Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1894-02-03
CHAPTER XIII.

CHAPTER XIII.
A SUGGESTION
Kavanagh's brougham was waiting at
the door, but the man on the box was not
the driver whom had seen there the night
before.
II have bad news" said Kavanagh as
we passed Lambeth palace. Read that"
he added, putting letter in my hand
which he had taken carefully from leather
case
| opened the folded sheet of thin, blue
lined paper.
There was black split eagle in the left
hand corner, and on the right OF it printed
address in Russian characters. | glanced
down the paper and could make nothing OF
it, for it was written in the Russian char
acters, but turning the leaf found several
names in the ordinary Italian hand. and
among them was one which struck the note
of alarm-Rudersdor occurred several
times in the same page.
"What does it sayS" I asked. Il can't
make it out"
~ thought you understood Russian"
"A few words, but can't read Russian
writing"
He took the letter from my hand and ran
through it in somber silence, then raising
his eyes and fixing them refiectively on the
distance he said;
Its from the minister of police at st.
Petersburg Luck runs in streaks, and ill
luck too He writes in the most friendly
and courteous spirit, but virtually he offers
me my demission-tells me that | have
failed to do the work undertook and inti-
mates that he shall have to employ some
one else. Who that is you can guess"
"Rudersdorf," said
He nodded and turning again to the let
ter continued:
Here are his reasons: We have certain
information that Borgensky you
know-'has made arrangements for exhibit
ing at an early date in Paris and London
casts OF statue in terra Gotta, modelled in
Lambeth, which must give extreme dis
pleasure to the car His anger will fall
upon me, and the production OF this statue
must involve my downfall The order Civ
en- me, now nearly IL months ago, was to 81
lence Borgensky, and he must be slenced
at any cost, even though the cost be Bor
gensky's life and the loss Of your services
With much reluctance-as you, feel sure
will underestimate have this day instructed
Rudersdorf tcstart for London"
He paused, and held my breath. too ter
rified to speak.
"'If anything can be done to save the life
of Borgcnsky, | know you will do 1t, and
should you succeed you may depend on
substantial recognition of your services
With this view have given Rudersdorf
imperative and stringent instructions to
consult you before taking any action what
ever He will call upon you as soon as he
reaches London and carry out implicitly
any directions you may give for conveying
Borgenslly safely on board the Nolga. In
the event, however, of your having no direc
tions to give him'-that means if can find
no means Of getting Taras on board the
steamer that is waiting for him-'then Ru
dersdorf will have the sole management OF
the affair-to silence Borgensky as may
seem best to him-and you will be freed
from all further responsibility in the mat
ter"
He sighed, and without other comment
gloomily replaced the letter in his case.
when will Rudersdorf be hereS" ask
ed after an interval of dreadful silence.
"If he left on the same day that this let
ter was posted, he may be here now"
Now" gasped.
'IIe may be waiting for me at my cham
bers this moment
The throbbing of my heart seemed to
check the words rs they rose.
"What--wRat shall you do?" taltered.
keep out of his way as long rs dare"
"You will 20 away from LondonT
He shook his head
unfortunately there is danger even in
delay Tomorrow or the next day he will
telegraph to the minister for instructions
He will discover that | left my chambers
after the time when should have received
the letter advising me of his coming"
"And them"
"Then probably the minister will allow
few days grace, after which he will wire
the fatal instructions that Rudersdorf is
craving for-the order to act as may seem
best to him"
"You must see him--put him off on some
pretense."
"Yes, that will do for time, until the
minister loses patience, and all the while
we are whetting the appetite of that blood
hound Rudersdorf. Yes, that's what he is
IA bloodhound, neither more nor less,
ready to run down any unhappy wretch
whose scent is given him. Fancy, he has
never seen Taras; Taras has never injured
him, and yet from the day Taras first came
under the notice of the police this man has
vowed to destroy him."
"What for2"
simply to crafty his lust for blood, the
cultivated instinct of the bloodhound. He
wears locket on his chain; he opened it to
show me one day 1t contains two wisps of
hair-one woman s-taken from the heads
of victims, well known nihilists, whom he
hunted down and killed. They are ar'
ranged symmetrically, with space left be
tween them. In that vacant space he has
written the name of Taras."
The brougham stopped, he opened the
door and stepped out, but ! was too horri'
6ed by what had heard to move.
whats the good of going in thereY
asked fiercely when he held forth his hand.
"What are flowers to me nowY
Better come" he said in low tone. Ap-