo stiIl eager to see the damaged
nirturc and discuss with one another, or
any stranger willing to listen, their per-
sonal views on the matter.
AZ the car drew up. Mr.. NarkOm, peep
mg fo,th from tho window. gave vent TO
q sigh Of relief as. amid the crowd de
,-rcndju= onto the pavement he deserted
tho figure of his famous ally. looking oN-
coedingIy handsome and well-grOomed.
Gair-hair"d and fair-mustached, his
glossy top hat and woll-cUt coat a credit
able model for any young sprig of fashion.
.'Thcr. hr is. Lennard. Follow him
SLOWLY. and attract his attention without
notice II you can. Steady now-and we
haN" him
They did for almost Immediately the
door. which tn" superintendent had been
wIs,. enough to unlatch in readiness.
flashed open and flashed shut again. and
before YOU could say Jack Robinson"
Tie. limousine Was leaving the corner Of
tho suuar. into Cockspur street. and
'.l,ck smiled srrencly as he looked into
Mr. NarkOm's shining CountcnanCe.
"What have YOU been m to. Cleek?
Airing Yourself in tho square, eh"''
''I'v, been behaving like any one Of the
other mcmhCr> OF tn" dear muddle-head-
cd old uuhIr." asscverated Cloek. He
smiled aTccrionatclv at the man whose
7
'','omr. lots have tho latest case
''W,L IL is pretty tough job this
t.u,." Narkum declared with some show
OF nervous excitement. and though I
dom'I say hut what ynu have unraveled
Things nifty tim's as complicated m the
l., Ginning Cl""k. still, there's a mystcri-
".ls'lo-S about this case. which will make
" S"m,.H hat prominent for one thing.
aud >,ornud,y there is a time limit. for if
i s--F
that wonderful thinking box of yours
im motion. th"ro isn't going to bc any
violin ~"lo AT tho Albert Hall on Wednes-
day. and there isn't going to be any
SaSrhH BOronOff either"
"What's that CIeCk asked. Boron
of got himself killed them"
Not quite so bad as that" admitted
NJ. Narkum.
'Fiddh. suppose. then Stolen.
broken or lost. which,
''Stul"n" threw in the superintendent
vrn emphasis, u suppose. you know all
about this chap BorOEoff.'
oh. hardly that replied CIeek mod
C~JIN but Sascha ROr, non j.. I believe
descended from tn, RussIrn nobility and
music is AS much a part of lis being as
his very hlood-pIayS like one inspired.
when a.. is i'm tn" humor: composed a
-yuphony. TWO Snnatas. and tOnr-pOcm
whirh is to be. rrodured in the summer
n Er~ru. IS young. about thirty-fivc.
rmIua'rr,d and handsome. and has only
one pct uro"ivity. which is that he never
PLAYS except ON his own violin. the IA
mous StradIvarius'
NJ. Narkom fairly jumped with caccr
excitement 'That'S the man. that's tn"
man. YES" exclaimed h", nudding his
j., ad vigorously.
"I .cr. sand Clock. and the srrad
'aluol ar GOO. together with gold
:.a| i,wrI"d case worth nearly as much
a-alu. WAS presented To HIM 10y tho Ameri-
can nation live Years ago on his first ap-
1".arnnrr iu New York. What's become
of I'm" l'r'n.lous thing anvway?''
NJ. Narhom settled himself further into
h's -raI. ''Won. SaS,ha RoronOrI ar
rIN"d at tho II"t,I Royal on Saturday
MOI MIR. wh"ro %, had engaged a suite
"r room on tho first floor overlooking
Tho rN'". With him came the precious
violin and also his a"companist. Mr. Vic
'"r I'Hradrn'-his bosom friend who may
b" said 6" worship, IN" ground BOronoff
r'cads upon. and mo- wonder"
''. twi,rh"d an inTuirinS eyebrow.
"F"r Why said nc hlandly. or don t
you know "''
1T n1rs"u$ THAT ! do Roronon found
niu pIH, W- tU the street ITc rIavs the !
VIOLIN IfI'~ a STYLE. though th,. piano is !
hr~ I'"l instrument. lie was just on the !
= "ul Of starving. Eoronon was driving
hN i'm his rarriaG, when hr heard the |
sound oT srrauiug. and Of course he must |
stop and MAX" iuUurv;-thc poor devil !
Wa- hIu" with ia" cold. nearly faintinC |
~ fact. 8" HOrUnOT picked him up |
1Dd his own coat around him and |
.n.rv him "ff Z" his own room where he !
'"a hmm tended and nursrd through the |
I"ut "i fever which "nSucd. AftCrward. |
nh.'m hn found he could play the piano. |
%" mad" him an offer to accompany him .
'.' whu'-tr,at"d him in fact. like |
BROTHER"
"A fine fellow. a very fine fellow" COM
.''nt"l 'lcvk. What is this Paradinc.
iiussiau"'
No French. think-whyo''
'ph. u0thinC-Iot's hear tho rest, Mr.. |
Narkom. I'm as eager as a cat after
canary. Civ" me- the outline of the case
With as little establishment as you can.
please
We'll. 81. ciaI steel safe was rolled
INTO his room-th" violin and case and |
all tn" j"Woled orders. about half a ton
a. en-. think. wcrc placed inside and
Ih" door locked up and sealed. by Boron
IN himself and with his own seal too
W hat wa more man was placed on
duty outside the door. This morning. iii
You please. the man was found with
his throat cut The safe was absolutely
intact seals and all. but the violin. case
and jewrls-vaniShed"
'teck pursod up his Iips-'Hum-Iooks
p hit hshy altogether doesn't il? Man
irad-safc presumably untouched-snd
the goods missing. Strange, isn't il. all
this fuss over n violin and so little at
iention to the fact that a poor fellow