Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
.
Moo NEW NICK CARTER WEEKLY. |
‘gun, The sight of the gun sent a hard look into. Nick’ s
eyes. He took it up and then glanced upward along the
wall.. In one corner the cornice had been cut so.as to
provide an, aperture half a foot square. Under it and
‘resting against the wall was a ladder.” Nick mounted
it and saw that the cornice of the room which now held
the count and countess had been altered, so: that by press-
ing a button a section of the cornite, three or four inches,
would . slide back and permit a view of. the, apartment.
‘The manner of death prepared for him by. the countess
was now clearly apparent.. He was to have been shot
with an air gun from the aperture. -
‘Nick returned to the other apartment, leaving the
door open and taking. a. seat so that his eyes could com-
mand a view of the outer door of the room where he .
. had found. the murderous devices.
He had something to
say, and hoped to be able to say it before the arrival of
either friend. or enemy.
“Addressing himself to the count, he began:
of the telegram from London,
Countess Mittinka is an English spy, you do not yet be-
lieve that she has deceived you.
England and Russia ° are in taccdrd as far as a certain
“Tn spite
‘scheme is concerned, in which she has enlisted your co-
operation, has been accepted by you as the truth. Tam
‘going to try to prove to you that it is not the truth.”
“You will find it hard work to do that,” said the count,
“with an indifferent’ expression. 4
“We shall see.
throne of Marixburg.”
The count started. He looked at the countess, who
There was a look
, The scheme is to put some one on the
was making a vain endeavor to speak.
of fear in her eyes. ‘The count observed it and was un-
comfortable.
Nick went on calmly: “The principality is now gov-
erned by a regent whose reign -will cease when ‘the
choice of a ruler is made by the Council. The time for
that choice is near at hand. Russia is willing that the
daughter of Count Waldemar should occupy ‘the throne.
- The Countess Mittinka i is also willing, nay, she is anxious,
that this choice shall be made. But is England favor-
able to the scheme? England,” said Nick,’ slowly, “backs
the countess and is laughing at Russia’s stupidity.”
“Russia’s stupidity ? ?” repeated the count, wonderingly.
“What do you mean?”
“mean that Russia is being hoodwinked.
will not,
princess, The world, excepting England, will believe
that she is the ruler. But the ruler will be quite another
person, the ‘Countess Mittinka, in fact.”
‘which states that the’
Her statement: that .
- Count
Waldemar’s daughter, who is the wife of Col: Kowitzky,
if the countess’ scheme is carried out, be the:
» ° CHAPTER VL
?
THE COUNT PLAYS HIS HAND.”
Count Lanski,, though amazed at Nick Carter’s knowl-
edge, was not shaken in his support of the countess. De-
spite: his predicament, he smiled when the detective
paused, :
Nick was prepared: for the:count’s attitude. “I have
not told you any news,” he said. “T know it, “but what .
I said'was simply introductory to something that is un-
known to you. - But first I wish to ask you a question
which you can, without compromising yourself, readily
answer. Is your wife living?”
The count hesitated, looked at the countess ina pe-
culiar manner and then said: “She is dead.”
‘Nick Carter, with quick penetration, arrived at a fact
that had hitherto been out of his calculations.
tation of the count, the quick glance in the. countess’ di-
rection, the, answer that at last came, all conspired | to
The hesi- ,
reveal a secret that rounded off the story he had’ con:
structed partly by. shrewd ‘guesswork, partly by the aid
of facts and masterly deductions. It was, therefore, with
an access of confidencé that he resumed his statement.
“You have lied,” he said, quietly.
dead. She is here in this room. You married sisters,
. Your first wife is dead. Your second wife is the
countess.”
The count’s’ face flushed, But the color quickly re-
ceded, leaving it pale as ashes.
ejaculated. “If I had only known that you were so well
“Your wife is not.
“Curse you!” he hoarsely.
informed, I would have killed you When you entered this
room.’
“And had reason afterward to be sorry for the action.
In time you would have learned the truth, and then re-.
gretted that you did not kill the countess instead of the
detective: Listen and I will tell you the whole story
of the scheme which was meant to dishonor you and
add tothe power and wealth of the countess. Some
years ago Mrs. Pembroke, who’ now calls herself. the |
Countess Mittinka, saw the wife of Col. Kowitzky: and.
noticed ‘the resemblance to herself.
“She thought nothing of the matter at the time, but
“when, in her capacity ‘of spy for the English . Govern-
ment, she learnéd that there was a vacancy on the throne |
_of Marixburg, and that the - ‘logical candidate for the
princess-ship was the daughter of Count Waldemar, her
. scheming brain at once began to work.
How easy it would be, to .
increase the resemblance, by artificial means,'so that she
“She had been an actress.
could carry out her purpose. How easy, in fact, would
it be to pass herself off as Waldemar’s daughter.
“All she had to do was to separate Col. Kowitzky from
his wife, then imprison the one and kill the other. In-
terference on the part of Count Waldemar need not be
feared, for he was insane and under confinement.
“As there Were other candidates for the throne of