The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-07-26

1t was but the throbblng of my own
heart.
II need hardly say" continued,
"that anything may have heard to-
night will be safe in my keeping. L
pledge my solemn honor as gentleman
that not one word of 1t shall transpire
through me-"
The senses of men in great physical
danger become strangely acute, or their
imagination plays them curious tricks.
My back was towards the door as L sat,
but could have sworn thet / heard
heavy breathing behind 1t. Was IL the
three minions whom had seen before
In the performance of their hateful
functions, and who like vultures, had
shifted another victim ?
l looked round the table. Still the
same hard cruel faces. Not one glance
of sympathy. / cooked the revolver in
my pocket
There was a painful silence, which
was broken by the harsh grating voice
of Petrokine.
Promises are easily made and easily
broken" he said. "There is but one
way of securing eternal silence. 1t is
our lives or yours Let the highest
among us speak"
You are right, SIR" said the English
agent; "there is but one course open.
He must be dismissed"
knew what that meant in their
confounded jargon and sprang to my
feet.
By Heaven" L shouted, putting my
back against the door, 'you shan't
butcher free Englishman like sheep
The first among you who stirs, drops"
A man sprang at me. l saw along
the sights of my derringer the geam of
knife and the demoniacal face of
Gustave Berger. Then L pulled the
trigger, and, with his hoarse scream
sounding in my ears, 1 was felled to the
ground by crashing blow from behind.
Half unconscious and pressed down by
some heavy weight, heard the noise of
shouts and blows above me, and then
tainted away.
When 1 came to myself 1 was lying
had been beaten in on the top of me.
Opposite were dozen of the men who
had lately sat in judgment upon me,
tied two and two, and guarded by a
score of Russian soldiers. Beside me
was the corpse of the ill.fated English
agent, the whole face blown in by the
force of the explosion. Alexis and
Petrokine were both lying on the floor
like myself, bleeding profusely.
Well, young fellow, you've had a
narrow escape" said u hearty voice in
my ear.
L looked up and recognized my black
eyed acquaintance of the railway car
riage.
"Stand up" he continued, "you're
only bit stunned no bones broken.
It's no wonder mistook you for the
Nihilist agent, when the very lodge
itself was taken in. Well, you're the
only stranger who ever came out of
this den alive. Come down stairs with
me.
He explained as we walked back to
the hotel that the police of Soteff, of
which he was the chief, had had warn
ing and been on the lookout during
some time for this Nihilistic emissary.
My arrival in so unfrequented place,
coupled with my air of secrecy and the
English labels on that confounded port
manteau of Gregory's had completed
the business.
have little more to tell. My Social
istic acquaintaDces were all either trans
ported to Siberia or executed. My
mission was performed to the satisfac-
tion of my employers. My conduct
during the whole business has won me
promotion, and my prospects for life
have been improved since that horrible
night, the remembrance of which still
makes me shiver.