St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1891-05-23
THE TEST.
Locating the Traitor In O Russian
Conspiracy.

dve men were seated together In .
small room In . house situated In the
Jewish quarter Of . busy and largely
populated Russian city. The appear
ance OF the room was as wrctched Is
the external aspect OF the house itself
The solitary window was totally con-
cealed BY . heavy faded curtain, de-
pending from the roof, and Is tho wind
moaned dismally through the broken
panes OF glass It's somber folds swayed
TO and fro The inmates Of this mourn
4ul den were seated around the table,
smoking their pipes and talking. as II
furtively. In whispeEA Az tho fcoblc
rays Of tho candle fell fitfully upon
the company they revealed the youth
ful faces of four studentA The chief
spokesman, however. was q much older
man, apparently about ilfty, with q
short, pointed beard. shaggy brows
and keen. penetrating eyes Of the dark
est hue. The others deferentially ad-
dressed the speaker ~ professor,
and such, indeed, he was At that time
q . well-known school Of medicine In
Russia. -
On the present occasion. however, he
was speaking, not Of science, butof the
terrible doctrine Of assassination.
Prof " was . nihilist, . reputed
Colossus Of craft in the dissemination
Of revolutionary doctrines. and On the
particular evening in question he was
engaged in advocating with fiery clo-
Qucnce the assassination Of . certain
colonel who had lately been promoted
70 the rank Of chief commissioner of
the secret police. As the night wore
on their whispered conversation was
suddenly interrupted BY low knock
ing a& the outer door. In . moment
tho conspirators sprang noiselessly to
their feet and listened with bated
breath. The sound was repeaAcd-a
peculiar whistle was heard from with
out and the listeners exchanged sig
nif3cant glances and quietly resumed
their seats Presently cautions foot
steps were heard in IN outer room, the
door was opened. and young man
hastily entered His face was pale,
his manner agitated, and as he re-
turned his companions' sslutations he
regarded them with . fixed and angry
stare.
"You have kept Us waiting. COM
zade. exclaimed the professor. putting
calmly 1t his pipe. ugh! we are al
most frozen, for the air of this wretched
apartment Is quite Siberian. But now
70 business We will warm ourselves
with talk, and fire our minds with the
prospect Of revenge"
There was . murmur Of approval It
was noticed. however. that the young
man who had just appeared upon the
scene took his seat In silence. and. rest
ing his elbows upon tho table, slowly
pc1 utinised the faces Of his comradea
my dear professor" he said 1t
length, I'VE cannot possibly proceed 1t
peesent with this business"
"Why Dot?' was unanimously asked
because" replied the latest conner.
- he quietly snufRed tho candle-''be-
couse one Of % IL . traitor"
"A trsitorl'' exclaimed the men, start |
Ing TO their feet
"Yes, comrades, we are betrayed;
md q no one knows Of this plot OF
purs except ourselves. Il u plain. !
I010ks toAt Ou0 "a W uoo SAso00 Ass
dormant"
"You are mad TO Say co." hoarssly |
exclaimcd the professor; ''but In hesv-
ms name, what has hsppened7 Come.
Ien ~ quickly. This b no jesting mat
|er."
Listen, then. On my way hither.
entered . cate do Paris to
,ip . cup Of tea and smoke . cigarette.
happened 70 sit beside two officers OF
he secret police, and - ono Of them
was somewhat tipsy. I could distinctly |
hear his conversation. found It rath-
r interesting. He told his companion
hat he was under orders to surround
his old. deserted house at midnight
IT was near eleven now = and to
lrrest al persons found within He
moreover, al our name4,
md added, with . maudlin laugh, that .
to whom the admintstE&
ion Is eternAlly indebted. would be
'ound in our midst playing the part Of
Now. comrades. have
lone. What shall we do?"
The men looked a& each other IN
lismay. A dead silence Alled tho room,
or tho mere suspicion Of treocheGy
Lmoug the men who had solemnly ded-
Gated their lives to the sacred co0De o3
liberty seemed to hold them dumb
such villainy In their very snidstc
Imon9 men banded together In sacred
gre6ter crime than
he merciless acts Of . desPos and bis
ninionA
IF this b true" sid The peofessoe,
q . voice Of suppressed rage. then ]
viii no longer believe In human 6delity. |
r the future Of our cause. Butcdeoth!
the story is true. Which Of us Is the |
nformer?' odded the speaker, staring
Ierccly at the pale faces OF his COM
DanionA
ssBahi Il h useless TO ask that my
lear professor" exclaimed Ivan-euch
vns the psune Of tho youth who he'd