The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-12-25
LOLA PULASKI;
The Victim of Circumstan-
tial Evidence.
a Story Of Aihi|istic Plottings and Grimes.
By LEON EDWARDS.
CHAPTER XIV.

authorities were exercising more thai
ordinary vigilance to detect the meet
ing places of the Nihilists, a band o
those conspirators met in the secret hal
to which the reader was introduced OF
q former occasion.
AS before, all the people-men anc
.women-wore black gowns, and thcll
faces were concealed by means of blacl
masks.
The same soldierly figure occupied
: the position of presiding officer, and al
Ghose present fastened the bits o.
: pasteboard, containing the figure by
which he or she was to be known thai
night, to the top of the mask.
A curious thing about this meeting
was that there was no writing to do ano
no documents to read.
If the sentinels guarding ap
proaches to the hall were to announce
the coming of the police, the dis
g;ises would vanish like q flash, and
like magic the assembly would be
transformed into an audience, listen
ing to lecture on some scientific sub
ject.
There was solemnity in the air to.
night that was wanting on the occa'
sion of their meeting to celebrate the
new year, and to draw lots to see which
of their number should strike down
General Paul.
After painful silence, the presiding
officer rose, and said:
"Sisters and brothers. children OF
liberty, when last we met faithful
hand was chosen to strike down the
tool of the tyrant, I am tonight in,
5 formed that General Paul is dead, and
that the noble nnd heroic Lola Pulaski
is in Ne7a prison, charged with the
offense, though sho stoutly denies it. u
The speaker paused, and a murmur
of applause, and q great shutting OF
feet, and nervous coughing came from
the audience.
1T is ever thus" continued the
leader, that our faithful friends carry
out their trust"
II am reliably informed that the
police are now in search of one known
to you all, the gallant Ivan Berger; it
Is to be hoped that he found it con-
to fly from the city, and thus
to escape the minions OF the tyrant."
II know said q man whose voice
was unmistakably that of Peter the
Student, that Ivan Berger has not
been in the city for several days"
Peters number was Seventeen, and
him the leader addressed as follows:
"Brother Seventeen, did you speak
with Ivan Berger within the week?"
II did," replied Seventeen.
"And he told you he was going to
1eaye?"
"He told me he was going to do ar
act that might force him to leave"
"Qoes Seventeen know if Ivan Ber
ger did that act"
IT know that the act is done, but
know not who did it, replied Seven
teen.
Another murmur of applause showed
that the people understood very vel
the act to which Seventeen referred.
"It is strange that our brother
should have fed" said the leader
! "without notifying friend of his pur
pose"
@Ivan Berger did not fee," said {
tall figure, rising to its feet, and point
ing to the figure Twenty on top of hi
mask.
sHow does our brother know?" askel
the leader.
Because Ivan Berger was seen il
st. Petersburg to1lay."
"By whom?"
@By me-"
aDid Twenty speak with him?" -
-@I heard him speak," replied
twenty. =
do you object to telling what yol
u &ard?"
y"He denied that he or Lola Pulaski
had any hand in the staying of Gen
eral Paul." said Twenty in a ringing
voice.
The leader evidently felt uncomfort
able at this announcement. for b.
coughed, and asked in a voice that hat
In it an anxious tremor:
"What else did he say?"
e "He said there were traitors; black
cowardly traitors, in this council, re
piled Twenty.
Half the people present cougned o.
hearing this, and the other half raises
their hands rhreateningly AID leapc'
to their fest, hut Twenty still stoo'
calm and unS,0an1.
"That is serious charged" said tn
leader.
"And a false one!" thundcred DR.
Mulek, whose German accent betrayed
him, though he vas designated a
number Ten.
at is a charge retorted Twenty
"that Ivan Berger declared he stoo
ready to prove, provided he was PEI
mitted to select o committee of ME
and women from this council whom Ii
knew to be loyal, for to come here :
person and prefer the charges bcfor
traitors would he to lay himself ope
to betrayal by the spies of the Cza
who are now within hearing of II
voice."
While Twenty was on his feet, d.
Mulek and Peter the student, VIII
knew each other despite their disguise'
put their heads together, and th
FORMER whispered:
@Do you know that man, Peter9"
II do not" replied Peter.
@It may be Ivan Berger"
T. fIt isn't his voice"
.Snut you know" said the Doctor
she has the most astonishing comman
bYer his face and voice; he is VOL
aerful actor"
When number Twenty ceased speal
Ing, the leader, who now seemed
have recained his calmness. said: