Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, March 4, 1899, Page 6

| | | a Ee COC NE THE BLACK TERROR. A Romance of Russia. By JOHN K. LEYS. GUVETUCTCCCCLCLEST CHAPTER XX. “That would not be necessary,” said the Spania speaking now for the fi time, with a half-smile on his large face. “It need only be discov- ered, shortly before the time of sailing, We had just finished breakfast when | that the cabins of the selected man-of- war are swarming with cockroach aA message came down from the deck. “A capital idea!” cried Von Mitsch- “The Narka is in sight!” exclaimed|ka. “And remember, General, that we Von Mitschka; and, without waiting, depend on your friends to give us the to explain, he rose from his seat and|@@Hest information possible as to the sel chosen. It may be the yacht, hurried up the companion ladder. Tj prter all, I think we had hare send followed in more leisurely fashion, andj word to Oristovitch that he must keep found him gazing at a small steam / an under-steward’s place va: yeeht which was approaching with in- the last moment, and be ready to rec- aos at : ommend a member of the Society credible swiftness. whom we will depute to fill it.” “You see we can command speed] “How will you manage that?’ asked when we want it. We are not confined | General Slavianski. to the use of this old brig, good shipas}| “Oh, easily enough. They are sure she i aid Von Mitschka, with a!to want several extra under stewards, look of pride, as he noticed the look Of] as the Czar will have a large suite astonishment in my face. with him. Oristovitch is well known “How do they manage to get UP|to the captain of the Alexandra; and such a rate of speed?’ I explained. “I am confident that nothing afloat, large or small, could overtake that yacht.” “I am sure of it,” said the chief, more quietly “Is she driven by some new electric ne?” she is driven by a turbine en- and consumes less fuel by far 1 an ordin In St. Petersburg Once More. ve to be taken on.” There was a long pause, during which the General left us and went on deck, while the other two conspirators continued to converse in an undertone. “I confess I don’t see how it is to be done in that way without the Doctor's help,” I heard Von Mitschka s “L suppose it would be impossible to get Petroyski to take the place of the surgeon on the Alexandr: asked the dwarf. Von Mitschk of any other vi al, duced to half-speed. It is unnece to take the whole world into our confi dence, especially as her owner is member of the Neva Yacht club.” “Is that really the case?” “Certainly. If it were mot for that precaution, we could net go and come from St. Petersburg as easily as we do now. In ten minutes the Narka was along- side, and a couple of planks were shoved out from the side of the brig, shook his head. “Even it were pr nle, which it is not,” id he, * to Petrov. i, who will incur risk enough as it The Spaniard lit a cigarette, and we followed his example. For some time the three of us smoked in silence. “I suppose nothing can be hoped for from Maurier?’ asked the dwarf. “The valet? Not much, But,if he is properly paid, he will turn away his by which two men from the heac the proper moment, so long as stepped on board. The foremost ¢ he can do so in a way that will stand two was a man above the middle height, with an upright, soldierly car It did not need a second look after-investig:ction. It i such a fright over that a pity he got ff: of the dressing ta- riage. c letter found on the Czar's at his square, resolute face and quick. | ple.” intelligent eyes to inform me that he] “yes. You know I always thought was one of the leading spirits of the] tng sannot conspiracy. alv have one’s own way.” The second was a yet more remar “No. And on the whole, we have able figure. About a dwarf in stature,| heen wonderfully successful.” and hunchbacked to a greater extent “S, completely suecessful, rather, than any other man I ever saw, there] so s we have gone. It only needs was in his large, pale face that eX-| that this final coup shall be well man- pression of pathetic and pleasing mel-| aged, and our plot will live in history ancholy that is sometimes seen in per-] as the most daring, and the most fer- sons afHlicted in this way. His com-] tile in good results, that ever issued plex sallow, his hair of an in] from the brain ofa patriot.” tense black, and worn rather long. He] ‘phe sentiment, or rather the express- was dressed entirely in black, and thus|jon of it, was contemptible, but the his appearance formed a contrast to! man who uttered it was not contempt- that of the other men on board. Von} jpje, It was impossible to look in the Mitschka introduced him to me as Dr.| face of the hunchback, glowing as if rani, He was a Spaniard of Ital} inspired by an inward fire, and de inn extraction. I afterwards found! jim: A self-deceiver he might be. that this Spaniard and the German,| dangerous man, a potential murderer, Von Mitschka supplied between them} one to be kept under lock and key for the brains of the society. General) tne safety of mankind; but the enthu- Viadimir Slavianski, the tall stranger. siasm that burned in his mournful was, nominally, at all events, the head} pyown eyes lifted him to a height far of the conspi and I afterwards} jpove the common criminal or the self- learned that he was well known in St. 1 plotte Petersburg, going much into socie' “Yours is a grand task,” he observed, and being even received at court. his} turning to me. connection with the Committee of Pub- I shrugged my shoulders. “It de- lic Safety being quite u uspected. He pends en the point of view from which was the owner of the you regard it.” I said, coolly. “News! Great news: x “'s] don’t think the mest lax of moral- general, as he seized Von Mitseh s would approve that principle.” the arm, and dragged him towards said the hunchback, with a smile. companion way. The dws fellow: “Perhaps not; but if ther was ever them. and, by a look, Von Mitschka in-| 4 ¢ase in which the principle that the vited me to join the group. ; end justifies the means did apply. I _ “My news is this.” Slavianski. seat-} should it was in this ea But do ing himself sideways on the cabin ta-) not misunderstand me. I do not be- ble, “It is decided that the Czar ac-| jong to your Society. and I have only a companies the naval manouvres. al-| qualified sympathy—with its methods, though it is not yet settled whether he at all events. I know nothing of its ‘is to sail in the Alexandria or in one of | gocrets, except in matters concerning the men-of-war. P this special business, which I have un- “If he sails in the Alexandra it May} Gertaken under certain conditions. All mean success for us!” cried Von] can cay is that I hope to carry out Mitschka. “You know that Oristo- honestly my part of the contract. I vitch, the head steward, is one of our mean nothing offensive in what I most devoted members. w» {but it is well to have things plain at “To be sure! I had forgotten that!” tno outset.” cried the General, taking out a Cigar) porn Von Misschka and his compan- and lighting it. P ; _ |ion answered that they quite under- “And how did you think this busi- stood my position, and that what I ness could be managed without the! iq was just and reasonable. Then, help of some jone. om board?” asked prudence getting the better of my curi- Von Mitschka. osity, I left the cabin. As I was pass- “Well, I fancy I thought there would] ing ‘along to the foot of the companion be a muster of our forces, and we) \ oy 7 heard Von Mitschka say to the would surprise the guard, and— .,| hunchback: “Then, there is nothing to “Excellent! My dear General, did] qojay our starting?” youreally imagine for one moment “Nothing whatever.” wes the reply; that such a thing was possible?—that} .q preparations were at once made even if we did get possession of the] 9.y the return voyage. Within half an Czar's person for a few moments, we] our T and my pos-essions were trans- could successfully carry him off—could) tarred to the ka, and in another hour we were rushing through the wa- ter with the speed of a fish, bound for the Baltic. Yowards sunset, on the second day of the voyage, we drew near the land: and I noticed that two or three‘of the sailors had changed their cans and ter. seys with the name Narka worked on them for others which bore the name Sea Nymph. Sagrani explained to me that they made a point ef sending a party ashore 2 few miles from a tele- graph office, each time the yacht re- turned to St. Petersburg. for telegrams that might have arrived from Russia since they left the Nev: Names of imaginary yachts were arranged be- forehand, one fer every veyage, and clothing for the crew provided to cor- respond with it. In this way warning might be given that it was dangerous to return to the Russian capital; or any necessary message might be transmit: ted. As I expected no letters or tele- grams, the matter did not concern me. I retired to my bunk with a novel. for there was a. better library on board the ka than there was on the old Su- h. And it was then. I remem- that I noticed that not only the t letter a mistake. But one shouted the by General, not in the least offended. “It is not in my department; but I should have thought that was the only way to manage it.” Von Mitschka changed a smile. “No,” said the latter. “My plan is not merely the best, but the only one.” “That may be all very true,” growled the soldier; “but you forget that your plan requires in this ec: the help of an outsider—a man whom you may never find, or whom you may be un- able to enlist in our ranks.” “1 have found him, General,” said Von Mitschka, in his usual placid tone, “and he has consented to do us this service. Let me introduce Mr. Heath to you.” “By St. Stanislaus, I never noticed it!” cried the General, as he took my hand and gazed earnestly into my face. “But it is wonderful!—wonder- ful!’ He was evidently referring to my likeness to the Czar. “Now. everything depends on wheth- er the Czar sails on board the imperial yacht or not.” said Vom Mitschka, “We must trust to one of our friends . , : at court for early information on that pode She weas An T point: and if a man-of-war is decided | painted to represent satin-wood. ower upon. something must happen to vre-)" we arrived at St Petersburg iiss “ vent his Majesty joining her—eh, Doe- passnge of marvellous ranidity; and tor?” as the yacht was well known at the and Sagrani ex- Zz any man he recommends is pretty sure | custom house, there was. no difficulty in getting me smuggled ashore in a suit beloging to one of the sailors. irom the moment my feet touched Russian soil, I was no longer a free agent. I became, for the time being, the servant of the revolutionary com- mittee, and they undertook to provide for me in every way. I was taken to a small boarding house frequented by the mates and masters of small merchantmen, and here 1 lived for several weeks, dressed in nautical costume, and pretending that 1 was waiting for a ship that never turned up, It was not a particularly pleasant existence. My walks were limited to the neighborhood of the docks, and I was afraid to open my mouth lest my ignorance of nautical things should make itself apparent. I knew nothing all this time of the prog. ress of the plot in which I was to play so important a part. I had no idea whether the czar had resolved to sail on board one of the ships of war, or to accompany the squadron in the imperi- al yacht. Nor did 1 want to know any- thing about it. Yet the time hung so heavy on my hands, my life was so monotonous, that I positively longed for the time when my adventure was to begin. At |; the summons came. It was just after dark one evening in August when a note was put into my hand. It had no address, but. when L opened it I recognized the handwriting as that of the letter of instructions 1 had received before my return to Eng- land. “All is.ready.” So ran the note. “At this hour to-morrow night, dressed as you are now, leave the house and turn in the direction of the river. Before you have gone far you will meet a man who will ‘ask you for a pipeful of tobacco. Offer him your pouch, and if he asks you, ‘Have you any Scotch to- bacco? reply, ‘No; but I have some in my chest.’ He will then leave you. Follow him, taking care to keep him in sight without going so near him as to excite anyone’s suspicion that you are tracking Lim. He will bring you to a wharf on the bank of the river, at which a beat with two men in her will be lying. They will take you on board the boat, and there you will receive fur- ther instructions. Burn this as soon as you read it.” It was with a strange feeling of sub- dued excitement t I sprang out of morning, and dressed myself going garments. ‘The day had at last dawned—the day that was to see the beginning of the strange en- rise I had undertaken. It was im- nle to be calm, the stake at iss teo great. Not for any rea rt of the one I was acting upon—the saving of the girl I loved from being married to Alexis Kropenski—would I aye taken part in such a plot. | was thankful that mine was to be a passive part. I doubt whether my nerves would not have betrayed me if I had had to do more than to obey or- ders. Half an hour after sunset I left the house and strolled along the street. A sailor coming up to me, touched his cap and asked for a pipe of tobacco. L was in the act of giving it to him when the question for which I had been pre- pared was put and answered. He took the tobacco, thanked me, and turned down the street. I followed him at a considerable distance, and he led me to the river. There v a wharf at the place, and the lights of the many ships riding in the harbor could be plainly seen. ‘The sailor turned aw: and I walked forward to the edge of the wharf. A set of stairs ran down to the v ard at the foot of the ste boat, with two men in her, the tide. I took hold of the iron railing, for the steps were slippery, and had already taken a few steps downwards, when a rough hand was laid on my cola L leoked up. The grinning face of a rme looked down at me, Anoth- 5 well as the tip of a bayonet, peered at me from behind him. I looked down at the boat, to, calcu- late the distauce, for my first thought was to drop down into the water, dragging the gendarme with me. But the boat was already several yards away from the shore. Should I drop into the water and drown, or surrender to the Russian po- lice? What did it matter? When the second gendarme, coming to his com- rade’s assistance, seized my arm, | of- fered no further resistance. It was useless. I might have drowned them both, but I must myself have been eith- er drowned or captured. I submitted quietly, stating that L was an English merchant captain ot the name of Brown. I was taken to the nearest police station and made to empty my pockets. What is that paper? It seems famil- iar to me. One of the officials picks it up from the heap of articles—a revolver among them—lying on the table, and begins to read it. As he reads it, a Sav- age joy comes into his face. As I live fool, ass, dolt that I am!—it is the letter I had received the night before! My box of vestas being empty, I had slipped it into my pocket, meaning to burn it later, and had forgotten it! My fate was sealed! CHAPTER XXI. A Struggle tor Liberty. Could I explain that letter? Could L invent a plausible excuse to account for all this mystery? 1 tortured my brains in the effort to remember the very words of the fatal letter, that I might be able to give it an interpreta- tion. 'There were, of course, the minute and | highly-suspicious directions for going to the wharf at which I was apprehend- ed. Suppesing 1 could invent a story that would account for that elaborate secrecy, was there anything else in the letter of a compromising nature? There was the phrase with which it be- gan, “All is now ready,” or something to that effect, but that might apply to a good many things besides treasonable conspiracies. Could I not say that 1 was the skipper—or mate, that would ve better—of a small merchantman; that I had enemies, or had been en- gaged in smuggling, and had been in hiding? “subs That a friend had found a berth for me, but I could not go to the ship open- ly for fear of being followed by this enemy, or by the police, who, 1 feared, would denounce me to the captain? Could I not make up some tale of that kind that would hang together and serve my turn? Or, would it do to refuse to answer all questions, and to plead that I was a British subject, and that nothing, after all—no breach of the laws of Russia—could be proved ugainst me? That my conduct might ave been suspicious, but that it had stopped short of being criminal? Would that plan succeed? I debated the question with myself all the time that the order for my de- tention was being made out, all the time that I was being driven from the police station in which 1 was to pass the night. It loomed up before me when we came in sight of it, dark, gloomy, huge and massive as a moun- tain. I was thankful that I was put into a cell at once, and I understood that my examination was to be deferred until morning. I spent nearly the whole night in preparing my defense, but in spite of my most earnest efforts it seemed Jame and incredulous, even in my own eyes. ‘The worst of it was that I had not an atom of proof in support of the lies L had thought of telling. I could not even tell the name of the friend who wrote the mysterious letter, or where he was to be found. 1 was driven to think that it would be better to confess that I had had some dealings with the Nihilists, but had repented of it, and was only anxious to leave the country and return to England—that I had no- ticed that I was an object of suspicion to the police, and was afraid to apply for a passport. Very lame, indeed, but I could think of nothing better. hen I remembered De Noileff. it s he, no doubt, who had caused my arrest. All that I said must be consist- ent with what he knew of me. And in trying to remember what had bx said at the interview I had had with the chief of the secret police, I fell asleep. It was late when I awoke, and as L- had lay watching a sunbeam that struggled through the barred v I found myself able to recall, v erable completeness what had passec between me and De Noileff, And then a thought came into my mind that made my heart thump against my ribs and my breath come thick nd fast. What if I could carry out an idea that « sed my brain while the chief of po- lice had been talking to me—what if L could play a double game—pretend to be acting throughout in the interests of the Russian Government? Could I do it? Was it not too auda- cious—too dangerous? Had I the nerve for such a piece of deception? 1 had not been used to dissimulation; 1 may say as much as that for myself. Could I think one thing and say another without allowing the smallest change of expression to betray me. Could L invent facts on the spur of the moment and produce the “lie with a cireum- stance” to order? My mind revoited from the very idea, and I more than doubted my ability to play the part of a successful rascal. But then—Irene? What was to become of her if her fath- er remained in prison? Could I picture her giving her hand—the hand which [ once had dared to kiss—to the cousin of whom Von Mitschka had spoken to me? Could I bear to think of her, and the gentle lady, her mother, living ina garret in St. Petersburg, compelled to on charity or on Irene’s slender wages? Would I not risk something for success? ‘ T had not found an answer to these questions when I was summoned to appear before an offi 1 whose fune- tions, I understood, correspond to those ef an examining magistrate in France. 1 was led through interminable cor- ridors and several rooms. and at length found myself confronted with a tall, imposing personage with white hair, spectacles and the largest moustache L ever saw on a human being. Without giving him time to begin interrogations, I said to him, in as ea nest a manner as I could assume: “sir, I assure you that there has been a mistake. The official who ordered iy blundered horribly, and has ly injured the cause of His Majes- ty. Of course, I do not expect you to take my word for this. All I ask is that I may be brought face to face with M. de Noileff as soon as possible.” “De Noileff?’ he exclaimed, as if in surprise that I was familiar with the + name of that official; “why, it was he who ordered your arrest!” “Excuse me, sir,” said I, with the ut- most assurance, “that is impossible. He must have given instructions which some stupid lieutenant or inferior offi- cer has misunderstood. Great harm has been done, but may be repaired if you will only order me to be taken be- fore M. de Noileff at once.” ‘rhe magistrate, or ofticer, pulled his right-hand moustache, then his left- hand one, then glanced, as if for ad- vice, to a superannuated clerk, who sat at a side table with an immense quill pen suspended in the air. He was the yery image of an honest, upright, in- corruptible, well meaning, intensely stupid public servant. “Oh,” 1 thought to myself, “what would I not give if the chief of the secret police were a man of this stamp!” Seeing that the official was hesitat- ing, I struck in again, taking care to speak in the most respectful manner: “If you proceed with the examina- tion, sir, I must either bring in M. de Noilletf’s name at every step or keep silence altogether, which would hardly be consistent with the deep respect L entertain for you, sir, and for your of- fice. If I might suggest, it would be better to send me to M. de Noilleff in the first place, and, if he has no objec- tions, I would be happy to answer all your questions. Such a course can do no possible harm, and it may save trouble in the long run.” ‘This observation seemed to decide the matter. An order was written on a serap of paper, signed and counter- signed; and I was straightway trans- ferred, along with my personal effects, from the prison to the office of the chief of the secret police. (To be coutinued.) An Impression, “Are those people holding an investi- gation?’ asked the tourist. “Well, they are supposed to be. But some of them behave as though they were trying to let go of it.”—Washing- ton Star. ' The Third Party. He came lurching around a corner ané staggered up against a pedestrian waiting for his car, and after getting settled down upon his fegt again he said: -' “Be careful of yourself, old fellow, and not get run over.” “But you are the one to be careful,” was the reply “You've got a jag on, while I'm perfectly sober” “That’s something I never could un- derstand,” observed the inebriated, af- tera pause “The man who is tight al- ways thinks it is the sober man who is drunk, and vice versa Tell you what I honestly believe” “Well?” “We are both sober, and that lamp post over there has got a $3 drunk on!” —Pittsburg Post Way Up in it. The fair young girl looked at the gilded clock on the mantel. “T don’t want to hurry you, Mr. Slow- go,” she sweetly explained, as she met his questioning look, “but the fact is it is almost time for ma to come home from the club. And I just want to say this: If ma says, ‘I move we adjourn,’ don’t you attempt to lay it on the table, or to raise a point of order, or any- thing else that’s foolish, because you might as well understand, right here and now, that ma’s simply a howling Jim-dandy when it comes to rules of parliamentary procedure, and don’t you hesitate to recollect it!’—Cleveland lain Dealer. She Didn’t Make Them. “The pies that mother used to—” She fixed him with a flashing eye, and he wisely paused. “Your father,” she said, “had an in- come sufficient to enable your mother to keep a fi lass cook.” Still, he v a resourceful man, and asily disconcerted. “The pies that mother used to have made never did amount to much, any- y he ted; but there was a k of enthusiasm in his manner and tone that told her she had won a great victory.—Chicago Post. Reections of a Bachelor. Every girl likes to think she is full of moods. Whom the gods destroy they first in- vite to dinner. it takes a woman to invent a way of going to the devil respectab! A girl's idea of a trousseau is to have real lace and two dozen of everything. When a woman tries to explain how she came to a conclusion it reminds you of a tadpole explaining why his tail fell off—New York Press. An Instance. : “Isn't it peculiar how some men can feel proud of their misfortunes?’ “Yes. I know one man who went around bragging until he became a pos- itive nuisance, just because his wife had presented him with twins.”—Indi- anapolis Journal. A Terribie Test. “IT see there’s a new telegraph sys- tem that will transmit 4,000 words a minute.” “Say, I'd like to have my wife dic- tate to it for a minute or two.’’—Cleve- Jand Plain Dealer. Rogues are always found out in some way. Whoever is a wolf will act as a wolf; things.—Fontaine. 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