Paul Patoff

, the landing most convenient for persons coming from the upper part of Pera. They had done everyth

as Paul gave the order to steam to Buyukdere he resolutely turned his back on the eastern shore of the Golden Horn, unable to bear the sight of the buildings so intimately associated with his night's search. He was convinced that his brother was in Stamboul, and he knew that the search in Pera was a mere formality. He knew, also, that to find any one in Stamboul was only possible provided

ed by the ceremony, Paul could have overlooked his brother's departure from the gallery. But not only had Paul failed to notice his going; the kaváss had not observed the lost man's movements any more than Paul himself. It was inconceivable to any one except Paul that Alexander should have been capable of creeping past him and the soldier, on tip-toe, purposely eluding observation; nevertheless, such an action would not be unnatural to his character. He had perhaps conceived a sudden desire

the truth very exactly. Indeed, he was always a truthful man, according to his lights; but had it been necessary to shield his brother's reputation in any way, he would have so arranged his story as not to tell any more of the truth than was necessary. What had occurred was probably more to his own discredit than to Alexander's, and Paul reflected that, on the other hand, the

The bond of blood is a very strong one, and asserts itself in extreme moments with an unsuspected tenacity which works wonders, and which astonishes ourselves. The silken cord is slender, but the hands must be strong that can break it. In spite of all the misery his brother had caused him in boyhood, in spite of the coolness which had existed between them in later years, in spite of the humiliation he had so often suffered in seeing Alexander preferred before him, yet at this moment, when, for a time, the only man who bore

issar,-the devil's stream, as the Turks call it,-and finally ploughing through the rushing waters of Yeni K?j round the point where the Therapia pier juts out into the placid bay of Buyukdere. Paul could see far down the pier the white gates of t

e softened light. He was a gray-headed man, but not old. His keen gray eyes seemed exceedingly alive to every sight presented to them, and the lines on his face were the expression of thought and power rather than of age. He was tall, thin, and soldier-like, extremely courteous in manner and speech, but grave and not inclined to mirth; he belonged to that class of active men in whom the constant exercise of vitality and intelligence appears to prolong life instead of exhausting its force, who possess a constitution in which the body i

o manner could possibly be so effective as that of Count Ananoff, and that in order to cultivate it the utmost attention must be bestowed upon the study of his chief's motives. Himself grave and cautious, he possessed the two main elements noticeable in the character of his model, and to acquire the rest could only be a matter of time. The ambassador noticed the ease with which Paul comprehended his point of view, and fancied that he saw in his secretary a desire to im

, standing before the broad writing-desk at which the

ely, but fixing a keen lo

n Paul had left Buyukdere with his brother to the time of his return. Nothing was omitted which he could remember, but when he had done he was conscious that he had only told the tale of his long search for

to me, if you can do so without indiscretion, the causes of the

alley of Roses, explaining the part he had played, and how he had remonstrated w

isposition of my brother, and does him no credit. It was a foolish escapade, but I shoul

Is the kaváss who wen

es

king quietly at Paul, "that he can

which did not escape the secretary, though in that

hief's look with perfect calmness. "I do not bel

ght. He trembled visibly, as he stood before the table and made his military salute, bringing his right hand quickly to his mouth, then to his forehead, and letting it drop again to his side. Count Ananoff cross-e

re to tell?" asked th

and I were looking at the people, and when we turned Alexander Effendi was gone, and

d?" inquired Ananoff, cuttin

e found," returned the kav

s injured or imprisoned somewhere, he

treets. If the bekji found him without a lante

n," said Paul. "We

ed tones. "There is the Persian ambassador, Ef

e do?" aske

of them, which is the most part of his fortune.[2] Perhaps if he gave orders that they should all be b

repress a grim smile. "I will send word to his excell

my fault"-began

red the diplomatist. "If you f

n the anxiety the kaváss had shown in trying to find Alexander. "It is my

go," he said to the soldier, who at once left t

r man presently, "you are in a very

aul. "Not dangerous,

came here without an invitation, and made himself very disagreeable to you. You had a violent quarrel yesterday afternoon, and you were justly provoked,-quite justly, I have

violently to Paul's face, and he sprang

t mean to say it-Great God!

calm him. "I do not think anything of the kind. Command yourself, and be a man.

swered Paul in low tones, s

ur brother,-got rid of him, in short, for your own ends. There is no one but a Turkish soldier to prove the contrary. No, do not excite yourself again. I am telli

" interrupted Paul. "I

Patoff, if Alexander does not turn up in a few days, you had better go away, until the whole matter has blown over. You can safely leave your reputation in my hands, as well as the care of finding your brother, if he can be fo

ering my brother on such slender grounds, even if the worst were to happen and he were never found. It

st in disposing of Alexander. They will search out the whole story, and will assert the fact because they will be safe in saying that there is no evidence to the contrary. They will take care that the suggestion sh

stunned by the possible tr

n be forgotten. I do not believe that this disappearance can remain a secret forever. At present, and for some time to come, it is only a disappearance, and it will be expected that your bro

that he will not come back? He may have got into some scrape, and

since I have been here. No pains were spared to find them, but no one ever obtained the smallest trace of their fate. They were

left anything untried in searching for him. I never loved him, God forgive me! But he was my brother, and my mother's favorite son.

urn in a week. But if in a month he is not heard of, there will be no hope at all. Then you must go away, and I will shut the mouths of the gossips. Now go an

's hand. Then, without a word, he went to his pavili

left the two gentlemen in charge of their kaváss. Then the count went to the house of the Persian ambassador, and obtained his promise to aid in the search by means of his army of donkey-drivers. He went in person to the Ottoman Bank, to the chief of police, to every office through which he could hope for any information. Returning to Buyukdere, he sent notes to all his colleagues, informing them of what had occurred, and requesting their assistance in searching for t

t he fell upon the divan, faint with bodily fatigue and exhausted by mental anxiety. He

such a question would suggest itself to the minds of those who knew his position. That question which was put to the first murderer, and which will be put to the last, has been asked many times of innocent men, and the mere fact that they could find no ready answer has sufficed to send them to their death. Why should it not be the same with him? Until he could show them his brother, they would have a right to ask, and they would ask, rejoicing in the pain inflicted. Paul c

action. He dressed hastily, and went out into the cool dawn to wait for the first boat to Pera. Even the early shadows on the water reminded him of yesterday, when he had crossed Galat

e searched, and all the countless messengers, officials, guides, porters, and people of every class searched, too, attracted by the large reward which the ambassador offered for any information concerning Alexander Patoff. But not the slightest clue could be obtained. Alexander Patoff had disappeared hopelessly an

y hinted that Paul Patoff himself was the only person able to give a satisfactory explanation of the case; and in due time these hints found their way into the gossip of the Bosphorus tea-parties. Paul was not unpopular, but in spite of his studied ease in conversation there was a reserve in his manner which many persons foolishly resented; and they were not slow to find out that his brother's disappearance was very odd,-so strange, they said, that it seemed impossible that Paul should know nothing of it. The ambassador thought it was time to speak

alked before, the best thing to be done was to send Paul away. Count Ananoff came to his rooms one morning, and found him staring at the wall, his untasted breakfast on the table beside him, his face very thin and drawn, looking altog

said. "You will not be far from you

or Alexander is gone. Yes, I know; you need not tell me. There is no hope left. We shall not even find his body now. But I must tell my mother. I have already written, for I

te face and wasted, nervous hands. "You are not able to bear t

. May I leave to-day? I think there is a boat to Varna. As for my stre

king the journey. After all, if he could bear it, it was the most manly course. He had done his best, had labored

fairly on board the Varna boat Count Ananoff owned to himself