Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-08-29

ed him how l might best fulfill my mis-
sion and secure the most advantageous
terms. They seemed as anxious as l
was in the matter, and as there appear
ed no opposition, SO perhaps the best
thing would be to wait and see what
they would propose.
] had hardly come to this conclusion
when my guide swung open a large door
at the end of the passage, and found
myself in room larger and even more
gorgeously fitted up than the one In
which l had dined. A long table, COW
cred with green baize and strewn with
papers, ran down the middle, and around
1t were sitting fourteen or fifteen men
conversing earnestly. The whole scene
reminded me forcibly of a gambling hell
[ had visited some time before.
Upon our entrance the company rose
and bowed. I could not but remark
that my companion attracted no atten-
tion, while every eye was turned upon
me with strange mixture of surprise
and almost servile respect. A man at
the head of the table, who was remarka-
BILE for the extreme pallor of his face as
compared with his blue-black hair and
moustache, waved his hand to seat be-
side him, and l sat down.
Il need hardly say" said Mr.. Petro-
kline, "that Gustave Berger, the English
agent, is now honoring US with his pres
ence He is young, indeed, Alexis" he
continued to my pale-faced neighbor,
land yet he is of reputation"
"Come, draw it mild" thought I, ad-
ding aloud, "If you refer to me, sir,
though 1 am, indeed, acting as an Eng
lish agent, my name is not Berger, but
Robinson-Mr. Tom Robinson, at your
service"
A laugh ran round the table.
$50 be it, so be it," said the man they
called Alexis. 81 commend your dis
erection, most honored sir. One cannot
be too careful; Preserve your English
sobriquet by all means. l regret that
any duty should be performed upon this
auspicious evening; but the rules of
our association must be preserved at any
cost of our feelings, and dismissal is
inevitable tonight"
What the duece is the fellow driv-
ing at ?" thought I. "What is it to me
if he does give his servant the sack ?
This Dimidoff, wherever he is, seems to
keep private lunatic asylum
"Take out the gag The words fair
ly shot through me and | 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 arms tied behind his
chair and handkerchief round his
mouth. A horrid suspicion began to
creep into my heart. Where was l +?
Was | in Mr.. Dimidoff's Who were
these men with their strange words =?
Take out the gagl" repeated Petro-
kline; and the handkerchief was remov-
ed.
"Now. Paul Ivanovitcb," said he.
"what have you to say before you go ?"
"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 the society asks, but
pray, pray do not dismiss me"
"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 double
face Who wrote the anonymous letter
to the Governor Who cut the wire
that would have destroyed the arch
tyrant9 You did, Paul Ivanovitch, and
you must die.
| leaned back in my chair and fairly
gasped.
"Remove him !" said Petrokine, and
the man of the droschky with two 9TH
ers forced him out.
heard the footsteps pass down the
passage and then door open and shut
Then came sound as of a struggle
ended by heavy crunching blow and a
dull thud.
80 perish all who are false to theil
OATH" said Alexis, solemnly, and a
hoarse amen went up from his compan
ions.
death alone can dismiss US from
our order.' said another man further
down; shut Mr.. Berg-Mr. Robinson
is pale. The scene has been too mucl
for him after his long journey from
England"
80, Tom, Tom" thought I, ''if eve
you get out of this scrape you'll turr
over new leaf. You're not fit to die
and that's fact 1t was only too ev
ident to me now that by some strang
misconception had got in among
gang of cold-blooded Nihilists, who mis-
took me for one of their order | felt
after what | had witnesses, that my onl
chance of life was to try to play tn
role thus forced upon me until an op