Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-12-08

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: TTTHE BLACK TERROR )
6 4 Romance Of Russia. z
= by JOHN X. LEYs. &
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Dy JOHN *. LEYS.


said the stranger, gravely. There was
IL sadness in his voice that i could not
understand. The object of the log
| journey | have undertaken is not mere
| ~ TO be the bearer of this news TO You,
but 10 entreat you not to accept the
| post when it is offered 10 you"
For the moment the Princes face
was a perfect study of amazement.
Then he burst into a laugh, and
laughed until he was forced to throw
himself down ON one of the great oak
en- chairs. What nonsense is thisg'
| he cried when the fit of laughter was
over. Give up the command of a rich
! province-a great proyince-because
| you, n stranger, desire 1t! l never
heard such assurance in my life!'
AT first sight 1t does seem singular
| observed Won Mitschka; and as he
| spoke an indefinable change came over
| his face. Now that / had had time TO
look at il more closely, that face
| struck me as being a very remarkable
one. 1t spoke clearly Of intellectual
| ability. No one could fail to notice
| that. And yet, 10 II looking at Won
| Mitschka would have exclaimed, what
4 clever man. but what a will that
! man has"
| Ii was the c~ountenance of aeleader,
of a man to whom his w law, his
own will. was sufficient-a man who
would first work out his problems and
make his plans. and then allow Others
to suppose that they were carrying out
their own ideas in obeying his viii.
There was a light in those dark eyes,
cleaning under the black eyebrows.
which contrasted Sc strangely with his
snow-white hair, that marked the UNI
| crowned king. He was as absolutely
unmoyed by the open ridicule of the
, Prince as he had been by the ;mpertl-
| hence of his ~ill-concealed sneers. With
out as much as CHANGING in my direc-
| ton, he went on:
This matter concerns you n me
| alone Prince. 1t is, as | have said. my
object, and my sole object, TO try TO
persuade yen to give up this office that
viii be offered you."
And your reasons-your reasons!
You haven't come to that YETI
MY reason is. that it will not be a
| for you to undertake the duties OF the
post"
What. sir 10 safer
Every far from safe. The tempta-
items will be g~reat-both the temptation
10 undue severity-for there are two
great prisons in the province, and polit-
| Zeal prisoners are often sent there-and
the temptation to enrich yourself at
the expense of the unhappy taxpay-
ers."
by Heaven, this Is too much cried
the Prince. striding up to the stranger,
with clenched hands. Won Mitschka
| dod not move a hairs breadth.
Think what your reputation was for
cruelty when you had the prisoners of
vornik at your mercy. Think what a
| reputation you left behind you at Mon
| olsk. Ii is not that You are. like some.
| tiendishly cruel: but you are a despot,
| merciless TO all who dare oppose your
VIII. and you have the temper of your
| race. You will be tempted To further
! exeesses. and ii you fall under the
temptation. you VIII not & ounpun-
ished. 1t is this that | have come TO
tell yen. Take my advice, and decline
| The Cars offer"
/ marveled that the Prince endured
| all this plain speaking; and ! maryeled
vet more that the stranger knowing, as
he evidently did, what u OF man
the Prince was. should have dared TO
| beard him In his own castle in that
| fashion. 1t Is my belief that Kropen-
! ski was s%peechless from Indignation
| mntinDleSs from pure establishment.
| But no sooner did Won Mitschka, cease
| TO speak. than the Prince sprang on
him and caught him by the coat. Won
Mitschka did not stir.
"You dare TO say this TO me- By
| Heaven, you have dared more than any
man has dared yet. and lived!'
prince Kropenski, take your hands
| from my coat" said III eobiect of the
Princes wrath 50 quietly that his voice
was scarcely audible.
II will Kill you, At al events, ! VIII
have you shut UP in a place you can
rot easily get out Of"
NO. Prince. You will not DO any of
these things you have In yonr MIND.
F, You will let me 20 rs ! came.
why should | not l'aye you hoggei
| ont of the township by m ~yservants?'
because | am your guest.
At these words, the hands of the fu-
rious Prince slipped away from the
| visitors collar. He fel hack a pace
or two. and seemed to be regarding his
! visitor with Il new interest.
WHO are your he cried, suddenly.
"IIow did you get this information
| about my appointment
"yye have early Intelligence OF such
matters : said Won Mltschka, with a
quiet smile.
These words. mildly spoken as they
were. semed to cause in the Prince a
aew access Of rage.
We lie shouted, in a tone of APP
palling fury. What do you mean by
We? You mean the Nihilists.'
."rheie are no Nihiiists now, that
am aware of. meant the Committee
Of Public Safety"
"Ah. i know your cant. But the
namu matters nothing. the thing Is the
sama.. You are a Reyolutionary-ies
by Eeayen, you must be the White
Fcx"N
A savage joy thst made the man
seem perfectly ferocious. cleaned In
the Princes eyes as he spoke these
wodrs.
"You can see" he continued, In q CAIN
e. tone, THAT I must have you arrested
and sent to ST. Petersburg at once. l
should not be doing my duty IL l nj.
lowed you to escape"
The stranger shrugged his shoulders.
II fOresaw that this might be the re-
suit Of paying the debt spoke Of" he