Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-01-04
he asked as he turned and came back to


Tell him everything-all that has hap
pened, all you have said"
He nodded. as if this were no more than
he expected, and took another turn across
the room in silent meditation. As he seated
himself again in front of me he said:
We should be friends, having one object
in common. The hope that animates us
both is only to be realized by joining forces
and acting in concert. You doubt my in
tegrity- truth-sincerity | will try to
prove it by confession which places me
at your mercy. | put my life in your hands.
At word You can destroy me as surely as
the car can destroy Taras. A stronger
proof of sincerity no man could give, and
all ask in return is that you will hear me
patiently and judge me without prejudice.
III hear what you have to say at any
rate, said l.
lie stepped to the door noiselessly. look
ed out into the passage, and coming back
seated himself still nearer to me, that he
might drop his voice to tone which could
not be heard outside
Il am a nihilist," he began, "a member
OF the same secret body to which Taras be-
longs. In the service of this society | OBJ
tanned post in the ministerial bureau at
ST. Petersburg, where every movement of
the secret police came under my observa-
tion. By these means | was enabled to
warn my society of any action about TO be
taken against suspected members. You
understand me2"
Yes; you were n kind of spy on the po-
lice
Il was a sp7, and rsked my life in this
service. At any moment might have been
discovered and hanged for my zeal. While
was in this Office the order came from the
car to silence Taras. Taras was then, as
he is now, my dearest friend, and you can
imagine my horror when heard that this
order was to be executed without delay,
Happily the minister found it difficult to
lay his hand on a man for his purpose. 1t
was a very delicate business As Taras
was in London it was necessary that the
agent should speak English, not only for
the practical working out of the design, but
to avoid political complications. 1t would
never do for the Russian government to be
discovered in this plot TO violate the free
dom of a man so well known and much
honored as Taras. There was one man in
the service of the police who eagerly desired
to have the job, and that was Rudersdorf.
an avowed enemy of Taras. The chief OBJ
lection to employing him was that he did
not understand a word of English.
"One morning the minister, after explain
ing this difficulty and the objection to Ru-
dersdorf, asked me bluntly if | would un-
dertake to silence Taras. i don't ask you
10 kill him. he said, seeing some sign of
repugnance in my face probably. One rea-
son for not employing Rudersdorf is that
he certainly would do So ! simply want
you to bring Taras back to Russia. That
will please the ear far more than the death
of a man for whom he still entertains a
strong feeling of admiration. | en- give
you but a hours to consider the proposal,
but if you will not do this business Ru-
dersdorf must 'And now, " said Kavanagh
pointedly, what answer would you have
given in my placer"
II would have accepted" said ! without
hesitation.
II am sure you would Blu il was not
an undertaking to accept lightly, for you
must see as clearly as that ! was bound
to fulfill my promise
mo, / don't see that. If you could de-
oeive the minister one way, you could an
other You must have told lies from the
very first, and one more couldn't make any
great difference TO you.
Lying in this case would have been
worse than useless The lie would be found
out as soon as it was seen that made no
effort to silence Taras. Jealousy would
prompt Rudersdorf to watch me, and he
would be the first to denounce me to the
ministry The result is certain. Ruders-
dorf would have been charged with the mis-
sion he coveted The lie would only have
delayed the execution of the sentence, and
scarcely so long as delayed it by those
acts which have already confessed to. Do
you follow me?"
"Yes"
"You see that if had refused the offer
should certainly have consented to the
murder of Taras by his enemy. Ruders-
dorfs"
"Yes"
"And you see that for the same reason
am compelled now to keep the promise
made"
Logical as the proposition was could
not agree to it.
"As the only means Of saving this friend
from assassination by Rudersdorf," he in
sisted. laying his hand lightly upon Taras.
II understand what you mean" said
in reluctant tone.
"Then you must agree with me upon the
course to be taken"
mo" said |, with reviving energy, II will
never agree to that. have saved him twice
single handed against four or five of you"
1.-THE third time you will have to beat
Rudersdorf-not me- If he stood where l
stand now, how would you ward off the
shot leyeled At Taras' hearth"
sprang up and stood as if petrified be-
tween Taras and him, for as he spoke he
dropped his hand in his pocket, and for the
instant thought he was about to fash out
q revolver.
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