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HOME AND FA KM MAGAZINE SECTION SERIAL.
The Secret of the Night By Gaston Leroux
TIIIIII.I.IVU JIISiKIIV STOIIV (IP m SVIIV IXTKICIE IIV OTKD KREXCH Al'THOB.
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
SYNOI'MS OF I'KfcVlOl'S ( IIAI'TKKS.
ViunB Joseph noulatabtlle. ostensibly a
reporter for a Paraiaian newspaper, hut.
In fact, a defective of renown, is called to
Russia by t!ie t'zar to pave the lite ot
Lienors! Trebassof (Keoiior KeudrirovUchl
who has btn-n cnnJemmHl to itoatti by the
Nlhllim. He is received by the tlon
eral's eier-falihful antl eer-wat, -brill who,
.Modnme Treliassof Matreiut i'ctro ina i.
He meets Nau-ha, the General's daughter
hv a pr.'Vtuus mariiae. Vle General is
Bt hi villa, surrounded by a few fatthl'ul
tiiends. Itoulelabille lains of t lie first two
attt-mpta asaimn the Itfe of the General
front Waiiame Trebassnf. One of Koulet
ahille's flrft actions Is to dismiss thg seeret
polite nuarUli.K tlie villa, Houletabllle
nears of the third -attenuipt on the Gen
eral's life, hy means of a clockwork bomb
set in a vase of flowers on lib table. It
was frustrated bv Maitame TrebasRof, who
was slUhtlv inlured by the explosion. The
detective Ifxirns that Natcha is In love
wllh Bcrls, but also is very frrendJy to
wards MidiS'-l. He learns the secret of
the nitrlit the terrible nightmares that are
experienced by the aged General. Natacha
fs suspected of complicity In the plots
afininst the life of the Gcnernl. but Kou-
letabllle stoutly atllrms nis belter in ner
inno'nce. Though a great warning tells
Koulet'iMlle that his ward, tho General,
will be dead In 48 hours, the detective suk-
ests a promenade by the sea. unattended.
Natacha absents herself during the prom
enade on slight cause. v
THE transparence of the iky and the
transparence ot the null blended
their two unrealities bo that one could
not note here the horizons met.
Roiiletnbllle looked at the view and
looked at the General, and in all his young
vibrating soul there was a sense of Infinite
sadness, for he recalled those terrible words
In the night: "They have ione Into all
the comers of the Russian land, and they
have not found a single corner of that land
where there are not moanlnes." "Well,"
thought he, "they have not come into this
t-orner, apparently. I don't know anything
lovelier or happier In the world." No, no,
llouletnhille, they have not come here. In
every country there is a corner of happy
life, which the poor are ashamed to
approach, which they know nothing of,
and ot which merely the sight would turn
famished mothers enraged, with their thin
bosoms, and, if it is not more beautiful
than that, certainly no part of the earth is
made so atrouioua to live in for some, nur
bo happy lor others as in this Scythian
country, tho boreal country of the world."
.Meanwhile tho little group about the
Generals rollius-chair had attracted at
tention. Some passer-by saluted, and the
news spread quickly that General Trebassof
had come for a promenade to "the Point."
Heads turned as carriages passed. The
General, noticing how much excitement
his presence produced, begged Matrena
Petrovna to push his chair into an adjacent
bypath, behind a shield of trees, where lie
would be able to enjoy the spectacle in
peace.
He was found, nevertheless, by Koupralne,
the chief of police, who was looking for
him. Ho had gone to the dntclia and been
told there that the Qenerul. accompanied
by his friends and the young Frenchman,
had gone for a turn along the gulf. Kou
pralne had left his carriage at the datcha,
and tnkeit the shortest routo after them.
Ha was a fine man, large, solid, clear
eyed. Ills uniform showed his fine build
to advantage. He was generally liked in
fcit. Petersburg, where his martini bearing
and his well-known bravery had glveu him
a sort of popularity in society, which, on
the other hand, had great disdain for
Qomisovskl, the head of the secret police,
who was known to be capable of anything
underhanded, .and had been accused of some
times playing into the hands of the Nihilists,
whom ho disguised as agentB-provocatetus,
without anybody really doubting it, and he
had to fight against these widespread po
litical suspicions.
Well-Informed men declared that the
death of tho previous "prime minister," who
had been blown up before Varsovle station
when he was on his way to the Tsar at
I'etcrhof, was Gounsovskl's work and that
In tills he was the Instrument of the party
at court which had sworn the death of tho
minister which Inconvenienced it. On the
other hand, everyone regarded Koupriane
as Incapable of participating in any such
horrors and that ho contented himself with
honest performance of his obvious duties,
confining himself to ridding the Btreets of
Its troublesome elements, and sending to
Siberia as many as ho could of the hot
heads, without lowering himself to tho com
promises which, more than once, had given
grounds for Hie enemies of the empire to
maintain that it was difficult to say whether
the chiefs of the Russian, police played tho
part of the law or that of tho revolutionary
party, even that the police had been at the
end of a certain time of such mixed pro
cedure hardly ablo to decide themselves
which they did.
This afternoon Koupiinne appeared very
nervous. Ha pnid his compliments to tho
General, grumbled at his Imprudence,
praised him for his bravery, and then at
once picked out Iiouletabille, whom he took
aside to talk to.
"l'ou have sent my men back to me,"
said ho to the young reporter. "You under
stand that I do not allow that. They are
furious, and quite rightly. You have given
publicly as explanation of their departure
a departure which has naturally aston
ished, stupefied tho GeneralB friends the
suspicion of their possible participation in
the 'last attack. That Is abominable, and 1
will not permit It. My men have not been
trained in the methods of Gounsovski, and
It does them a cruel injury, which I resent,
for tluit matter, personally, to treat them
this way. But let that go, as a matter ot
sentiment, and return to the simple fact
Itself, which proves your excessive im
prudence, not to say more, and which In
volves you, you alone, In a responsibility of
which you certainly have not measured the
Importance. All In all. I consider that you
have strangely abused the complete author
ity that 1 gave you upon the Emperor's
orders. When I learned w hat you had done
I went to find the Tsar, as was my duty,
and told him the whole thing. He was more
astoniHliod than can be expressed. He di
rected me to go myself to find out just how
things were and to furnish the General the
guard you had removed. 1 arrive at the
isles and not only find the villa open like
a mill where anyone may enter, but I am
informed, and then I see, that the General
is promenading in the midst of the crowd,
at the mercy of the first miserable ven
turer. Monsieur Iiouletabille. I am not
satisfied. The Tsar is not satisfied. And,
within an hour, my men will return to as
sume their guard at the datcha."
Rouletabllle listened to the end. Xo one
ever had spoken to him In that tone, lie
was red. and as ready to burst as a child's
balloon blown too hard. He said:
"And I will tako the train this evening."
"You will go?"
"Ves, and you can guard your General all
alone. I have had enough of it. Ah, you
arc not satisfied! Ah, the Tsar is not satis
fied! It is too bad. No more of it for me.
Monsieur; I am not satisfied, and I say
good-evening to you. Only do not forget
to send me from here every three or four
days a letter which will keep me Informed
of the health of the General, whom I love
dearly. 1 will offer up a little prayer for
him."
Thereupon 'he was silent, for he caught
the glance of Matrena Petrovna, a glance
so desolated, so Imploring, so desperate,
that the poor woman inspired him anew
with great pity. Natacha had not returned.
What was the younisgirl doing at that mo
ment? If Matrena really loved Natacha
she must be suffering atrociously. Kou
priane spoke: Roulotabille did not hear
him, and he had already forgotten his own
anper. His spirit was wrapped la the
mystery.
"Monsieur," Kouprlane finished hy say
ing, tugging his sleeve, "do you hoar me?
1 pray you at least reply to me. I offer all
possible excuses for speaking to you in that
tone. I reiterate them. I ask your pardon.
1 pray you to explain your conduct, which
appeared imprudent to me but which, after
all, should have some reason. I have to ex
plain to the Emperor, WH1 you tell me?
What ought I to say to liie Emperor?"
"Nothing at all," said Rouletabille. "I
have no explanation to give you or the
Kmperor, or to anyone. You can offer him
my utmost homage and do me the kindness
to vise my passport for this evening."
And he sighed:
"It is too had, for we were just about to
see something interesting."
Kouprlane looked at him. Rouletabllle
had not quitted llalrena Petrovna s eyes,
and her pallor struck Kotiprianc.
"Just a minute," continued the young
man. "I'm sure there is someone who will
miss me that brave woman ihere. Ask
her which she prefers, all your police, or
her dear little domovoi. We are good
friends already. And don't forget to pre
sent my condolences to her when the
terrible moment has come."
It was Kouprianc's turn to be tioubUd.
He coughed and said:
"You believe, then, that the General runs
a great immediate danger?"
"I dn not only believe it, monsienr, I am
sure of It. His death is a matter of hours,
the poor dear man. Before I go I shall not
fall to tell him, so that he can prepare
himself comfortably for the great Journey
and ask pardon of the Lord for the rather
heavy hand he has laid on these poor men
of Presnia."
"Monsieur Rouletabllle, have you discov
ered something?"
"Good Lord, yes. I have discovered some
thing, Monsieur Kouprlane. You don't sup
pose I have como so far to waste ffty time,
do you?"
"Something no one else knows?"
"Yes, Monsieur Koupriane, otherwise I
shouldn't have troubled to feel concerned.
Something I tave not confided to anyone,
not even to nry note-book, because a note
book, you know, a note-book can always be
lost, I Just mention that In case you had
any idea of having me searched before my
departure."
"Oh. Monsienr Rouletabllle'."
"Eh, eh, like the way the police do In
your country: in mine too, for that mRtter.
Yes, that's often enough seen. The police,
furious because they cant hit a clue in
some case that interests them, arrest a
reporter who knows more than they do, In
order to make him talk. But nothing ot
that sort with me monsieur. Ton might
have me taken to your famous 'Terrible
Section,' I'd not open my mouth, not even
hi tho famous rocking-chair, not even un
der the blows of clenched fists."
"Monsieur RouletabiUe, what do you take
us for? You are the guest of the Tsar."
"Ah, I have the word of an honest man.
Very well, I will treat you as an honest
man. I will tell you what I have discov
ered. I don't wish through any false pride
to knep you In darkness about something
which may perhaps I say perhaps permit
you to save the General."
"Tell, me. ' I am listening."
"Uut.it is perfectly understood that once
I havo told you this you will give me my
passport and allow me to depart?"
"You feel that you couldn't possibly," in
quired Koupriane, more and more troubled,
and after a moment of hesitation, "you
couldn't possloly tell me that and yet re
mit In?"
"No, monsieur. From the moment you
plnee mo under the necessity of explaining
each of my movements and each of my
.acta, I prefer to go and leave to you that
'responsibility' of which you spoke Just now,
my dear Monsieur Koupriane."
Astonished and disquieted by this long
coiiYcrsa).i,on- between Itbuletabille aml the
Head of Police, Matrena Petrovna continu
ally turned upon thein her anguished glance,
which always insensibly softened as it
tested on KoulctaoiUe. Koupriane read
there all the hope that the brave woman
had in the young reporter, and he read also
In Rouletabille's eye all the extraordinary
confidence that the mere boy had in him
self. As a last consideration had he not al
leady something in iiand in circumstances
where all the police of the world had ad
mitted themselves vanquished? Koupriane
pressed Rouletabille's hand and said just
one word to him:
"Remain."
Having saluted the General and Matrena
affectionately, and a group of friends in
one eourteous sweep, he departed, with
thoughtful brow.
During all this time the General, en
chanted with the promenade, told stories of
the Caucasus to his friends, believing him
self young again and re-living his nights
as sub-lieutenant at Tiflis. As to Natacha,
no one had seen her. They retraced the
way to the villa along deserted by-paths.
Koupriane' g call .made occasion for Athanaee
Clcorgevitch and Thaddeus.'and the two of
ficers also, to say that he was the only
honest man in all the Russian police, and
that Matrena Petrovna was a great woman
to have dared rid herself of the entire clique
of agents, who are often more revolution
ary than the Nihilists themselves. Thus
they arrived at the datcha.
The General inquired for Natacha, not
understanding why she had left him thus
during his first venture out. The schwitzar
replied that the young mistress had re
turned to the house and had left again
about a quarter of an hour later, taking the
way that the party had gone on their prom
enade, and he had not seen her since.
Boris spoke up:
"She must have passed on the other side '
of the carriages while we were behind the
trees. General, and not seeing us she has
gone on her way, making the round of the
island, over as far as the Barque."
The explanation seemed the most plausi
ble one.
"Has anyone else been here?" demanded
fatrena, forcing her voice to be calm.
Rouletabllle saw her band tremble on the
handle of the rolling-chair, which she had
not quitted for a second during all -the
promenade, refusing aid from the officers,
the friends, and even from RouletablHu.
"First there came the Head of Police,
who told me he would go and find you,
Barinia, and right after, His Excellency
the Marshal of the Court. His Excellency
will return, although he is very pressed for
time, before he takes the train at 7 o'clock
for Krasnoie-Coelo."
All this had been said In Russian, natural
ly, but Matrena translated the words ot the
schwitzar into French In a low voice for
Rouletabllle, who was near her.. The Gen
eral during this time had taken Rouleta
bllle s hand and pressed it affectionately.
as if, in that mute way, to thank him for
all the young man had done for them.
Feodor himself also had confidence, and ha
was grateful for the freer air that he was
being allowed to breathe. It seemed to him'
that he was emerging from prison Never
theless, as tho promenade had been a little
fatiguing, Matrena ordered hiln to go and
rest immediately. Athanasc and Tliaddeua
took their leave. The two officers were al
ready at the end of the garden, talking
coldly, and almost confronting one another;
like wooden soldiers. Without doubt they;
were arranging the conditions of an en-
counter to settlo their little difference at
once.
The schwitzar gathered the General Into
his great arms and carried him into the
veranda. Feodor demanded five minutes'
respite before be was taken upstairs to his
chamber. Matrena Petrovna had a light
luncheon brought at his request. In truth,
the good woman trembled with impatience
and hardly dared move without consulting
Rouletabille's face. While the General
talked with Ermolal, who passed him his
tea, Rouletabllle made a sign to Matrena
that she understood at once. She joined
the young- man In the drawing-room.
"Madame," he said rapidly, in a low voice,
"you must go at once to ee what has hap
pened there."
He pointed to the dining-room.
"Very well."
It was pitiful to watch her.
"Go, madame, with courage." ;
"Why don't you eome with me?"
"Because, madame, I have something to
do elsewhere. Give me the keys of the net
floor."
"No, no. What for?"
"Not a second's delay, for the love of
Heaven. Do what I tell you on your side,
and let me do mine. The keys! Come, the)
keys!"
He snatched them rather than took them,
and pointed a last time to the dining-room
with a gesture so commanding that she did
not hesitate further. She entered the
dining-room, shaking, while he bounded to
the upper floor. He was not long. He took
only time to open the doors, throw a glance
Into the General's chamber, a single glance,
and to return, letting a cry of joy escape
him, borrowed from his new and very
limited accomplishment of Russian, "Cara
cho!" fTo Be Continued.)
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