The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-04-11
LOCATING THE TRAITOR.

LUUAIlNU IHE IhAIIUR,
One bitterly cold winters evening
Ave men were seated together in a
small room in q house situated in the
Jewish quarter of a busy and largely
populated Russian city. The appear
auce Of the room was as wretched as
the external aspects Of the house itself.
The solitary window was totally con.
cealed by a heavy faded curtain, de-
pending from the roof, and as the wind
moaned dismally through the broken
panes Of glass, its somber folds swayed
to and fro. The inmates of this mourn
ful den were seated round the table,
smoking their pipes and talking, as il
furtively, in whispers. As the feeble
rays of the candle fell fitfully upon the
company they revealed the youthful
faces Of four students. The chief spokes-
man, however, was a much older man,
apparently about CO. with short
pointed beard, shaggy brows, and keen,
penetrating eyes of the darkest hue.
The others deferentially addressed the
speaker as professor, and such, in
deed. lie was, at that time, at q well
known school Of medicine in Russia.
On the present occasion, however, he
was speaking, not of science, but Of the
terrible doctrine Of assassination.
Professor V was a Nihilist, a re
puted COLOSSUS of craft in the dissem
ination of revolutionary doctrines, and
On Fl,o ,,ortfonior avapspo, Il, 1,,agt:o,,
he was engaged in advocating, with
fiery eloquence, the assassination of q
certain colonel who had lately been pro
NOTED TO the rank of chief commits
sionsr OF the secret police. AS the night
wore on their whispered conversation
was suddenly interrupted by a low
knocking at the outer door. In a mo
ment the conspirators sprang noiselessly
to their feet, and listened with bated
breath The sound was repeated-a pc
culiar whistle was heard from without
and the listeners exchanged signlh
cant glunces and quietly resumed theii
seats Presently cautious footsteps
were heard in an outer room, the dooi
was opened, and young man hastily
entered His face was pale, his manner
agitated, aud as lie returned his com
ranions' salutations he regarded. then
with a fixed and angry stare Z
@You have kept us waiting, com
rade, Z" exclaimed the profes or, putting
calmly at his pipe. "Usm we are
almost frozen, for the air Of thi.
wreiched apartment is quite Siberian
But now TO business. We will " warm
ourselves with talk, and fire our minds
with the prospect of revenge. "
There was a murmur of approval. /
was noticed. however, that the young
man who had just appeared upon th,
scene took his seat in silence, and, rest
ing his elbows upon the table, slowly
scru utnized the faces of his comrades.
"My dear professor, he said at length
"we can not possibly proceed at presen
with this business.
"Why not2" was unanimously asked
Because" replied the latest conner
as lie quietly snuffed the candle, "be
cause one of us is traitor"
"A traitorl" exclaimed the men, start
ing to their leet.
ayes, comrades, we are betrayed; anC
as no one knows Of this plot of ours ex
cept ourselves, it is plain, l think. tina
one of us has turned informant"
You are mad to say sol" hoarsely ex
claimed the professor "but in heaven
name, what has happened2 Come, tel
us quickly. This is no jesting matter.
Listen. then. On my way tlither
comrades, entered a Cafe de Paris t.
sip a cup Of tea and smoke a cigarette
l happened to sit down beside two of
fioers Of the Secret Police, and, as one o
them was somewhat tipsy, I coul,
hear his conversation. found 1t rathe
interesting. He told his companion tina
he was under orders to surround thi
old deserted house at midnight-it /
near II now-and to arrest all person
found within. He mentioned, more
over, all our names, and added. with
maudlin laugh, that a certain person
to whom the administration is eternal,
indebted, would be found in our mi ls
playing the part of conspirator. Now
comrades, have done. What shall W
dor"
The men looked at each other in dis
may. A dead silence filled the room
for the mere suspicion Of treacher
among the men who had solemnly dedi
Gated their lives to the sacred cause c
liberty seemed to hold them dumb. Sue
villainy in their very midst-amon
men banded together in sacred brother
hool-was a greater crime than til
merciless acts Of a despot and his min
ions
IF this is true, said the professor /
a voice Of suppressed rage, then Wi
no longer believe in human fidelity, @
the future Of our cause. But-Dsatl
n the story is true Which of US is th
informer'" added the speaker, starin
fercely at the pale faces Of his compar
: ions
"Bahi it is useless to ask that, my dea
professor exclaimed Ivan-such wa
the name Of the youth who had brougE
the strange intelligenee--as he advance
Highest Of all in Leavening