| Show the bady and the emperor letters from st petersburg dated july give an account of the following very mysterious occurrence towards the middle of last month says the writer the arrival of the hon aroble mr R 1 an englishman of high connections and great wealth who was accompanied i e by his wife and her sister lady helen B t promised to give great to the season since since it had been announced that the honorable gentleman had come for the purpose of giving a round of fetes for the magnificence of which he is so justly renowned in england in due time mr R 1 was presented to the emperor who wh 0 on first seeing lady helen seemed so much struck by her grace and beauty that he bestowed upon her those ve very T y pointed attentions which not alone are a mart mark of respect but also of a more fervid feeling festivities soon commenced and it was remarked that his majesty went with more zeal into these enjoyments enjoy ments but rarely stayed any length of time unless lady helen was present when he would remain longer than even the most liberal observance of etiquette warranted about a week ago july 13 a state ball was given at the palace mr RL R L 1 1 and his ladies were invited and soon after eleven repaired to the gorgeously decorated saloons mr R 1 who had observed the singular conduct of the emperor towards his sister in law had announced his departure on the day following for although from the well established moral excellence of his majesty he could harbor no feelings of distrust towards him in regard to lady helen he found it necessary to silence the reports which seemed rapidly to be gaining ground their presence at the ball was their last appearance in the saloons of royalty thereby rendering the event more interesting the bin emperor eror is a fine man a as fine a one as yo you u can pie pick t u up p during a days walk i in n any quarter of vie the globe buts but on this night h he 10 looked ked really main magnificent as leading the austrian ambassador he entered the si saloons when the crowd fell back t to 0 1 give I way to the mighty one As he passed lai lady helen ve elen W who 0 was leaning on the arm of the young 0 scheff he gave her a look so full of mean meaning ing i as to cause her face to be suffused with blushes on he went the diamond decked multitude blocking up the passage which had just been formed for him eager to catch one more sight of him who reigns supremely over fifty millions of his fellow men and whose will at home has never yet been questioned it was shortly after midnight when mr E R 1 after having been in search of his fair sister inlaw i in law was accosted by prince scheff who asked him why lady helen hadlett had left sosoon so soon left so 80 soon inquired mr B R 1 why where f can she have gone to alone 55 you sent a message to hera her replied the prince requiring her to return home at once and that you would soon follow she seemed disappointed but left since you wished it when where here vy gasped i I 1 mr B X 4 1 scarcely able bomaster to master his agitation 1 I 1 saw her cross the perspective rejoined the prince who had handed her to the carriage mr lif R 1 heard no more hastening down tho magnificent nt marble steps of the Pala cehe reached the square where several officers of the guard stood in close conversation holding their chargers by the bridle vaulting into the saddle of one to the infinite surprise of the owner he rode ventre venire a terre across the perspective where on reaching the corner of the promenade he saw a coach c rive drive swiftly y do down wn the street after halting a moment to pi pick 7 ck up a tall figure enveloped in a large military cloak A few fer moments sufficed for mr R 1 to over overtake tako the coach and forcing the blinds down he saw his sister in law before him in company with the tall person before alluded to whose face however was entirely covered by the collat collar of his cloak pull up shouted mr R 1 to the coachman but whether bother deaf or not the fellow paid paid not the slightest attention to the command pull up or ill shoot you again cried mr R 1 at the same time drawing a pistol from the holsters again no answer presently the inmates of the coach which went along at f furious uri speed heard the report of a pistol succeeded by a heavy fall the horses no longer lashed came to a stand still and the next instant mr R 1 tore open the coach door and handed out his sister in law who are you sir he asked of the tall person who had remained motionless but now left the coach by the opposite door there was no answer but a shrill cry such as is only heard in the wilderness of russia and in the deserts of the bedouins Bedou ins it was instantly repeated from various quarters whence squadrons of horse and leaders of police came to the spot A scene of indescribable confusion ensued mr R 1 who had seized the Ty mysterious stranger was in the act of pounding him to his hearts content when he felt hi himself m seized from behind and a dee deep voice voice whispering in his ear beware at tle the same moment a rush was made by the military towards the spot where mr R 1 and the tall stranger were standing they were separated and the englis englishman man saw his opponent no more lady helen elen on being asked could not give any clue as to who he was since he had only just before the rescue by mr R 1 enter edthe coach and had not exchanged a single word with her it was remarked by those who were present at the imperial ball that night that the emperor was absent for more than an hour from the scene of festivity fes festivity tivit when at last he re appears he seemed confused U used and excited the news of the attempted abduction of lady helen had also aso meanwhile mean while reached the saloon and was received by his majesty with a coldness which ill compared with the feeling that he had theretofore evinced towards her early on ing morning mr R 1 made a formal complaint through his ambassador but although every assistance was promised the affair was shrouded in too deep a mystery for even the petersburg police and no traci trace of the offender could be discovered mr R 1 and his fair compagnoni compagno ns de voyage left petersburg and have returned to england p |
