River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-06-30

"You know our laws, and you know
your crime," said Alexis, in a cold,
harsh voice. "Who drove us from
Odessa by his false tongue and his
double face? Who wrote the anony-
nous letter to the Governor? Who
cut t'le wire that would have destroyed
the arch-tyrant? You did, Paul Ivan
avitch; and you must die"
/ leaned back in my chair and fairly
gasped.
"Remove him !" said Petrokine, and
the man of the droschky, with two
others, forced him out.
| | heard the footsteps pass down the
passage, and then a door opened and
shut. Then came sound as of a
struggle, ended by heavy, chrushing
blow and dull thud.
80 perish all that are false to their
oath" said Alexis, solemnly, and a
hoarse "Amen" went up from his COM
panions.
death alone can dismiss us from
our order" said another man further
down; ''but Mr. Berg-Mr. Robinson is
pale. The scene has been to much for
him after his long journey from Eng
land"
80 Tom, Tom" thought /, eff ever
you get out of this scrape you will
turn over new leaf. You're not fit to
die, and that's a fact" II was only too
evident to me now that by some mis-
conception / had got in among a gang
of cold-blooded Nihilists, who mistook
me for one of their order. / felt, after
what / had witnessed, that my only
chance of life was to try to play the
role thus forced upon Ine until an OPP
portunity for escape should present
self-posession which had been so rude
ly shaken.
81 am, indeed, fatigued," | replied,
''but feel stronger now. Excuse my
momentary weakness"
ut was but natural, said q man with
thick beard at my right hand, "And
now, most honored sir, how goes the
cause in England"
Remarkably WE'LL" | answered.
"Has the great Commissioner conde-
sended to send mission to the Solicit
branch?" asked Petrokine.
Nothing in writing" l replied.
''But he has spoken of it?'
eyes; he said he had watched it with
feelings of the livelist satisfaction" | re-
turned.
"'Tis WE'LL It's wellr' ran around the
table.
felt giddy and sick from the criti-
cal nature of my position. Any NOM
ent question might be asked which
would show me in my true colors. |
rose and helped myself from decanter
of brandy which stood on a side-table.
". 20 cd
brain, and as sat down | felt reckless
enough to be half amused at my posi-
ton, and inclined to play with my tor
mentors. l still, however, had my wits
about me.
"You have been to Birmingham" ask
ed the man with the beard.
MANY times" said |.
Then you have, of course, seen the
private workshop and arsenal?"
~ have been over them both more
than once"
at is still, 1 suppose, entirely unsus-
pected by the police p continued my
interrogation.
Entirely" 1 replied.
"Can YOU tell us how it is that so
large concern is kept so completely
a secret?'
Here was a poser, but my native i'm
pudence and the brandy seemed to
come to my aid.
'That is information, | replied,
(which | do not feel justified in reveal
ing even here. In Withholding it'll am
acting under the direction of the Chief
Commissioner"
"You are right, perfectly right" said
my original friend, Petrokine. "You
will no doubt make your report to the
Central office at Moscow before enter
ing into such details"
Exactly So" l replied, only too
happy to get lift out of my difficulty.
1--WE have heard" said Alexis, ''that
you were sent to inspect the Llvadia.
Can you give us any particulars about
it ?"
Anything you ask 1 will endeavor
to answer" / replied in desperation.
"Have any orders been made in Biz
mingham concerning it?"
"None when left England"
"Well, there's plenty of time yet,
said the man with the beard-"m many
months Will the bottom be of wood
or iron?"
"Of wood" | answered at random.
"'Tis WE'LL" said another voice.
"And what is the breadth of the Clyde
below Grennock"
''It varies much" replied, ''on an
average about eighty yards.
GLOW many men does she carry?
asked an anamic youth at the foot of
the table, who seemed more fit for Il
public school than this den of murder.
ga floating coffin" said the young
Nihilist, in sepulchral voice.
care the storerooms on level with
or underneath the state cabins ?"
Underneath" said | decisively,
though need hardly say ] had not the
! small lest conception.
"And nov, most honored sill" said
Alexis, "tell US what was the reply of
Bauer, the German Socialist, to Ravin-
sky's proclamation"
There was deadlock with a ven
| gence. Whether my cunning would
have extricated me from it or not was
never decided, for Providence hurried
me from one dilemma to another and
worse one.
A door slammed down stairs, and
rapid footsteps were approaching.
then came loud tap outside followed
by two smaller ones.
''The sign of the society,"" said Petro-
kline; and yet we are all present; who
can it be-"
The door was thrown open and man
entered, dusty and traveled-stained, but
with an air of authority and power
stamped on every feature of his harsh
but expressed face. He glanced round
the table scanning each countenance
carefully. There was start of sur
prise in the room. He was evidently a
stranger to them ALL
What means this intrusion, sir?'
said my friend with the beard.
"Intrusion!" said the stranger. | was
given to understand that | was expect
ed, and had looked forward to a warmer
welcome from my fellow associates. i
am personally unknown to you, gentle
men, but am proud to think that my
name should command some respect
among you. am Gustave Berger, the
agent from England, bearing letters
from the chief commissioner to mis- we'll
beloved brothers of Solteff"
One of their own bombs could hardly
have created greater surprise had it
| been fired in the midst of them. Every
eye was fixed alternately upon me
and the newly arrived agent.
''If you are indeed Gustave Berger,
said Petrokine, "who is this?"
| HThat / am GuStave Berger these