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ing to follow your instructions.”
_ proached the house;
refreshment while you are waiting?”
there,” she said.
: 24 . ‘ oa 7
vis over. Iam no longer your foe.
will understand.” She handed him a ‘paper with an
official seal, ‘and bearing the stamp of the Russian Third
‘What he read was this:
- “Count LaNsKL:.
Waldemar is out of the race. France and Russia have
combined on the Princess Markovitch.
“BovinsKr.”
“Are you satisfied?” ‘the countess said as the colonel
_looked up. 7 :
“Entirely so,’ was the frank reply. “Now I am ‘will-
With a profound bow,
the colonel allowed Chick to conduct him to the library.
, “Now for ‘Nick Carter,”
voice, when she found herself alone with the: count.
said the countess in a low
. “He. is :the cabman, and his anxiety to ascertain the
cause of his friend’s prolonged absence will bring him
to the door presently.” .
And what was the great detective doing all this time?
He was on the cab when the two conspirators ap-
The countess glanced at him sharp-
ly. Nick’returned the glance with a smile.~ The countess
had reason to remember that smile. Her countenance
was dark as she looked away..
As soon as the door had closed upon her form, Nick
descended to the ground, and, opening the door of the
cab, entered, He was out of sight a moment, and then
came out again. Crouching low, he ran arourid the side
of the house. Shortly afterward, another person, who
bore a remarkable resemblance to the disguised detect-'
ive, got out of the cab and mounted to the driver’s seat..
He remained there about five minutes, and then alighting —
to the ground, started for the front door ‘of the house.
The bell brought the countess to the door. ‘
“T left a fare here,” said the cabman in a wheezy voice.
“He said he would not be gone more than ten minutes.
Will you please a him and ask what. his instructions
"now: are?”
“He is very busily engaged,” “replied the countess,
sweetly. ‘Won't you step into the kitchen and have some
: “Don’t care if I do, ma’am,” ‘
alacrity.
He followed the countess, to the library door. -“Go in
“You will find everything you desire.”
said the cabman, with
As he entered she closed the door, ‘and then listened
Read that and ‘you
Return -at-once ‘to St. Petersburg. »
-The Marixburg affair is settled. The daughter of Count’
after dark, but there was a bright moonlight.
NEW NICK.CARTER WEEKLY. 9°,
{
-with all her ears. A moment passed, and then something
of great weight struck the floor.
A cry of agony followed ; then heavy blows drowned
all other sounds. :
The countess, with pale face and beating heart, re-
turned to the living room. : In a tone of intense relief she
said to the count: “Tt is all over. Both of them have
been disposed of. Mrs. Carnes is a jewel. I know her
of old. She has done work for me before and has never
made a botch, She is worth a dozen ordinary men,’
At this moment Chick entered the room. His hair
was disheveled, there was blood on his hands. and his
lips were twitching. Sinking into a chair, he covered
his face with his apron and sobbed convulsively.
The count and countess regarded the false’ servant
stolidly. Presently Chick looked up. “I wart to go
away from here,” he said, shudderingly, in the voice of |
Mrs. Carnes. “If you have any more work of this kind,
' Mrs. Pembroke, you will have to get some one else to
do it.” .
“This is the last, Mary,” replied. the countess, in a con-
ciliatory tone.
shall go to-morrow, if you desire.”
“Very well. And now I'll go back éo our other quar-
ters and pack up. Shall I sée you this evening?” -
“No, we are going to a masked ball.
- the house to-morrow morning and settle with you.”
Chick was dying to ask a question relating: to the
whereabouts of Col. Kowitzky’ s wife, but did not dare to.
“Will you go with the count?” he asked; for want of .
something better to say.
The answer almost made him j jump, “No, ” she said, .
“he i is going with somebody else. You know who”—with
a meaning look.
Chick- nodded his head. The countess thought he .
understood. He did understand.
The cab took the trio away from: the house.. The
count was compelled, much against his desire, to act as
driver.
“As for going away from Vienna, you
I will call at
eres
On reaching the heart of the city, they left the vehicle _
without taking the trouble ‘to tie up the horse. Chick
parted with the deceived‘ conspirators, and, after proceed-
ing. several blocks, turned into a cross street and found
‘his way to Nick’s quarters. It was
Chick
waited a while, and then, leaving a note. for his chief,
hastened to the nearest restaurant.
No one was there.
_His gratification may
erates