The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1916-03-04
HE KNEW
TOO MUCH
By DONALD CHAMBERLIN

lOAl AN ShR ~
expect the palm to be crossed before
they will do their duty, and a favor
costs a great deal more.
There was once a general in Russia
who was intimately connected with
the imperial family. His name was
Alexander RiZenoff. He was a skillful
commander, and to him Russia was
indebted for it's salvation inca certain
war. During this time he was much
troubled by the rascality of officials in
the supply department. He could get
neither food nor ammunition for his
troops because those whose duty 1t
was to provide and forward them were
waiting for those who sold to pay their
commission and those who forwarded
to receive the same pecuniary atten-
ton.
General Rizenoff was a very ener-
getic man. and after his victory de-
termined to bring some of these Off
Gals to justice. He employed secret
agents to trace the causes of the de-
lays that had Inconvenience him, but
when they made their report he found
himself estopped from pursuing the
matter further. His Investigators had
traced the graft to certain grand dukes
who had been getting rich during the
war, and he believed that if he brought
the matter up officially be would prob
ably be sent to Siberia on some trump
ed up charge.
Tho uIJi1tu nnrCnnG know that the
general was aware of their Delinquent
cies, but were not aware what he in
tended doing with the evidence in his
possession. They would have united
in a plan to get rid of him, but his
victories we the enemies of Russia
had made him so popular that they did
not dare to accuse him of any crime.
Meanwhile the general was lionized,
wined and dined by the lofty and
cheered wherever he appeared in pub
lie by the lowly. The loudest in his
praise were those who had come near
thwarting his military successes and
were now hunting for a plan by which
they could seal his lips in case he
should think of exposing their pecula-
lions.
The general was a very good man.
Far from enjoying being feted, he pre-
ferred his rooms in the quarters as
signed him as a commander. He was
essentially a mans man and had very
little to do with women
One evening at a ball at the winter
palace one of the grand dukes told
the general there was a lady present
who desired that he should be present
ed to her. RiZenoff demurred, but the
would be introducer, who was an I'M
Gle to the car. would not be refused.
and he was altogether too powerful to
offend. The general was led up to a
Spanish lady. who looked up at him
with a pair of Madonna-like eyes,,
which seemed to say, 81 I'M the slave
of the warrior who has led his troops
to victory" Women had made open
advances to him. They attacked him
through his vanity and through his
senses. They had all failed. There
was something inexpressibly timid In
this girls admiration, something that
seemed to say: 81 can never aspire to
be noticed by you. l only wish to
bask for a moment In the light of your
glory"
Rizenoff was touched by this wor-
ship of a beautiful girl almost young
enough to be his daughter. He return
ed it by asking her to dance. She
looked up at him with a frightened
glance, as much as to say: This honor
cannot be for such as l. l should not
know how to behave in so exalted a
position as that of your partner"
Nevertheless she danced and with
such grace that others ceased to dance
to watch her. Every movement was
perfect, yet it seemed natural, not Gull
tivated perfection. When the dance
was ended the general led his partner
to one of the little hooks intended for
tete-a-tetes and there spent the rest of
the evening with her.
From that time General Rizenoff
paid his court to this girl and to her
only. Inez Cardena was her name.
Who she was, how she came to be in
vited to a state ball, no one knew. She
did not claim to be noble. She was
too well bred to be of the peasant
class. She was invited to all functions
where General Rizenoff was invited,
for his attentions to her were well
known. On such occasions where she
danced she vas the center of all eyes,
and it soon came to be noted that she
never danced with any one except
Rizenoff. Whether no one else asked
her to dance or whether she consider
ed it such an honor to be chosen by
him that it would be a sacrilege to
dance with any one else did not trans
pire.
One night Rizenoff departed from
the palace of a grand duke where a
ball was in progress in a carriage In
company with Inez Cardena. Shortly
afterward the carriage drove up to the
generals quarters. When the door