River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-06-30
A NIGHT AMONG THE NIHILISTS

a Tartar. as / had learned to my cost.
whats the row now?" demanded Of
my fellow clerk; ''has he got scent of
our Nicolaieh escapade or what Is il"
mo idea, Gregory; the old boy
seems to be in good enough humOr;
some business matter, probably. But
don't keep him waiting" So, sum-
moning up an air of injured innocence,
to be ready for all contingencies, |
marched into the lions den.
Mr.. Dickson was standing before the
fire, in Briton's time-honored attitude,
and motioned me into a chair in front
of him. 'iMr. Robinson" he said, 81
have great confidence in your discre-
ton and common sense. The fOllies of
youth will break out but | think you
have sterling foundation to your
character underlying any superficial
levity."
| bowed.
a believe" he continued, "you can
speak Russian pretty luently."
| bowed again.
II have" he proceeded, "a mission
which | wish you to undertake, and on
the success of which your promotion
may depend / would not trust it to
subordinate, were it not that my duty
ties me to my post at present"
'You may depend on my doing my
best, sir, replied.
Fright sir, quite! What | wish you
to do is briefly this: The line of rail
road has just been opened to Solicit,
up the country some hundred miles.
Now | wish to get the start of the other
Odessa firms III securing the produce of
that district, which | have reason to be
lieve may be had at low price. You
will proceed by rail to Solteffand inter
view a Mr.. Dimidoff, who is the
largest land proprietor in this town,
Both Mr.. Dimidof and myself wish
the whole thing to be done as quietly
and secretly as possible; in fact that
nothing should be known about the
matter until the grain appears IN Odes-
sa. You will find yourself expected at
the end of your journey, and you will
start tonight. Money for your expen-
SEES shall be ready"
Gregory" | said, as | strutted into
the office, "I'm off on a secret mission,
my boy, an affair of thousands of
pounds, lend me your pOrtmanteau,
mines to imposing; and tell Ivan to
pack it. A Russian millionaire ex-
poets me at the end of my journey.
Don't breath a word of it to the Simp-
kins or the whole game will be up.
Keep dark"
| was so charmed at being, as it were,
behind the scenes that | crept about
the office all day in sort of cloak-and
bloody dagger style, with responsibility
and care marked on every feature; and
when at night | stepped out and stole
down to the station, the unprecedented
observer would certainly have guessed,
from my behavior, that | had emptied
the contents Of the strong box into that
little valise of Gregory's. He was I'M
prudent, by the way, to leave Eng
iish labels pasted all over it. However,
l could only hope that "Londons" and
"Birminghams' would attract no at
tentiOn or, at least, that no rival corn
merchant might deduce from that who
was and what my GRAND might be.
Having paid the necessary roubles
and got my ticket, | escOned myself IN
the corner of snug Russian car, ard
pOndered over my extraordinary good
fortune. Dickson was growing old now,
and if could make my mark In this
matter it might be a great thing.
Dreams arose of partnership in the
firm. The noisy wheels seemed to
clank out Bailey, Robinson & Co.,
Bailey, Robinson & Co, in monoto-
nous refrain, which gradually sank into
deep sleep Had l known the ex-
perience which awaited me at the end
of my Journey it would hardly have
been peaceable.
awoke with an uneasy feeling that
some one was watching me closely, nor
was | mistaken A tall, dark man had
taken up his position on the seat oppo-
site, and his black, sinister eyes seemed
to look through me and beyond me, as
if he wished to read my very soul.
Then | saw him glance down at my
little trunk.
Good heavens!" thought /, there's
Simpkins' agent, | suppose. 1t was
careless of Gregory to leave those con-
founded labels on the valise."
l closed my eyes for Il time, but on
reopening them | again caught the
strangers earnest gaze.
From England, see, he said IN
Russian, showing row of white teeth
in what was meant to be an amIable
smile.
-'Yes, | replied, trying to look un-
concerned, but painfully aware of my
failure.
Travelling for pleasure, perhaps
said he
"Yes, answered eagerly. Certain
", for pleasure; nothing else.
"Of course not, " said he with shade
of irony in his voice "Englishmen al
ways travel for pleasure, don'tthey? Oh
no, nothing else"
His conduct was mysterious, to say
the least of it, 1t was only explainable
upOn two hyuotheSes-he was either
a mailman or he was an agent oi
som, firm bound upon the same errand
as myself, aud determined to show me
that he guessed my little game. They
were about equally unpleasant, and up,
on the whole | was relieved when the
train pulled up in the tumble-down
shed which does duty for station IN
the rising town ofSoltetf-Soltef, whose
resources I was to open out, and whose
commerce | was to direct into the
great world channels. | almost expected
to see Il triumphal arch as ! stepped on
to the platform.
[ was to be expected at the end of my
v.
me. | looked about at the molly crowd
but saw no Mr.. Dimidof. Suddenly a
sloyeny. unshaved man passed me
rapidly, and glanced first at me and
then Mt my trunk-that wretched
trunk the cause Of all my woes. He
disappeared in the crowd, but in a little
time came strolling past me again, and
contrived to whisper as he did so
Follow me. but at some distance I'M
mediately setting off out of the station
and down the street at a rapid pace
Here was a mystery with a yengence
| trotted along in his rear with my
valise, and on turning the corner found
rough droschky awaiting for me. My
unshaved friend opened the door, and
stepped in.
is Mr.. Dim" ! was beginning.
Hush - he cried. 'No names. nc
names; the very walls have ears. You
will hear all tonight" and with that
assurance he closed the door, and seiz
ing the reins, we drove off at rapid
pace; so rapid that saw my black
eyed acquaintance of the railroad
carriage gazing after us in surprise un
til we were out of sight. | thought
over the whole matter as We logged
along in that abominable springless
conveyance.