Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-01-26
CHAPTER XIII.
The Russian Cruiser.

Won Nitschka coolly helped himself
to a glass of claret; and then, turning
to the steward, said a word to him in a
half-whisper. The steward left the
cabin. and presently there came in
tall man in a sort of rough uniform.
adorned with an immense black beard
and mOuStache.
''What is all this about. Dilnski"
asked Won Mitschka. ''Speak out, man
never mind this gentleman seeing
that the giant looked and hesitated.
| well, sir, there's been another dis
turbance about the tobacco" said the
officer speaking of course, in Russian.
''Number Seventeen says he Will go
mad if he is not allowed to smoke. l
refused to give him tobacco as it is
against orders. when he flew into q
rage and began making an awful row.
The other prisoners Joined in. and l
had to fire a blank cartridge or two at
the cage to brighten them before they
would be quiet
l kept my eyes fixed on Won Mftsch-
ka. 1t was the first I had heard OF
prisoners being on board the Susan
nah. and 1 did not like the idea at all.
| understood now why l was not per-
mitted to approach the main hatch.
s"rell Number Seventeen that if he
breaks out again he will be put on
bread and water as long as he is on
beard. If that will not do. l must or
der him to be flogged. But think
they had better be allowed tobacco af-
ter tomorrow, lieutenant. 1t must be
hhrOCrS
The lieutenant s;iluted, as if to mil
itary superior, and withdrew. L looked
to my host for an explanation, and he
at once answered my look.
Il had hoped that we would have no
prisoners OH board this trip" said lie,
with an assumed air of lightness; "but
it was ordered otherwise. At all event
/ hoped to keep you i'll Ignorance OF
their presence until we reached our
destinations; but, you see, they have
rendered that impossible
II suppose l must not ask any qles-
tions about them; but l would remind
YOU, my dear sir, that have not the
same reason for running my head into
q moose as you have. If the real char
acter Of this craft should ever be
known, and it were proved that | had
been on board of her, l should have
much ado to save my neck. / fancy it
is piracy by the laws of nations"
II don't know whether it is or not
and I confess don't much care,' said
INV host. helping himself again to clar-
ct: but can't see that you run any
risk worth mentioning. If you were to
be seen by the prisoners, and they We're
afterwards to escape-but these are
contingencies that are not in the least
likely to happen, SO we need not dis
cuss them"
MAY ask what rank in life your
prisoners belong TOP
ooh YES, Number Seventeen, the
man who was making such a row
about his cigars. was military govern
or of one of the largest convent prisons
in Russia-till about three weeks ago
He disappeared one night, as he was
on his way home from the railway sta
tion. and I hear the amiabfe govern
ment he served has spread report
that he committed suicide on learning
that his accounts were going to Ok
oyerhauled, He does not take kindly
to discipline, accustomed as he ha!
been to disciplining others. I expec
. I will have to tie him up and have hin
. fiogged before am done with him..
s'You cannot mean ft!'
81 do. And when the time comes.
will publish the fact in Russia in suc'
a way that every cruel hound in oftic
, will know what he has to expect if b
falls into our hands"
sit seems to me an outrage"
"a worse outrage than flogging wo
men, as this No. Seventeen has don
repeatedly? A worse outrage than rob
: hing prisoners of their food-which.
am told, is, or was, quite a common
/ practice among Government officials
Is it worse outrage to fog a mutir
5 GUS or disorderly prisoner than to flo
: an unfortunate peasant who can't pa
> his taxes"
/ was silent.