Tombstone epitaph., 1915-05-09

envoy of a foreign power. my person Is inyiolable, and l can therefore af- ford to risk an indisCretion.
 Remain here, l 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 I had suggested
 The light I had observed streamed out under an ancient and massive door. set in a deep stone arch at the extreme end of the passage.
 "I laid my fingers on the oaken handle. and turned it with infinite deli caCy and slowness. As soon as it ceased to revolye under the pressure of my hand. l gave a gentle push to the door. To my delight it yielded. I gave another push equally slight, and the door responded with a horrible grating sound. Further concealmeat was useless; boldly flung the door open, and stepped through.
 The first glance was sufficient to tell me that I had merely gained an ante-chamber, forming a sort of gen araI annrOach tn inc yaripuS rDo,Ds of which the suite was composed This anteroom was deserted. but immedi- ately on the right lay a room of which the toor was partly open, and from which proceeded the light that had fil- tered out into the gallery. Hastily closing the outer door behind me. l made two steps into this inner room
 Never shall forget the thrill. the absolute stupor of amazement, which overcame me at what l beheid. There. half-risen from the chair on which he had doubtless been seated when aroused by the creaking of the door, I 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 l do not recollect But when | the parsonage before me thrust his hand into his pocket and drew out d revolver, It was impossible for me to doubt that l was dealing with man Of flesh and blood. Like lightning pro duced my own weapon. which 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 a steady look at my features which he no doubt began to recognize, and re- piled in mournful tones:
 "'I am Alexander III.
 At the same time he sank down again into his chair, while my pistol | dropped from my hand, and I had to cling to a table for support.
 "'Sire.' was all I could gasp out. But-but-pardon this intrusion, l imagined your majesty to be. Dead? Yes, l know It, he re- | sponded, still n 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, NJ le Baron, l am no longer an emperor.
 'I obeyed. still struggling with my | astonishment.
 First of all tell me by what means you have penetrated to my hiding place. Tn which l imagined myself se- ! cure from all mankind, said the ex- tsar.
 Tn as few words as possible l re- lated to his majesty the incidents which l have been telling you. He lis- tened with deep attention. | "Ah, we'll, baron, remember you of old. he remarked, with a faint | smile, when I 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