Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-03-07
FROsTBURG Md" SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1891.

if the story is true. VIII ch of us is the
inf 'rmer?" added tn speaker, staring
tierc ly at the pale faces of his compnn.
i,ns
Bah. il j. sC,rs, to ask that, my dear
profess T., exclaimed Ivan-sllch WAS
the name # the youth who had brought
the straum.i till s." c"--;,s he advanced
to ,lr door OF the roo. , cKrd ii. and
accd tn key in his poe, t. "Ev ~
one will assert his innocr! c of c"u:s,,.
But. comrades. suppose e "ndravor {"
find Inn out? Let us scare, each other
The traitor, whoever lie may be. mr I
doubtless have in his posse $! II ;"
proof Of his guilt. AT lcas!. ,hc xl rr
ment is orth trying. What say YOU:
"AgreeoI! agreed!" exclaimed tie n
hili1t>, as with one accord they epran
cunvuIsively to their feet On" of Il e
studcnts-a tall, lank youth, with Il
somewhat fopiish appearance - OBJ
'cled, however, to the proposal.
But why!" hotly demanded the ro-
fcssur, W no seemed all ca ,erness to be
gun the investigation.
"Because, was the hesitatmg r.
joinder, "becallse it is unnec ssary, Our
word Of honor ought To be enough. Be
sides, there is something degrading in
the idea of searching one another, as it,
indeed, we We're a lot of pickp, c!irts
So let us break up the meeting. Ti'i,
excitement is absurd, and renders the
discussion If the plot impossibI. A>
for the story told by the drunken soldier
in the cafe, l don't believe Il word of it.
These words produced an angry muir
mur among tile excited cons. traitors.
The prot's seemed so ridcu.ous; and
as the clamor incre; sed Ivan turned to
the speaker and warmly exclaimed,
"Very well; we shall abstain from
searching you, since you ish il; but
remember this, that if we fail to find Il
clue to the informant among those WHO
willingly submit to the examination we
shall then know upon whom to fix our
suspicious. Now. comrades, Search me
first; am ready"
L. IA moment the S r,ker's peck 5
We're emrtied of their contents, and
even the lining of his clothes was Care
fully searched; but beyond a few old
love letters some oItical pamphlets,
and an English newspaper with a para
graph obEiterated with lamp black,
nothing of an discriminating character
was found. A second student readily
submitted to the test-if test it Wis
with similar results. Then a third
stel ped forward and pl1ceu himself j.
the hands of his companions But at
that moment Il curious incident oc-
CURED. An invisible hand sudden
'xtinguished the light of the candle,
and in a second the room was plunged
in utter darkness.
What did it mean? Who had
q',enched The light? For moment the
N.hiiists remained motionless, as il
rooted to the spot AS they listened in
alarm, they heard strange creaking
sound i'm the direction OF the curtained
window.
Suddenly the voice of Ivan exclaimed
in tie darkness: Comrades, this is Il
trick! Listen! Some one is endeavoring
to escape by the window! 1t is the
traitor at last. His attempt to escap.
batrays his guilt Stand back! know
how to deal with him!'
In an instant tie report of three re-
volver shots rang through the room, aud
was followed by an agoniziug yell rs,
some one fell heavily upon iIle flor.
A profound silence then r,l-u ii.
1t wa, an awful situnt"n.
A length Ivan spoke to his terriii d
companions.
Strike Il light now," he said in -
trembling voice, "anl let us look upo.3
the face of traitor. Will no one move?
Are you all afraid to gaze upon the dead
body of a miscreant who has betrayed
us to our enemies? Cone, professor,
where are the matches? You had them
last. But hush! What sound is that?
Ii ten! By heavens, comrades, the
police are upon us alre. d.. The house
is surrounded! Quick! here is a trai
door, known only to myself. 1t leads to
the main sew er, and IS our rnly hope of
escape. Follow me.
Cropping hand in hanl in the dark,
the atfrighted men followed the speak,
er's directions, and after some moment.
uGS COllli"lOlI, I'll hpl'fdi't lilID al
noisome abyss. None too soon. In an
other instant ihe door of tn. r"on W"s
battered to pieces, and "A c. m my of
gendarmes entered. Lights Wc.e now
flashed in every direction. hut it WAS
obvious to all that the consp'rat"r, hal
escaped. The officer in charge swor"
long and deep, an ordered tine men to
search the house from top t" i" tom.
Then, advancing toward tl' windn h.
S umbled over Il human bod
"WIiat's this?" he exclai ed. exam.
lining the dead mans features with II
lantern. H so they have caught you
at la It, my friend, have they: Well,
you playe the spy long and well, but il
always comes to this end
And, tearing down th' w,n.loW err.
tain, the officer threw ii Iv + the rigid
body o'-thc prof, i, CD II a.,
in Pail Mall Bad get.
Poverty Develops Genius.
Burgess, the celebrated boat hull lcl