Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1896-05-21

ity"
"In other words, you are nihilist-
a dynami;ard?" 1 suggested.
"Use those terms if you like" he re-
piled. "There is nothing in name.
Acts are the things whereby men are
Judged Hear what have to say! The
society to which l belong has decreed
the immediate doom of an authoritative
rule, and with that object has dispatch
ed emissaries far and wide to carry out
its behests A big blow is shortly to be
struck, and there is not country III the
whole of Europe which will escape 1t.
Russia Germany, Austria, France, all
are condemned, and even England, the
vaunted home of the free, is not to be
exempt At the present moment there
are 80 picked men, armed with the most
deadly bombs, in London itself, await
ing the signal to commence. One more
worker is required, and | am commits
stoned to find some one to supply the
want. / have done so, and my choice
falls upon youp'
| started in my seat at these words,
uttered in a fiercely earnest tone. He
concluded:
"You; yes, you must become one of
us; must enroll yourself under the ban
ner of emancipation, and strike blow
for liberty'
"And what if l refuse?" inquired,
as quietly as my excitement would al
low. He leaned forward and hissed rath-
er than spoke in my ear:
"If you will not do this, then you
yourself are doomed Mark me, unless
you join our ranks you will never leave
this train alive!"
"Who will prevent me?" 1 asked,
again making vain endeavor to rise.
II will" he shouted fiercely.
II defy you'' exclaimed, with
firmness / did not really feel, thinking
that determined attitude might posi-
bly, overawe him, for assassins are in
variably towards. Twas mistaken in my
man, however, for on hearing my words
he put his hand under the cloak that en-
veloped him and drew forth a poniard,
the sharp pointed edge of which he felt
critically with the tip of his finger.
81 will give you one minute in which
to consider your decision" he said,
land if at the end of that time you re-
main obdurate, then this blade goes
straightway through your hearth
In order, l suppose, to amuse himself
during the interval, he pricked several
holes with the point of the instrument in
his arm just above the wrist, from each
of which the blood squirted in small,
purple jets, showing how sharp was the
weapons edge. In a little while he said: {:
''The time is up! What say you
now?'
"What l said before, replied. "Do
your worstr'
Instantly he sprang to his feet and
clutched me by the throat.
Coward !" l cried, half choking as
was, and struggling in his iron grasp.
The epithet seemed to madden him,
for his face became livid with sudden
rage, his eyes glared wildly and his
breath came in thick and hurried gasps.
"You shall never say that again !" he
shouted, tightening his hold till the
blood swelled up in my face and my
eyes seemed ready to fly from their
sockets.
With the energy of despair l made one
final attempt to recover my power of ac-
tion and felt that was succeeding The
effect of the potion was evidently work
ing off, and with use returning to nv
limbs l realized that now was my time,
Concentrating all the strength had in
to one tremendous effort, managed to
free myself from his grip and immedi-
ately closed with him. We struggled
violently together for few seconds.
neither gaining the mastery, and then
stumbled and we both fell to the ground,
he uppermost 1t seemed that my hour
was come, for in his hand he held the
deadly weapon. As saw the cleaning
blade descend in one swift stroke, /
raised my voice and shouted:
Tickets, please All tickets ready I"
1t was the summons of the collector.
rubbed my eyes and looked around.
There was my fellow traveller sitting
quietly ON the seat opposite, regarding
me with an amused expression on his
face.
Been sleeping?" he queried as nv
gaze caught his.
Il suppose I have" was my hazy re-.
ply.
And dreaming, too," he added
with smile. "Unpleasantly 1 sbonld
guess by your mannerm
1t was so. The substantial repast of
which had partaken had been the
means of bringing on heavy slumber
which lasted right on to my journeys
end' and the fearful adventure throuph
winch l had been passing was not, as I
mad imagined it, a thing of reality, but
only horrid nightmare, eppendered