Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-03-09
CHAPTER All. Continued,

~ 80 NNe#HA - AA"TATAAAS t%AAAA = $500
o. brought before NJ. de NOillen was
that l knew that il | succeeded with
rim ! should be at once set at liberty:
while IL | failed to make him believe
ID my i~nnocence.I would be spared the
humiliation ana the danger that would
follow on an attempt to palm of a
number of crude ami undigested false
hoods on the examining magistrate.
While | was in the cab on my way 10
NJ. DE NoillefFs office | tried TO arrange
nay thoughts and prepare for the COM
inc interview, but without much sue
eess. / could not do more than plan
Dut my line Of action and provide some
poor defense against me or two obvi-
Dms dangers. For the rest j saw l.
must trust TO luck and my mother wit.
The chief Of the secret police or
lercd ire to- be brought into his o
1t was the same room In which | had
seen him before, and he was sitting III
exactly the same attitude.
Without giving him time to speak, /
walked up 10 bis desk and said:
.'They tell me, sir. that it is ar your
Instance that have been arrested. Is
that correctg'
The answer was a cold stare. l
stepped back to the chair that stood
near by, sat down and folded my arms
across my breast.
so it is trueY' / continued. "Weli,
sir. I hope you are satisfied. You have
lost what Is probably the only opportu-
uity you will ever have Of knowing
what has become Of the victims of the
Black Terror. ! say again, | hope you
are satisfied"
A heavy frown settled on the brow OF
the chief cf the secret police.
Don't be- impertinent, sir" he said.
"Impudenee will not serve your turn
here. Aud don't think to take me in
with p~rotcstations that you meant TO
betray your companions. am too old
nj this kinI Of work to be deceived by
s o stale n trick
A look Of surprise came INTO my face.
M. de Nolileff." | said, calmly, Il fail
TO understand you"
do you want 20 make out that You
nre a government spy he cried, an
srily.
II do not like to be called a s9.y.' 1
said. with an offended ar. ''But | M
dertook to get certain information fcr
you"
"Icu dare 10 say that 20 my faceF
Again ! called up a look CT bewildfr-
ment. Certainly | 90. You cannot
have forgotten, sir. that IN our former
Interview you warned me against con-
c0rting with IA pafsGn named lsaoul
Ncssilov, and on my replying that |
would follow your di-ctioEs. you Went
on TO say that if | should find out any
thing that Is. anything concerning the
Nihilist co~rspiracy-I WIS 10 come 10
You with my informant II. And my
last words TO you were that il | should
he able 10 discover any of the secrets
Of these ~m!screants, | would rot fail 10
let YOU know"
something Of the Kind passed, TO
doubt. But you misun lerstood ne.
Never mind-what have you discover
ed?"
Il have made certain DIS rcyeries. AMI
j was on my way to learn more, when
/ was arrested"
Il ask you again-if you were acting,
as YOU pretend. in the capacity of Gov
ernnlent agent, what have you to re-
portg'
NAY, SIR" | answered, with a smile.
II understand that YOU are inclined To
doubt me. In that ease, yon can hard
ly expect me 10 place what Information
/ have gained at your service. If | am
your agent, | ought certainly TO enjoy
i,nmunity from arrest when | was car
rying cut your Instructions. III | am
rot to be Acknowledged MS one cf your
agents. ii seems to me il is safer TO
hold my tongue
~ N~wttE~eF .f.xx,,nA lite bond stssA. IfE
hand. AMI sat for n moment thinking.
III do not believe" he said, at length.
THAT you seriously Intended 10 do the
Government any service. ! am Of opin-
ion that you are trying 10 play the dou-
BILE game, and run with the hare while
you pretend to hunt with the hounds.
But | am not To be 30 easily duped."
At these worlds spoken with all the
sincerity OF firm conviction. my heart
sank within me. But | was resolved
that I would not give in yet.
so it was all fancy, was ii. when |
thought / heard yen telling me not 10
forswear yoSsiloys acquaintance. but
10 come 10 you with the Information |
might pick up from himy Good heav-
ems! III / did not consider myself Your
agent. why should | bother my head
about II mt all? | am an Engiishmar.
Why should | trouble myself about the
acts Of the Russian Government oil
their enemies? Why should ! rnn my
head into danger for nothingE
/ could see that the chief WAS I'M
pressed 10y this argument, but he mere.
ly said.
assuming that you understood my
words i'm the sense you put them, how
Is IL that you have never made any re-
port all this time.
Because | have not had anything
worth reporting up 10 the present. |
have been Ia England
why did sou 80 there
Because l thought ] should have a
better chance az success there than in
this country. where ! knew hardly any
n except NeSsil9v. who belongs 10 tue
Society. And | VAS right. | ind ar
ranged 10 meet one Of the chiefs pf the
conspiracy. when the moeiit ssa pre-
vented by the cIumsiaess OF your
agent
MY agontT'
TIE mar YEN sent 10 engoge
me definitely" =
T'L.TIt ~ ..F@ xs4s