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Article PRINCE BOLTIKOFF: ← Page 4 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Prince Boltikoff:
walked down the road to meet him on his return . He had had three hours to do the journey there and back , but half-past six came , and with it no prince . Seven—still he did not appear . What had happened ? He must have
lost his way . It was quite dark , and rather cold . At half-past seven I sent off two non-commissioned officers in search of him ; at eight I went myselfj and , growing more and more concerned , walked on to Silverburn .
Yes ; a person answering to the description of the prince had been seen there . He had taken the train to Yarchester . An extraordinary proceeding : still it accounted for his absence , so somewhat relieved I went home , dined by myself , and went to
bed . I slept late next morning . It was close on ten when I was roused by a familiar voice in the outer room . " What , Randal ! Still in bed !" It was Bob Finch , a brother lieutenant
from head-quarters . " You are to return at once to the regiment , " he said . " I have come to relieve you . " " Hurrah !" " Steady , boy , steady . Read this . Don't
sing out too soon . " It was an official letter from the adjutant , desiring me to hand over my detachment , and report myself forthwith at head-quarters—under arrest . "Bless me ! What ' s up ?" " The colonel ' s furious . He declares
he'll prefer charges , and have you tried by court-martial . " ' < But why , man 1 why 1 " " What on earth induced you to give that sharper letters of introduction to the regiment ? Where , in heaven ' s name , did
you pick him up ?" "The Prince ?" " Ot Darkness . He made nice fools of us all . " I told Bob Finch the story of the raft , at which he laughed a littleadding soon :
, "But its no joke , Randal . He was asked to mess on the strength of your letter to Greycliffe . " " I gave him none . " " He produced one—on paper with your monogram , and in your writing . "
" A forgery . " ' But how could he have done it !" " I left him alone here for an hour or more to write letters . There was one for Messrs . Contts , and another for somebod y ' offski , ' and one" for Seven Dials , of
course , but I would not confess to this . " Well , he dined at mess , en bourgeois . He was travelling , and had left his mails at another stage ; after dinner he got us to baccarat , which he played to a nicety . We were cleaned outevery one of us .
, The prince , however , promised us our revenge . Only the same night—it could have been no one else—he broke into the mess-house , stole three dozen silver forks , a heap of teaspoons , several snuff-boxes , one or two racing-cups—in fact , all the
light portable articles on which he could lay his hands . " I was utterly ashamed of myself for being so easily imposed upon , and was preparing , in pain and humiliation , to proceed to head-quarters , when my sergeant came in and said two warders had arrived from Talkham Convict Prison ! would I see them ?
One came in . " Might I make so bold as to claim your assistance sir ? We have been in pursuit of a convict who escaped from our establishment the day before yesterday . " He produced a large placard headed
with the royal arms . Under them , in flaming capitals , were the words : "Convict just Escaped ! Five Pounds Reward !"
Then followed the discription . "Thomas Twoshoes , alias Polish Ned , alias the Swaggering Sumph , alias Harry Highflyer ; complexion sallow , dark eyes , high cheek-bones , black hair . Speaks with a foreign accent . Was dressed in trousers of patched blanketing and an old check shirt . "
" Well , what can I do ? " I asked a little nervousely . Was I suspected of complicity 3 Doubtless I had lain myself open to the charge of aiding and abetting in the convict ' s escape . "If I can assist you in your search "
" That isn ' t necessary , sir , for we ' ve caught him . " " Caught him ! " cried both Finch and myself in a breath . " He is outside in the custody of Assist-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Prince Boltikoff:
walked down the road to meet him on his return . He had had three hours to do the journey there and back , but half-past six came , and with it no prince . Seven—still he did not appear . What had happened ? He must have
lost his way . It was quite dark , and rather cold . At half-past seven I sent off two non-commissioned officers in search of him ; at eight I went myselfj and , growing more and more concerned , walked on to Silverburn .
Yes ; a person answering to the description of the prince had been seen there . He had taken the train to Yarchester . An extraordinary proceeding : still it accounted for his absence , so somewhat relieved I went home , dined by myself , and went to
bed . I slept late next morning . It was close on ten when I was roused by a familiar voice in the outer room . " What , Randal ! Still in bed !" It was Bob Finch , a brother lieutenant
from head-quarters . " You are to return at once to the regiment , " he said . " I have come to relieve you . " " Hurrah !" " Steady , boy , steady . Read this . Don't
sing out too soon . " It was an official letter from the adjutant , desiring me to hand over my detachment , and report myself forthwith at head-quarters—under arrest . "Bless me ! What ' s up ?" " The colonel ' s furious . He declares
he'll prefer charges , and have you tried by court-martial . " ' < But why , man 1 why 1 " " What on earth induced you to give that sharper letters of introduction to the regiment ? Where , in heaven ' s name , did
you pick him up ?" "The Prince ?" " Ot Darkness . He made nice fools of us all . " I told Bob Finch the story of the raft , at which he laughed a littleadding soon :
, "But its no joke , Randal . He was asked to mess on the strength of your letter to Greycliffe . " " I gave him none . " " He produced one—on paper with your monogram , and in your writing . "
" A forgery . " ' But how could he have done it !" " I left him alone here for an hour or more to write letters . There was one for Messrs . Contts , and another for somebod y ' offski , ' and one" for Seven Dials , of
course , but I would not confess to this . " Well , he dined at mess , en bourgeois . He was travelling , and had left his mails at another stage ; after dinner he got us to baccarat , which he played to a nicety . We were cleaned outevery one of us .
, The prince , however , promised us our revenge . Only the same night—it could have been no one else—he broke into the mess-house , stole three dozen silver forks , a heap of teaspoons , several snuff-boxes , one or two racing-cups—in fact , all the
light portable articles on which he could lay his hands . " I was utterly ashamed of myself for being so easily imposed upon , and was preparing , in pain and humiliation , to proceed to head-quarters , when my sergeant came in and said two warders had arrived from Talkham Convict Prison ! would I see them ?
One came in . " Might I make so bold as to claim your assistance sir ? We have been in pursuit of a convict who escaped from our establishment the day before yesterday . " He produced a large placard headed
with the royal arms . Under them , in flaming capitals , were the words : "Convict just Escaped ! Five Pounds Reward !"
Then followed the discription . "Thomas Twoshoes , alias Polish Ned , alias the Swaggering Sumph , alias Harry Highflyer ; complexion sallow , dark eyes , high cheek-bones , black hair . Speaks with a foreign accent . Was dressed in trousers of patched blanketing and an old check shirt . "
" Well , what can I do ? " I asked a little nervousely . Was I suspected of complicity 3 Doubtless I had lain myself open to the charge of aiding and abetting in the convict ' s escape . "If I can assist you in your search "
" That isn ' t necessary , sir , for we ' ve caught him . " " Caught him ! " cried both Finch and myself in a breath . " He is outside in the custody of Assist-