Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-08-31
CHAPTER V,

vi AZ lIh v.
PLADJA, TIE F1NN. EXPLAINS HIMSELF.
1t was the colonel who broke the ST
lcnce. He held out his hand with a
frank smile, speaking in excellent Eng
lish.
1--WE owe you great thanks, sir" he
said, for aid most opportune. But for
your assistance | fear we should have
been compulsory passengers aboard the
gunboat you have SO valiantly beaten
off, sailing for Cronstadt. which in my
case at any rate, would have meant
very early death. We should have
ranked as prisoners, but not of war"
But Why" stammcred Desmond.
"Surely the fact of your vessel bearing
contraband of war doesn't affect you"
Unfortunately, replied the colonel
at belonged TO me. | see l must eX-
plain little. The fact is. | have had
my little differences with the paternal
government of the car. | and a few
thousand Of my fellow countrymen-l
have the honor to be n Iole-took
upon ourselves TO reason with our Rus
eian administrators on a matter of
sentiment. We objected to their meth
DDS and perhaps We're n tritle fOrcible
in our manner of expressing our ideas.
In fact, as YOU probably are aware"
continued he, 1--WE killed few thou
sand of them year or two back"
Desmond held out his hand. IF you
are one of the Polish patriots, sir, l
should like TO shake hands with you
hgain. by Jove, | wish we'd sunk
hr,tt nnt n a world
did you come to be pursued? Where
did you sail FROM"
"From Bremen" said the colonel,
"as think l heard our friend here in
form you"
"Of course l forgot. But how in
the world did a Russian gunboat come
to be on your trail from Bremen"
Il see | must give you the whole
story. Besides my Polish property,
have n good deal of land on the Baltic
coast. This has been contiscated by
the patcrnal government aforesaid, to-
gether with what ! own elsewhere.
The creature whom they have in
stalled as their agent is | much regret
to say, my cousin. This vile wretch
found out, by some means unknown to
me, my presence i'll Bremen and noti-
fed the executive. He was, in fact,
the gentleman who bid us that dra-
matte farewell from the gunboats deck
Just now. How he got his gunboat
timed to meet us in the Baltic l cannot
say. Probably we We're watched leav-
ing Bremen harbor. Anyway, there we
were, and the result we have seen"
"But the contraband of war-he must
have known of that or wouldn't have
dared 10 stop a ship under the stars
and stripes"
"That he doubtless heard of from
the same source whence he got the
news of my movements. You must un
1erstand," continued the colonel, smil
Ing, that the executive put an eXag
gerated value on the control of my
person and talents. fear have beer
sore thorn in their flesh. 1t was ow
ing to the fact that your British gov
eminent had begun seriously to agree
with me in my estimate of Russian af
fairs that ] thought the time was ripe
again to bring forward my old argu
ments. The rifles and powder were t
have been landed farther north-on ny
own old estates, in fact-and n risin.
fomented. This was due to the fact tina
we had information that the country
side was drained OF troops for tn
south. fear now that further actor
m the matter has been prevented b.
this untimciy ARRAY"
well, am still more proud AM
thankful now hear the rights of tn
case, that we got TO you in time" salt
Desmond. But how can | serve yoI
nowW
"My dear sir, you pile up the obliga
ton. You have already risked life ant
property for entire strangers. What i
there left for your kindness to sue
gest? | heard your offer to take us OF
before the fight began. 1t was onl
because knew that we should be see
and pursued that | didn't accept il
Believe me, the Russians would hav
followed you under the guns of Fol
WaXholm rather than let you escap
into Stockholm with us on board. 70
have indeed done all there is to do"
Eyes, indeed you have" chimed I
the daughter How can we than
you enough"
AS Desmond looked up he felt tina
she Of all people in the world coul
find means. Yet the audacity of tn
mere thought made him blush and mu
ter inanlties as he strove to find a r
ply. The soft earnestncSs of thos
blue eyes, the sweet gratitude tn;
shone in the deliciously flushed face
these things made his brain whirl wit
the rapture of regarding. them.
seemed impossible that this charmir
creature could really be consideriI
him when she spoke in this manner.
Anything ! have done has been q
honor as well as a pleasure" he stan
merod. But don't YOU think anoth,
vessel may be still in pursuit! If tn,