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

while if 1 failed TO make him believe
in my innocence,l would be spared the
humiliation and the danger that would
follow on an attempt to palm Off q
Jrumler of crude and undigcsted false
hoods on the examining magistrate.
While | was in the cab ON my way to
Nj. de Noillet1's office tried to arrange
my thoughts and prepare for the COM
ing interview, but without much sue
cess. could not do more than plan
out my line of action and provide some
poor defense against one or two obvi-
Gus dangers. Fer the rest l saw |
must trust to luck and my mother wit.
The chief of the secret police or
tlrrt1l Ike to be brought into his room.
1t was the same room in which l had
seen him before. and he was sitting in
exactly the same attitude.
Without giving him time to speak. L
walked up to his desk and said:
They tell me, sir. that it is at your
instance that | have been arrested. Is
that correct%'
stepped back to the rchairs, that stood
near by. sat down and folded my arms
across my breast.
so it is true?' l continued. We'll.
sir. hope you are satisfied. You have
lest what is probably the only opportu-
nifty YOU will ever have OF knowing
v hat has become of the victims Of the
Elack Terror. l say again, hope you
are satisfied
y heavy frown settled on the brow Of
1;ie chief OF the secret police.
Don't be impertinent, sir, he said.
"'Impude1lce will not serve your turn
here. And don't think to take me in
With proteStations that YOU meant to
hctray your companions. l am too old
at this kind of work to be deceived by
so stale Il trick"
A look of surprise camc into my face.
M dc Noilletf." I said, calmly, Il fail
to understand YOU
DO you want to make out that YOU
are a government spy" he cried. an
@lily.
Il 10 not like to be called spy L
said with an offended air. But | un-
tlertotsk to set certain information for
ynu--''
You dare to say that to my face|'
Again | called up a look of bewilder-
1npnt. "Certainly | uo. You cannot
have forgotten, sir. that in our former
interview you warned me- against con-
corting with IL person named Raoul
|eSSilov. and OH my replying that
would follow your directions. you Went
on to say that if | should find out any
thing that is, anything concerning the
Nihilist conspiracy was to come to
YOU with my information. And my
last words to YOU We're that it should
be able to discover any of the secrets
OF these miscrcants, | would not fail to
let you know"
Something of the kind passed. no
doubt. But you misunderstood me.
Never mind-what have you discover
ed!'
Il lave made certain discoveries. and
was ON my way to learn more, Wieh
/ was arrested
81 ask you again-if you were acting,
as YOU pretend. in the capacity OF Gov
eminent agent. what have you to re-
port?
Nay, SIR" I answered. with a smile.
Il understand that you are inclined to
doubt me. In that case. you can hard
ly expect me to place what information
/ have gained at your service. If l am
Your agent ought certainly to enjoy
i,amunity from arrest when was car
1ying cut your instructions. 1t am
rot to be acknowledged as one of your
agents. it seems to me it is safer to
hold my tongue.
DC NoIlleff dropped his head upon his
hand and sat for q, moment thinking.
81 do not believe" he said, at length,
that you seriously intended to do the
Government any service. am OF opln-
ion that you are trying to play the dou-
ble game, and run with the hare while
YOU pretend to hunt with the hounds.
But am not to be so easily duped."
at these words, spoken with all the
sincerity of firm conviction, my heart
sank within HE. But l was resolved
that would not give in yet.
so it was all fancy, was it, when L
thought I heard you telling me not to
for'swear Vessilov's acquaintance, but
10 come to you with the information L
might pick up from him? Good heav-
ems! If did not consider myself your
agent, why should [ bother my head
about it at all? 1 am an Englishman.
Why should trouble myself about the
acts of the Russian Government OF
their enemies? Why should L run my
head into danger for nothing?'
l could see that the chief was i'm
pressed by this argument, but he mere.
ly said:
assuming that you understood my
words in the sense you put them. how
is it that you have never made amy re-
port all this tinse?'
because l have not had anything
worth reporting up to the present.
have been in England"
why did you 60 there:'
Because | thought should have q
better chance of success there than III
this country, where knew hardly any
one except Vessilov, who belongs to the
Society. And l was right. ! had ar
ranged to meet one of the chiefs OF the
conspiracy, when the meeting was pre-
vented by the clumsiness OF youl
agent
.'My agent?"
ayes. The man you sent to ensoge
me definitely
"You must he dreaming l never die
anything Of the kind
.'All know is that the man, whose
name was Davis-at least, that 10 tlt