Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-01-05

There 10 no chance Of escnpe If what you
Say IS true; no hope Of happiness II Taras is
taken from me. It's useless to 60 on talk
Ing. Do you think I'd give in at the first
sight of danger' Not l. I've got to think
how I'm to face this other man now"
Some way Of getting out Of the Difficult
ty," he repeated in a slow, reflective tone,
and then he added eagerly, who knows
but that your woman wit might find an
outlet where my senses are at faultt Why
should not we-you and TRY to devise
some scheme by which we may outwit the
police, Rudersdorf, the whole LOTT"
Regarded him with mistrust, his eager
ness, some crafty expression in his half
closed eyes, quickening my suspicious,
though these signs were not inconsistent
with ~ ardent wish to save Taras by de-
ceiving his enemies.
I'VE will see what Taras says"
Great heavenl' he exclaimed, with ex-
IRENE agitation. "Taras must never hear
a word of what has happened tonight. II
you will not promise me that upon your
oath, LIP
4 look Of dismay-a quick outward move
ment with his trembling hands, as II he
were abandoning everything-closed the
sentence which his lips seemed powerless to
finish.
IF am to believe YOU" said after a
minutes reflection, "Taras will believe
you, and if what you have told me is not a
lie he will forgive you"
~ do not doubt that. His faith is great
er than yours. But 1t Is his duty to report
this to the society and because it is duty
he will do it, despite the mercy In his heart.
The society will judge me by the letter Of
the law, and my sentence will be death.
This Is what l exposed myself to by the at
tempt to save Taras from the hand Of Ru
dersdorf. This is the fate to which you
condemn me the moment you betray the
secret hav%given you. You are bound to
respect that"
"A secretl have promised nothing.
did not ask you to confess. and nothing
binds me to conceal your explanation"
You forced me to explain-to confess
everything-to rely upon your feeling for
Taras. If not on your mercy. for n man
whose judgment has been betrayed by an
excess Of affection-the moment you
stopped me. and there WAS question of your
charging me with an indictable offense.
The merest rumor would suffice to draw
down the vengeance Of the society upon
me. You must promise to keep my secret"
III cannot promise'-
"Then l must leave the country before
you can betrsy me. My life will not be-
safe here for another day. You force me
to abandon Taras, and you take upon your
self all responsibility for what befalls him
after. This Is what will follow. When
the police at St. Petersburg discover what
has happened-and the telegraph will take
the news within few hours Of my flight
Rudersdorf will be dispatched to fill my
place, and all the precautions you may
take will fail to ward off the blow which
bis relentless hand will surely strike.
Within a week-aye, less than that-Taras
will be dead man, and you will have to
answer to God for his DEATH"
1t was now who trembled.
Seeing the deep impression he had made.
Kavanagh proceeded quickly:
4 ask you for nothing that you cannot
safely give. throw aside the hope Of in
ducing you to help me in getting Tsras
away from London. l merely ask you to
be silent for awhile-to hold my secret un-
til have devised some new plan for defeat
ing Rudersdorf and the police. What else
can you desires II human ingenuity. sharp
| ened by the fear of death, can discover
means of saving Taras he shall be saved.
Wanton wicxedness or madness can alone
lead you to refuse such an offer. You hold
| q guarantee Of good faith on my part. for II
you have reason to believe that l am play
ing falsely. you can at once make this
charge against me and bring two witnesses
to support it, Furnishing my infidelity with
death. will not even ask you to be silent
for an indefinite time. Give me but week
"a few days-to think out scheme. and In
return swear to deliver this friend from
the hands Of Rudersdorf"
Iwould not consent at once even to this
plausible proposal. but in the end, feeling
and reason inclining me in the same way, ]
said:
"I'll say nothing for week anyhow"
keep that promise. and l will fulfill
mine." said he. springing 70 his feet, with n
conviction In his face which seemed to in
dictate that some scheme for deceiving the
police had already flashed upon his imagi-
nation.
ITO h Coa.r,nusGl