Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-07-09

I grasped the butt of it, however, IS q
drowning man clings to straw, and tried
to preserve my GOODNESS as glanced round
at the cold vindictive faces turned toward
me.
Gentleman" 1 said, "the role have
played tonight has been purely involun-
tary one on my part. am no police spy,
as you seem to suspect, nor, on the other
hand, have the honor to be member of
your association. am an inoffensive corn
dealer, who, by an extraordinary mistake,
has been forced into this unpleasant and
awkward position"
| paused for moment. Was it my
fancy that there was peculiar noise in the
street, noise as of many feet treading
softly? No, it had died away it was but
the throbbing of my own heart.
81 need hardly say" / continued,
tnat anything may have heard tonight
will be safe in my keeping l pledge my
solemn honor as gentleman that not one
word of it will transpire through me-.
The senses of men in great physical dan
ger become strangely acute, or their imag:
nation plays them curious tricks. My
back was toward the door as / sat, but
could have sworn that heard heavy breath
ing behind it. Was it the three minions
whom / had seen before in the perform
ance Of their hateful functions, and who,
like vultures, had shifted another victim
looked round the table. Still the
same hard, cruel faces. Not glance of
sympathy. / cooked the revolver in my
pocket.
There was a painful silence, which was
broken by the harsh, grating voice of Petro'
kline.
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. u
Sc You are right, sir" said the English
agent there is but one course open. He
must be dismissed"
I knew what they meant in their con-
founded jargon and sprang to my feet.
"By heaven! p l shouted, putting my
back against the door, "you shan't butcher
a free Englishman like sheep. The first
among you who stirs, drops p
A man sprang at me. 1 saw along the
sights of my derringer the CLEAN of knife
and the demoniaca! face of Gustave Berger.
Then I pulled the trigger, and, with his
felled to the ground by crashing blow
from behind. Half unconscious and pressed
down by some heavy weight, I heard the
noise of shouts and blows above me, and
then l tainted away.
When l came to myself l was lying
among the debris of the door, which 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 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 lying on the
floor like myself, bleeding profusely.
"Well, young fellow, you've had mar
row escape, said hearty voice in my ear.
I looked up and recognized my black
eyed acquaintance of the railway carriage.
"Stand up" he continued; "you're
only bit stunned no bones broken. It's
no wonder mistook you for the Nfhilist
agent, when the very Lodge itself was
taken in. Well, you're the only stranger
who ever came out of this den alive. Come
are, and what you are after now. I'll take
you To MT. DlHlluOu. Nay, uOn W III
there, he cried, as l walked toward the
door of the cell into which l had been
originally ushered. "Keep out of that
you've seen evil sights enough for one day.
Come down and have a glass of liquor"
He explained as we walked back to the
hotel that the police of Solteff, of which
he was the chief, had had warning and
been on the lookout during some time Of
this Nihilistic emissary. My arrival in so
unfrequented place, coupled with my air
of secrecy and the English labels on that
confounded portmanteau of Gregory's, had
completed the business.
have little more to tell. My socialistic
were all either transported to
Siberia or executed. My mission was per-
formed to the satisfaction of my employ.
ers. 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.-[ London
Snoipty