Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-07-09
doff, wherever he is. seems to keep pri-
yate lunatic asylum

uou, Wherever ne ls, seems 20 Keep 3 pri-
vate lunatic asylum"
Take out the gag r' The words fairly
shot through me, and I started in my chair.
1t was Petrokine who spoke. For the first
time / noticed that burly, stout man,
sitting at the other end of the table, had
his hands tied behind his chair and a hand
| kerchief round his mouth. A horrible
suspicion began to creep into my heart.
Where was 1? WasI in Mr.. Dimidoff's !
| Who were these men with their strange
words
take out the gagr repeated Petro.
kline. and the handkerchief was removed.
Now, Paul Ivanovitch," said he.
"what have you to say before you go ~
sc Not dismissal, sirs," he pleaded,
"not dismissal, anything but that !!
will go into some distant land, and my
mouth shall be closed forever. will do
anything that the society asks but pray,
pray do not dismiss me-"
:" You know our laws, and you know
your crime. said Alexis in cold, harsh
voice. Who drove us from Odessa by
his false tongue and his double face? Who
wrote the anonymous letter to the Gov.
ernor Who cut the wire that would have
destroyed the arch. .tyrant? You did, Paul
Ivanovitch, and you must dien
l leaned back in my chair and fairly
gasped.
Remove him I" said Petrokine, and
the man of the droschky with two others
forced him out.
heard footsteps pass down the passage,
and then door open and shut. Then
came sound as of a struggle, ended by a
heavy crunchlng blow and dull thud.
So perish all who are false TO their
oath, said Alexis solemnly, and hoarse
'A Amen went up from his companions.
Death alone can dismiss us from our
order said another man further down !;
but Mr.. Berg-Mr. Robinson is pale.
The scene has been too much for him after
his long journey from England"
"Oh Tom, Tom, thought I. " if ever
you get out of this scrape you'll turn over
new leaf. You're not fit to die, and
that's fact" 1t was only too evident to
me now that by some strange misconcep-
tion had got in among a gang of cold
blooded Nihilists, who took me for one of
their order. l felt, after what l had wit
messed, that my only chance of life was to
try to play the role thus forced upon me
until an opportunity for escape should pre-
sent itself, so I tried hard to regain my air
of self-possession, which had been SO rudely
shaken.
81 am indeed fatigued, replied, "but
| feel stronger now. Excuse my momen-
tary weakness"
"It was but natural" said man with
thick beard at my right hand. "And now,
most honored sir. how goes the cause in
England ?"
Remarkably well, l answered.
Has the great Commissioner conde-
scended to send missive to the Solicit
Branch ?" asked Petrokine.
Nothing in writing, Ireplied.
But he has spoken of it %
"Yes he said he had watched it with
feelings of the iveliest satisfaction, l re-
turned.
"'Tis we'll tbs well ' ran round the
table.
felt giddy and sick from the critical
nature of my position. Any moment a
question might be asked which would show
me in my true colors. I rose and helped
myself from decanter of brandy which
stood on sideboard. The potent liquor
flew to my excited brain, and as sat down
l felt reckless enough to be half amused at
my pOcltlOu, duu luCl1ucu W pldy Will
tormentors. still, however, had all my
wits about me.
g. You have been to Birmingham ?" asked
the man with the beard.
Many times" said l.
"Then you have of course seen the pri-
vate workshop and arsenal ?"
81 have been over them both more than
once"
cit is still, 1 suppose, entirely unsus.
pected by the police ?" continued my inter-
rogator.
Entirely" l replied.
''Can you tell US how it is that so large
a concern is kept SO completely secret. ?"
Here was poser, but my native impu-
dence and the brandy seemed to come to
my aid.
= "That is information" 1 replied,
(which do not feel justified in divulging,
even here. In Withholding it am acting
under the direction of the Chief Commits
sioner"
You are right-perfectly right" said
my original friend Petrokine. 'sYou will
no doubt make your report to the central
Office at Moscow before entering into such
details"
" Exactly SO, replied, only too happy
to get lift out of my difficulty.
" We have heard" said Alexis, " that
you were sent to inspect the Livadia. Can
you give us any particulars about it %
/" Anything you ask l will endeavor to
answer" l replied in desperation.
Have any orders been made in Bir-
mingham concerning it?"
None when | left England"
Well, well, there is plenty of time
yet, said the man with the beard" many
months. VIII the bottom be of wood or
iron p
So Of wood" 1 answered at random.
Tis well !" said another voice. "And
what is the breadth of the Clyde below
Greenock ?"
1t varies much" 1 replied, on on
average about eighty yards"
How many men does she carry % asked
an anamic looking youth at the foot of the
table, who seemed more fit for a public
school than this den of murder
about three hundred, said l.
"A floating coffin, said the young Nj.
hilist in sepulchral voice.
Are the storerooms on level with or
underneath the state cabins, asked Petro-
kline.
Underneath, said 1, decidedly, though
1 need hardly say l had not the smallest
conception.
"And now, most honored sir" said AL
exis, {" tell US what was the reply of Bauer,
the German Socialist, to Ravinsky's proc
lamation."
Here was deadlock with vengeance.
Whether my cunning would have extri-
Gated me from it or not was never decided,
for Providence hurried me from one dilem.
ma 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 7" said Petro-
kline, and yet we are all present; who can
it be?' The door was thrown open and
man entered, dusty and travel stained, but
with an air of authority and power stamped
on every feature of his harsh, but expressive
face. He glanced round the table, scan