Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-07-09
A NIGHT AMONG NIHILISTS.

Robinson, the boss, wants you "
"The dickens he does :" thought | /; for
Mr. Dickson, Odessa agent of Bailey & Co.,
corn merchants, was bit of Tartar, as
| had learned to my cost. whats the
row now," 1 demanded of my fellow
clerk, ''has he got scent of our Nicolaieff
escapade, or what is it?
mo idea," said Gregory, the old boy
seems in a good enough humor some busi-
ness matter, probably. But don't keep
him waiting" So, summoning up an air
of injured innocence, to be ready for all
contingencies, / marched into the lion s
den.
Mr.. Dickson was standing before the fire
In Briton's time -honored attitude, and
motioned me into chair in front of him.
eMr. Robinson" he said, &c have great
confidence in your discretion and common
sense. The follies of youth will break
cut, but / think that you have sterling
foundation to your character underlying
any superficial levity."
/ bowed.
90 believe" he continued, "that you
can speak Russian pretty iuently?"
l bowed again.
&c l have, then," he proceeded, "a mis-
sion which | wish you to undertake. and
on the success of which your promotion
may depend. l would not trust it to a
subordinate, were it not that duty ties me
to my post at present,
'' You may depend upon my doing my
best, sir, replied.
"Right, sir, quite right What wish
you to do is briefly this The liue of rail.
way has just been opened to Solteff, some
hundred miles up the country. Now L
wish to get the start of the other Odessa
firms in securing the produce of that dis
trict, which l have reason to believe may
ceed by rail to Solicit, and interview Mr..
Dimidoff, who is the largest landed pro-
prietor in the town. Make as favorable
terms as you can with him. Both Mr..
Dimidoff and | 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
Odessa. You will find yourself expected
at the end of your journey, and will start
tonight. Money shall be ready for your
expenses"
s'Gregory, l said, as l strutted into the
Office, Pm off on a mission, a secret mis-
sion, my boy, an affair of thousands OF
pounds. Lend me your little portman.
teau, mines too imposing and tell Ivan to
pack it. A Russian millionaire expects
me at the end of my journey. Don't
breathe q word of it to any of Simpkin's
people, or the game will be up. Keep it
dark %
l was so charmed at being, as it were,
behind the scenes, that l crept about the
office all day in sort of cloak and. bloody.
dagger style, with responsibility and brood
ing care marked on every feature, and
when at night 1 stepped out and stole
down to the station, the unprejudiced OBJ
server would certainly have guessed. from
my general behavior, that had emptied
the contents of the strong box, before
starting into that little valise of Greg
ory's. 1t was imprudent of him, by the
way, to leave English labels posted all over
it. However, 1 could only hope that the
"Londons and Birminghams would
attract no attention, or, at least. that no
rival corn merchant might deduce from
them who / was and what my errand
might be.
Having paid the necessary rubles and
got my ticket, ensconced myself in the
corner of a snug Russian car and pondered
over my extraordinary good fortune. Dick
son was growing old now, and if 1 could
make my mark in this matter it might be
a great thing for me. Dreams arose of
partnership IN the firm. The noisy wheels
seemed to clank out Bailey, Robinson &
Co. 50 Bailey, Robinson & Co., ;" in mo-
notonous refrain, which gradually sank
into hum and finally ceased as | dropped
into deed sleep. Had I known the ex-
perience which awaited me at the end Of
my journey, it would hardly have been SO
peaceable.
l awoke with an uneasy feeling that some
one was watching ME closely, nor was |
mistaken. A tall, dark man mad taken up
his position on the seat opposite, and his
black sinister eyes seemed to look through
me and beyond me, as if he wished to read
nv very soul Then l saw MIN glance
down at my little trunk.
GOOD heavens !" thought |, "here's
Simpkins' agent, suppose. twas careless
of Gregory to leave those confounded la
bells on the valise.
l closed my eyes for time, but on re-
opening them again caught the strangers
earnest gaze.
From England, see, he said in Rus
sian, showing row OF white teeth in what
was meant to be an amiable smile.
Yes" replied, trying to look uncon.
cerned, but painfully aware OF my failure.
travelling for pleasure, perhaps?" said
he.
Yes, / answered, eagerly. Certain
ly for pleasure, nothing else"
''Of course not, said he. with shade
of irony in his voice. "Englshmen always
travel for pleasure, don't they? On, no,
nothing else"
His conduct was mysterious, to say the
least of it. 1t was only explainable upon
two hypotheses-he was either a madman,
or he was an agent OF some firm bound on
the Same errand as myself, and determined
to show me that he guessed my little game.
They were about equally unpleasant, and,
on the whole, / was relieved when the train
pulled up in the tumbledown shed which
does duty for station in the rising towr
of Solteff- -Soltefi, whose commerce / was
to direct into the great world channels.
almost expected to see triumphal arch as
stepped on the platform.
| was to be expected at the end of my
Journey, so Mr.. Dickson had informed me
/ looked about among the motley crowd
but saw no Mr.. Dimidof. Suddenly a
sloyenly, unshaved man passed me rapidly
and glanced first at me and then at my
trunk-that wretched trunk, the cause O
all my woes. He disappeared in tn.
crowd, but in little time came strollinl
past me again, and contrived to whisper a.
he did so, "Follow me, but at some dis
tance," Immediately setting off out of ths
station and down the street at rapiC
pace. Hero was mystery with ven