Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-01-05
CHAPTER XXI.
Y Avy ~ nm S,DH~Durc-n

The movement Of the brougham at start
ing aroused Taras from his lethargy. and
he made an effort to shake of sleep, but
with long drawn sigh his head drooped
again the next minute. 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 at length at our house
in Lambeth, Kavanagh came to the door,
took the latchkey from Taras' 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," he said, and turning to
the cabman, who had stationed himself In
front Of us in evidence Of his continued Wig.
lance, continued: "Can you give me hand
herei There's q man to hold your horses
head"
With no pretense at disguise, he called
Urigo 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 ut Kavanagh's bidding.
He will not waken before midday" said
Kavanagh in French when Taras was com.
fortably disposed on the couch. 1.-THE
sleeping draft / gave him is perfectly harm
less. You can see that he Is not in the
slightest pain, poor old chapp'
The tone of affection in which he spoke
was not less astonishing than the openness
Of his confession. The audacity of his
hypocrisy astounded me, and yet as look
ed at him bending over Taras 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 I 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 If
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 if he were called.
Then he told the driver of his brougham to
return to the news and babe Drigo 20
with him. These orders heard distinctly
as 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 Rravely:
"This Is the second time you have de-
feated my plans for saving the life Of our
friend. Yet took every precaution that q
man could take. short of confid;ng my pur.
pose to you this second time"
"And If you had done that do you think
Ishould have helped your" asked fiercely.
"Yes, believe you would. l set a man
to watch you. and thought that enough
And SO it would have been If hadn't
found means to get away without his See
ing me-" said triumphantly.
whether overrated his ability or I'M
derrated yours matters little now" said
be with a shrug. after regarding me in 81
lence for q minute. Il ought to have told
you all With your help we must have
succeeded"-
I'm whati"
I'm 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
Constituent for time Then. doubling
whether had rightly caught the sense Of
his words, said:
"You think would have consented to
such thing as thati"
"Yes; II ! had shown you that 1t 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
1t impossible for him to burn the group Of
statuary until Gordon undertook to build
q kiln for that purpose, and it was I 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 q friend, who did
thatr exclaimed.
"Yes, and you would do the same II you
perfectly realized his position"
Destroy what he has made-the work 30
dear to himi Never!''
Would you rather that he himself
should be destroyed" He paused for an
answer. but as found no reply to make
he continues:
UNFORTUNATELY. nothing is to be gained
by 1t. or 1t should be beaten down again.
He has said that he will carry the work
through. though he have to stand by it
with a revolver by his side from first to
last"
And he willv' cried
Il 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 if the means Of preserving him
were offered you-if another opportunity
Of removing him should occur"-
Il will not listen to you," cried with
indignation as l started to my feet. Moth
ing in the world could persuade me to Join
you in this shameful plot"
For heavens sake, be reasonable. my
poor grip said he in a soothing tone.
You have seen those pictures Of prison
life and fancy that Taras would be Axposed
to such cruelty and hardships as are repre-
scented in them. You are altogether mis-