The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-10-24
CHAPTER XXI.
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again the next minute. l drew him to-
ward me. and with his dear face pillowed
on my shoulder could scarcely wish our
journey to end.
When we drew up ut length at our house
IN Lambeth, Kavanagh came to the door.
took the latchkcy from 1aras' pocket and
after lighting the candles in our living
room came back TO me.
I'VE must lay our friend ON the couch In
the sitting room," no said, and turning to
the cabman, who had stationed himself in
front of us In evidence of his continued Wig
ilance, continued: Can you give me hand
heref There's man to hold your horses
head"
With no pretense at disguise. he called
Drigo by name, and the man came from
the foot of the bridge where had last seen
him and silently placed himself in front OF
the horse at Kavanagh's bidding.
"He will not waken before midday" said
Kavanagh In French when Taras was COM
fortably disposed on the couch. "Tbe
sleeping draft l gave him is perfectly harm
less. You can see that he Is not in the
slightest pain, poor old chap!'
The tone of affection in which he spoke
was not less astonishing than the openness
of his confession. The audacity of his
hypocrisy astoundcd me, and yet as look
ed at him bending over Tayas with those
soft, feminine eyes / could find nothing in
the expression of his face to belle his senti-
ment.
II must speak to you before CO." he
continued, raising his head and looking me
calmly in the face. 1.-THE cabman shall wait
outside till go, or in the room with US II
you prefer it."
"I'm not afraid Of you," replied.
He bowed, and going to the outer door
told the cabman to back his cab and wait
there where he could hear il he were called.
Then he told the driver Of his brougham to
return to the news aud bade Drigo go
with him. These orders heard distinctly
rs / sat on the stool beside the couch where
Taras lay.
Kavanagh returned to the room, leaving
the doors open, and seating himself on the
couch by Taras' feet he leaned forward and
said grayely:
"This is the second time you have de-
feated my plans for saving the life of our
friend. Yet took every precaution that a
man could take, short of conflding my pur-
pose to you this second time"
''And IL you had done that do you think
Ishould have helped your" / asked 1ercely.
"Yes, believe you would. set man
to watch you. and thought that enough
''And so 1t would have been il hadn't
found means to get away without his see
ing me-" said triumphantly.
"Whether / ovcrrated his ability or un-
derrated yours matters little now" said
he with shrug, after regarding me in ST.
lence for minute. II ought to have told
you all. With your help we must have
-succeeded"---
I'm whati"
''In getting Taras safely away. At this
moment he might have been on the steam
er waiting for him on the river and on his
way to Russia"
could only look at him In speechless as
tonishment for time. Then, doubling
whether l had rightly caught the sense of
his words, / said
''You think would have consented to
such a thing as thatT
"Yes; IL l had shown you that it was the
only way of saving his life. Understand
this, the car has said that Taras must be
silenced-that means that he must be taken
back to Russia, where he will be prevented
from publishing works offensive to the
car, or that he will be secretly assassinat-
ed, for it is hopeless to think of restraining
him while he lives here In freedom. have
done my utmost In that direction made
it impossible for him to burn the group of
statuary until Gordon undertook to build
kiln for that purpose, and it was who
destroyed the group the day before it was
to be cast. You know now that it was the
hand of friend. and not an enemy, who
did that"
"You call yourself a friend. who did
that?" exclaimed. .
"Yes. and you would do the same IL you
perfectly realized his position"
Destroy what he has made-the work SO
dear to himl Neverl'
Would you rather that he himself
should be destroyed" He paused for an
answer, but as l found no reply to make
he continued:
UNFORTUNATELY. nothing is to be gained
by it, or it should bo beaten down again.
He has said that he will carry the work
through, though he have to stand by it
with revolver by his side from first to
last"
"And he will" cried.
II was as fully convinced on that point
as you are before abandoned the idea.
No, there is no other alternative He must
60 back to Russia"
HE would rather die"
"But we would rather that he lived.
And surely il the means of preserving him
were offered you--if another opportunity
Of removing him should occur"-
II will not listen to you," cried with
indignation as / started to my feet. "Noth-
ing in the world could persuade me to join
you in this shameful plot"
For heavens sake, be reasonable, my
poor grill" said he in soothing tone.
"You have seen those pictures of prison
life and fancy that Taras would be exposed
TO such cruelty and hardships as are repre-
sented in them. You are altogether mis-
taken, as he himself would tell you IL you
asked him. His rank alone secures him
against III treatment The car Is not un-
merciful. Imperial interests compel him
to take strong measures. His hostility
toward Taras Is tempered with profound
respect for political adversary OF high at.
tainments and unimpeachable honesty. In
Russia Taras will be treated with the ut
most consideration and kindness He will
be allowed To live where he likes, and the
only restriction put upon his liberty will
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