Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-03-02
BY JOHN X. LEYs.
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J tne SpanlarQ. speaking now TOf Cnt
first time, with half smile on hi:
large face. at need only be discov
cred, shortly before the time of sailing
that the cabins of the selected man-of
war are swarming with cockroaches.
"a capital idea!' cried Won Mitsch
ka. "And remember, General, that We
! depend on your friends to give us thu
/ earliest information possible as to tho
vessel chosen. 1t may be the yacht
after all. think we had better senC
word to Oristovitch that he must keel
an under-stewaru'S place vacant til
the last moment, and be ready to rec
ommend a member of the Society
whom we will depute to fill it,"
How will you manage that?' asked
General Slaviansld.
ooh, easily enough. They are sure
to want several extra under stewards
us the Car will lravc q large suite
with him. OristovitcL is well known
to the captain of the Alexandria; and
any man he recommends is pretty sure
to be taken on
There was a long pause during
which the General left us and went on
deck, while the other two conspirators
continued to converse in an undertone
II confess don't see how it is to he
fdone in that way without the Doctor $
help" heard Won Mitschka say.
II suppose it would he impossible to
get Petrovski to take the place of the
surgeon on the Alexandria," asked the
dwarf.
Won Mitschla shook his head. Gwen
il it We're pra cticahle, which it is not, y
said he. sit would be unfair to Petrov.
ski, who will incur risk enough as it
| isl
| Tie Spaniard lit cigarette. and we
followed his example. For some time
the three Of us smoked in silence.
II suppose nothing can be hoped for
from Nlaurier?" asked the dwarf.
'"rhe valet? Not much. Buff he is
properly paid. he will turn away his
head at the proper moment, so long as
he can do so in a way that will stand
after-investig;7tion. 1t is pity he got
such a fright over that affair Of the
letter found on the CZal'S dressing ia
be-
| Eyes. You know I always thought
that letter a mistake. But one cannot
always have ones own way"
! mo. And on the whole, we have
been wonderfully successful
Say completely successful rather,
so far as we have gone. 1t only needs
that this final coup shall be we'll man.
| aged, and cur plot will live in history
as the most daring. and the most fer
tile in good results, that ever issued
| from the brain CT Il patriot
The sentiment or rather the express
ion of it. was contemptble but the
man who uttered it was not contempt
Ill + Il ,a1- I,
face of the hunchback, glowing as il
inspired by an inward fire, and despise
him. A self-deceiver he might be. a
dangerous man, a potential murderer,
one to be kept under lock and key for
the safety Of mankind: but the enthu-
siasm that burned in his mou1nful
brown eyes lifted him to Il height far
above the common criminal OF the self
ish plotter.
yours is grand task" he observed,
turning to me.
I shrugged my shoulders. sit de-
ponds on the point of view from which
you regard it, said, coolly.
Il don't think the most lax of moral
lists would approve that principle"
said the hulnchback. With smile.
''PerhapS not; but if there Was ever
end iustifies the means did apply.
should say it was in this case But do
not misunderstood me- I do not be-
long to your Society. and have only a
qualified sympathy--with it's methods.
at all events. 1 know nothing Of its
secrets. except in matters concerning
this special business, which l have I'M
dertal1en under certain conditions. All
l can cay is that hope to carry out
honestly my part of the contract 1
mean nothing offensive in what say.
but it is We'll to have things plain at
the outset
Both Won AIisschka and his compan-
ion answered that they quite under
stood my position, and that what l
said was just and reasonable. Then,
prudence getting the better Of my curl
osity, left the cabin. AS 1 was pass
ing along to the foot of the companion
way. I heard Won Mitschka say to the
hunchbacL: "Then. there is nothing tt,
delay our starting?'
"Nothing whatever was the reply:
and preparations We're at once made
for the return voyage Within half an
hour I and my possessions We're trans
ferred to the Narka- and in another
hour we were rushing through the Wa
ter with the speed of a fish, bound for
the Baltic.
Towards sunset. on the second day
of the voyage. we drew near the land;
and noticed that two or three Of the
sailors had changed their cans and ier'
seys with the name Narka worked on
them for others which bore the name
Sea Nymph. Sagrari explained to
me that they made a point of sending n
party ashore a few miles from tele.
graph office. each time the Yacht re.
turned to ST Petersburg. for telegrams
that might have arrived from Russia
since they left the Neva. Names OF
imaeirary yachts We're arranged be
| forehand. one for every voyage. and
clothing for the crew provided to cor
respond With it. In this way warning
| might be given that it was dangerou|
| to return to the Russian capital; or an
| necessary message might be transmit
| ted.
AS expected no letters or tele
grams, the matter did not concern me
I retired to my bunk with a novel fol
there was better library on board thu
1 No,lyo than thpra W1S IN tho old Sill