Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-03-09

now consider yourself accredited as q
Government agent"
81? No, thank your l cried, starting
back, and putting my hands behind
me.
what do you mean, sir" cried the
chief, sternay. "Have you not been in
sisting all this time that you were
one?"
'"Certainly. But it does not follow
that after the treatment l have re-
ceived mean to continue to be one. I
have run q very narrow chance Of los
ing my liberty for a long period, if not
my life, in the service of Government
that seems to be prepared to throw it's
agents overheard when convenient"
Take care, sir! You are not vet at
liberty" shouted the chief, in a voice
| of thunder. 81 will have no more tri-
fling. Tell me at once how much you
have learned of this conspiracy. or 1
that you have been playing With me
all alongv'
| You may please yourself. M. de Noil-
left" said. firmly. Il will never an.
swer a single question until my terms
are granted-if, indeed, consent to go
on With the business at ALL
You will go back to prison until you
change your mind"
VERY probably. In that case, my
brother. who knows that l have under
taken this mission, will make repre-
sensations to the Foreign Office in
London
pooh! We have only to deny the
whole thing. 1t will be supposed that
| you have fallen victim to your
| friends, the conspirators," said Dc
/ NOilleff. with q sneering smile.
'tcSsihly. None the less, the world
will see what the fate of those who
rashly try to serve the Government of
the Car is likely to be-"
This, ! knew, was my strong point.
y despotism did not dare to let it be
said that it does not keep its promises
| to it's agents, OF does not defend them,
when possible. for, if that impression
| became general. it would be impossible
to get people to serve them at all.
The chief of the secret police consid
| cred for moment, and then said. in a
n1ilder tone: con what conditions,
then, will you consent to work With
u.s."
"In the first place." said I, "instruc-
tons must be given that | am to be set
at liberty, and that 1 am not to be
again interfered with. l can do moth
ing if the police are to be always at
my heels, as they have been Of late"
"That shall be seen to-" said De
Nolleff. with a smile. l interpreted
the smile to mean: IF you imagine
that we are going to trust you to go
i and come as you please you are very
much mistaken"
''Well, what neXt?'
flatter myself that my next move
was a good one.
"Be good enough to add your initials
to this" and I held up the memoran-
dunn Davis had given ME at Brier-
wick.
Without word the chief wrote I'M
derneath the lines. II approve" and
signed it with his initials.
"And now. sir, allow me to deposit
this piece of paper i'll your hands. 1t
is too dangerous to carry it about With
me. II my revolutionary friends were
to suspect me for any reason and
search me. what would be my fate II
this morsel of paper were found in my
pccketbooky'
The chief stared at me for moment,
holding the paper in his hand.
"You really wish me to take charge
of this?' he said.
certainly. 1t could not be in safer
hands,"
NJ. de Noilleff locked the memoran-
DUN up in his safe; and when he mad
done SO, saw from his manner that l
had to some degree won his confidence.
II will at once sign the papers which
will procure your release" he said, as
he resumed his chair. land now L
I'D H. hot yynJI
learned about those scoundrels. and
what you were about when you fell in
to the hands Of the police"
81 cannot say that know anything
as vet, of my own knowledge" re-
Piled. 81 can only tell you what the
conspirators told ne. TO a certain ex-
tent they have taken me into their con-
fidence, and l believe they have told
the truth, for the very good reason that
tiey could have had no object i'll mis-
leading me-
"rhey expect you to become a men,
| Der of their society,"
'rhey expect that l will consent TO
work with them"
"In what way?'
s:11hey think they will be able to use
me for any dangerous service that may
| turn I'D. But was going to tell you
that, supposing they have told me the
| truth, the victims of the Black Terror
have not been put to death. They are
all alive, and are confined somewhere
out of Russia
ssCoufined somewhere! In prison? 1t
| is impossible!
"strange as it may be, believe it to
be true. How else can we account for
the fact that not word has reached
their friends from one of the victims !"
"They may be dead"
ssIn that case, their bodies would
have been found. 1t would have been
far more impressive to allow the bodies
of the victims to be discovered, say III
one place, at one time, than to allow
them to be quietly forgotten
81 am not so sure Of that said De
Noilleff. But, supposing that. this
story is true, where is the place Of con-
tinement situated-have you no idea?'
..Not except that it is out OF Russia.
But I had obtained permission to visit
the place, and was actually on my way
there when was seized by those stu
|