Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-05-07

/ y
patible."
"Your remark is true, sir" returned
my newly made friend "but / am sur.
prised to hear you call our glorious as
sociation trade Such term is gross
indeed to apply to a body of men
banded together to supply the world
with that which it is yearning for, but
which, without our exertions, it can
can never hope to attain. A spiritual
brotherhood would be n more fitting
term"
"By Jove how pleased the boss
would be to hear him? He must have
been in the business himself, whoever
he is" thought 1.
"Now, sir" said Mr.. Petrokine, "the
clock points to eight, and the council
must be already sitting. Let us go up
together, and / will introduce you. ]
need hardly say that the greatest Sc
crecy is observed, and that your appear
ance is anxiously awaited"
My guide swung open large door of
the end of passage, and / found my
self in g room larger and even more gor-
geously fitted mp than the one in which
had dined. A long table, covered with
green baize and strewn with papers, ran
down the middle, and round it were sit
ting fourteen or fifteen men, conversing
earnestly.
Upon our entrance the company rose
and bowed. l could not but remark
that my companion attracted no atten-
ton, while every eye was turned upon
me with a strange mixture of surprise
and almost servile respect. A man at
the head of the table, who was remark
able for the extreme pallor of his face,
as contrasted with his blue-b black hair
and mustache, waved his hand to a seat
beside him, and I sat down.
81 need hardly say" said Mr.. Petro-
kline, "that Gustave Berger, the Eng.
lish agent, is now honoring us with his
presence. He is young, indeed, Alexis, P"
he continued to my pale-faced neighbor,
land yet he is of European reputation. :"
"Come, draw it mild" thought ],
adding aloud, "If you refer to me, sir,
though / am indeed acting as English
agent, my name Is not Berger, but Rob-
inson-Mr. Tom Robinson, at your SER
vice"
A laugh ran round the table.
$50 be it, so be it." said the man they
called Alexis. ST commend your discre-
ton, most honored sir. One cannot be
too careful. Preserve your English
sobriquet by all means. 1 regret that
any painful duty should be performed
upon this auspicious evening; but the
rules of our association must be pre-
served at any cost to our feelings, aud a
dismissal is inevitable tonight"
What the deuce is the fellow driving
at?" thought /. "What is it to me if
he does give his servant the sack? This
Dimidoff, wherever he is, seems to keep
u private lunatic asylum"
"Take out the gag!' The words
fairly 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 horrible suspicion began 10
creep into my heart. Where was /?
Was l in Mr.. Dimidoffs? Who were
these men with their strange words
Take out the gag u repeated Petro-
kline; and the handkerchief was re-
moved.
"Now, Paul Ivanovitch," said he,
"what have you to say before you go 2"
"Not a dismissal, sirs," he pleaded.
''not dismissal anything but that
will go into some distant land, and my
mouth shall be closed forever. 1 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
Governor Who cut the wire that
would have destroyed the arch rant ?
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 droschke with two others
forced him out.
! heard the footsteps pass down the
passage, and then door open and shut.
Then came a sound as of q struggle,
ended by heavy crunching blow and a
dull thud.
$50 perish all who are false to their
oath, said Alexis solemnly; and hoarse
"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"
80, Tom, Tom" thought /, ''if ever
you get out of this scrape you'll turn
over new leaf. You're not fit to die
and that's a fact" 1t was only too evil
dent to me now that by some strange
misconception / had got in among q
gang of cold -blooded Nihilists. who mis-
took me for one of their order. l felt,
after what 1 had witnessed, that my
only chance of life was to try to play the
role thus forced upon me until an op-
portunity for escape should present it
self; so / tried hard to regain my air of
self possession, which had been SO rude
ly shaken.
81 am indeed fatigued," / replied,
"but / feel stronger now. Excuse my
momentary weakness.
'It was but natural, said a man with
a thick beard at my right hand. "And
now, most honored sir, how goes the
cause in England ?"
Remarkably well" answered.
Has the great commissioner conde-
scended to send q missive to the Solteh
branch ?" asked Petrokine.
"Not in writing" replied.
"But he has spoken of it ?"