The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-11-21

I
although they had never in any way ar
ranged the matter He also had deter
mined to feign innocence, and had ar
ranged everything in such manner as to
make it seem as though he was the most
peaceful of citizens. As he lived under
the false passport of an engineer, he had
covered ibis table with heap of plans of
various dimensions, and, having put on his
dressing gown and slippers, set diligently
to work to copy one, while waiting the
arrival of his unweleome guests.
1t was in this guise and engaged in this
innocent occupation that he was surprised
by the police. The scene which followed
may easily be imagined. Olga flung her
arms around his neck and poured forth a
stream of broken words, Explanations, ex-
cuses and complaints of these men who
had arrested her because she wished to call
upon her milliner. In the midst, how
ever, of these EXPLANATIONS, she whispered
in his ear, "Have you not been warned?'
sYes,'' he replied in the same manner.
Everything is in order. Don't be
alarmed. - Meanwhile he played the part
Of an affectionate husband mortified by this
scandal After little scolding and then
little consolation he turned to the pristav
and asked him for an explanation, as he
could not quite understand what had hap
pened from the disconnected words of his
wife The pristav politely tod the whole
story. The engineer appeared greatly
surprised and grieved and could not refrain
from somewhat bitterly cepsuripg his wife
for her objectionable imprudenee The
pristav, who was evidently treasured by the
aspect of the husband and Of the whole
household, declared nevertheless that he
must make search
Il hope you will excuse me, sir, he
added, ''but am obliged to do it. 1t is
my duty
Il willingly submit to the law, nobly
replied the engineer.
Thereupon he pointed to the room so as
to indicate that the pristav was free to
search it thoroughly, and having lit can
die with his own hand-for at that hour
in St. Petersburg in was already dark-he
quietly opened the door of the adjoining
room. which was his own little place
The search was made Certainly not
single scrap Of paper was found, written or
printed, which smelled of nihilism.
''By rights L ought to take the lady to
prison., said the pristav when he had fin
ished his search; especially as her previous
behavior was anything but what it ought
to have been, but l won't do that. Twill
simply keep you under arrest here until
your passports have been verified. You
see, sir, he added, 1--WE police officers are
not quite so bad as the nihilists make us
out
There are always honest men in every
occupation, replied the engineer with a
gracious bow More compliments of the
same kind, which | need not repeat, were
exchanged between them, and the pristav
went away with most of his men, well i'm
pressed with such polite and pleasant re-
ception. He left, however, guard in the
kitchen, with strict injunctions not to lose
sight of the host and hostess until further
orders
Morosoff and Olga were alone The
first act of the comedy they had improvised
had met with complete success. But the
storm was far from having blown over
The yerifcation of their passports would
show that they were false. The inevitable
consequence would be warrant for their
arrest, which might be issued at any
moment if the verifcation were made by
means of the telegraph. The sentinel,
riged, motionless, with his sword by his
side aud his revolver in his belt, was seated
in the kitchen, which was at the back,
exactly opposite the outer door, so that it
was impossible to approach the door with
out being seen BY him. For several hours
they racked their brains and discussed, in
low voice, various plans of escape. To
free themselves by main force was not to be
thouget Of No arms had been left in the
place, for they had been purposely taken
away. Yet without weapons how could
they grapple with this big, sturdy fellow,
armed as he was? They hoped that, as
the hours passed on, he would fall asleep
But this hope was not realized When,
at about half past 10, Morosoff, under the
pretext of going into this little room, which
was used for various domestic purposes,
passed near the kitchen, he saw the man
still at his post, with his eyes wide open,
attentive and vigilant as at first. Yet,
when Morusoff returned, Olga would have
declared that the way was quite clear and
that they had nothing to do but to leave,
so beaming were his eyes He had, in
fact, found what he wanted-a plan sim
pie and safe The little room opened into
the small corridor which served as sort Of
antechamber, and its door fanked that of
the kitchen. In returning to the sitting
room AIorosoff observed that when the
door of the little room was wide open it
completely shut out the view of the kitchen
and consequently hid from the policeman
the outer door and also that of the sitting
room. 1t would be possible, therefore, at
given moment, to pass through the ante
chamber without being seen by the sentinel
But this could not be done unless some
one came and opened the door of the little
room Neither Olga nor Morosof could
do this. for if, under some pretext, they
opened it, they would of course have to
leave it open. This would Immediately
arouse suspicion, and the policeman would
run after them and catch them perhaps
before they had descended the staircase.
Could they htrust the landladys The
temptation to do so was great. IF she
consented to assist them, success might be
considered certain. But if she refused !
Who could guarantee that, from fear Of
being punished as an accomplice, she
would not go and reveal everything to the
police? Of course she did not suspect in
the least what kind of people her dodgers
were.
Nothing, therefore, was said to her, but
thev hnnad navarkbalass m have her nm