The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-15

-l . I'M M friend, ana nnulnR
him lost, overcome and given to silence, ne
had not ventured to speak to him yet.
Twice Muller had raised his eyes and after
a searching glance at his companion had
looked away again. This continued several
minutes and the Siberian began TO feel
anxious at heart, All of a sudden Muller
said in a short. almost whispering tone:
Ivan, we are betrayed!'
The Siberian rose with a start. by
whom?" he asked. Muller, as if overcome
by despair, hid his face in his hands.
Then, looking up for a moment, he added:
"Oh! 1t is horrible!"
you are shedding tears!" cried Ivan
frightened by the excitement OF this man
who was generally 80 perfectly his own
master. And he added: And yet never
before saw a tear in your eyes!'
t'Iweep for myself. Ivan, nndmy destroyed
hopes. We have acted like criminals and
like madmen. Who ,betrays us? You ask.
Darine! All the heads of the society, the
centre! And do you know why? For a
little gold"
The gigantic Siberian rose and his fist fell
upon the writing table. Cursed" he said.
.,But moi! 1t cannot be! Muller, you are
mistaken!'
when I was told so at first / said the
same thing. Still it is so!'
The Siberian crumpled a bundle of
papers in his hand.
''Oh" he growled in his mute rage. ooh!
oh! oh!' he added, with a sob. More he
could not utter.
"We nave been fools, Ivan. We have
l..c-,,l 10 - state of %hipra u,hirh 10 i'm
possible as long as men are what they are.
Cupidity, ambition, cowardice will always
rule the heart of man. When l analyze my
W heart / find the same passions there;
egotism, ambition. folly! wanted to
force people to be free who did not value
freedom. well-what next? I am beaten.
I have to wind it all up. After having
striven thirty years after an ideal future. l
must sink back into-nothing! 1t is hard,
but it must bev'
Ivan, struck dumb by the sight of such
grief, himself also troubled in his inner
most heart. said nothing.
well" said Muller, II resign, but before
the guilty. Ill do that, Ivan. I have two
days more to live, and l mean to make good
use of the two days.
Ivan, you will. tonight. burn the Pha-
lanstery Of the Asiaticv'
The Siberian, aghast; asked: You mean
TO Ducn the pQHldubGeIy!
eyes, replied Muller, in the same placid,
slow way in which he habitually gave his
orders. "This very night!'
But" stammered the other man, ''there
are seventy tenants in the building"
"Tll spare them" He opened a drawer
in the table and drew out a bundle of bank
notes.
Here are a hundred thousand roubles.
You will 90 there, distribute this money
among them and turn all the nihilists out"
But if they question me?"
"Pshaw! They are socialists! What would
they not do for money? Send them to all
the bad places in the city! They will kiss
your handr'
The Siberian saw with pain and horror
how Muller despised now what he had wor-
shipped in the morning and doubted.
''They will not go! The house ia yours,
out in this manner. They may refuse"
''They will not refuse"
"But, if"
"Then," broke out Muller, seized with
sudden wrath, 'let them burn with the
houseu'
The Siberian, an old bandit knowing
neither fear nor pity, trembled at this cold
decision.
''There are among these wretches some''
HI began.
Eyes, Poleno and Bello. I shall want
those two men,, Send them to me to night.
You can give them rooms at q MOTEL and |
will see them tomorrow"
Muller" repeated Ivan, that house is
yours, we all live in your generosity, you
have the right to burn it,"
"Na1s, I have that right and I mean to use
But what are you going to do, Muller? 1
want to know it"
my destiny il nothing to you; as for my
plans, / will tell them to you: l see you
hesitate to obey me. Come with me and l
will explain everything to you on the way.
] assure you the ~phalanstery must disap-
pear this very night. And | swear to you,
Ivan, when you hear OF their treaohery,
you will hesitate no longer"
MULLER, / all not easily moved. but his
cold oruelty-to burn all these people"
"You need not be afraid, Ivan! Show
them your money and they will follow You
Us dogs follow people who have meat in
their pockets. Gomez
As Muller went down stairs he muir
INJURED:
"Oh, this woman! She would have been
my happiness! Why did l wish to listen?
! shall not su cvive it. l never feared detth,
but now, when | think OF n last Judgment,
my heart fears!'
1t was six o'clock and night approached.
Ivan and Muller stopped at the door of the
p~halanstery.
"Will you still hesitate? Or do you com.
prehend the depth. of my wound and the
kteubuebS Oh uu0lT lHluultyt
II shall obey you!"
Engage n mack to wait for me there.
Then go and persuade these men. Remem-
Der that any one who stays ten minutes be-
hind may be burnt alive. Order BsIlo and
Poleno to go instantly to the palace. In al
quarter of an hou / want to find you near
the carriage"
In the second story Ivan and Muller
parted; this latter went into the conference
hall. Ivan to the rooms of the nihilists.
During the week that Dakouss hud been
kept in close confinement the poor physi- /
clan had felt madness slowly invading his
brains. His fear was boundless-what were
they going to do with him? Poleno, the
fierce enthusiast, the rigid Executor OF tho
orders of his chief, had twice brought him
provisions. He had CONF into the cell, and
aombre- looking, had left again without
questions. Left to himself. the physician