Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-01-05

THE BLACK TERROR 3
, a Romance Of Russia. q
!, TX ,JOHN X. LEyS. &

Ey JOHN X. LEYs.
CHATTER VII. continued.

H
II plead guilty" said the conspira-
tor. pressing my hand warmly; but II
you love me-, don't speak quite so loud,
even In this room. for my life woulf
not be worth many days purchase II
the police knew that | was In ST. Pc
tersburg tonight
but why do you run such risksF
well" said Won Mitschka, with an
engaging smile, II I'm In 81. Peters
burg at this moment for nc other pur-
pose than TO meet with you"
with me" I was astcLlshed.
"Just ~: and as II may be impossible
for me 10 cOntriye another meeting
gith you, ! had better proceed to BUSH
ness. But. tell me: What brings you
10 ~. Petersburg"
..The Princess Kropcnski asked me
TO come. In order that ! might find out.
II possible, what had happened TO her
husband"
"Ah. thought II might be so. And
suppose our friend sgoul las already
said something TO enlighten you on
that pointi"
"He has limited that he MAJ have
fallen a victim 10 your Committee"
Say, rather, that he may have fall
cn under the just Vengeance OF the
Committee of Public Safety. But we
will let that pass. ! have not forgot
ten, Mr.. Heath, and never will forget,
your kindness to me not 80 long ago.
~ only followed the plainest dictates
Of humanity ! returned. mo credit
liz due to me for what | did at the SAW
mill; but If you W me anything, You
can discharge the debt by giving me
some news oftile Prince, and. II posi-
bic, coming TO some arrangement with
me for his release"
Won Mitschka did not reply at once.
and when he did, lie spoke slowly. as If
measuring his words and their proba
BILE effect upon me.
"The debt sou speak Of In too weigiity
10 he discharged by the giving you
news OF the Prince" he said; ''and, as
for the other matter his release-that
Is not In my power to grant. ] do not
say that II IL beyond your power TO
procure it-but we win speak Of that
by and by"
Before we 20 any farther" ] said.
rather holly, II wish you would be a
little more frank with me. You knew
] was In st. Petersburg. Did you know
that Ita0ul vas already my friendY'
Yes. lie naturally mentioned TO
some OF us that he had known you In
London"
"And my meeting with him was not
accidental? II was arranged before
hand, on purpose that you might meet
me herey'
"Iou have guessed rightly"
Then you want something from me.
what Is ~"
Won Mitschka smiled.
Are you not a little skcptical as to
the purity Of my motivesy'
II scarcely think So said |, smiling
that you will do me II good, turn per-
sonally, III II were In your power"
You are right there. And am l
wrong In thinking that you have a per-
sonal interest In the fate Of Prince
KrrpensllT
I felt myself blushing. but ! an
ewerVd, coinposedly: "liaoul has al
ready told me something Of the kind.
WoIld you mind telling me the sources
OF your information? l am like a man
lighting In the dark"
1--WE 30 not wish you to consider us
as enemies" said the Nlhilist, earnest
w. "And as for our belief that there
might he a certain feeling Of tender
ness In your heart for the Princess
Irene, that was a mere guess OF my
own, founded on the reputation OF the
Princess for beauty and AVAILABILITY,
ana on the fact that you were shut up
in the same house with her for soine
months together. 1t w0nld have been
strange. indeed II you had escaped
some romantic feeling with regard TO
her"
III I have some regard for Princess
Irene's happiness" | cried, .'you ought
10 share my feelings, for j may tell
you that not only was she aware that
l found shelter for you on the night OF
the s~nowstorm. but she herself aide,.
In the work OF ~succorlng you. Ii was
she who gave me the warm rug on
which you slept that night
This seemed 90 make a certain I'm
preston on Won Mitschka. but IL had
the effect of turning the conversation
for q time from what was to me It's
most distastcful topic. But the Mill
is soon returned 10 II. As o as he
did SO ! stopped him. and begged him
to leave the name or the Princess
Irene out Of the discussion.
"Wlllingly would l do SO, my dear
sir. For I appreciate fully your delicacy
OF feeling. but I fear that 1t Is not pos
sIbic o do SO altogether"
"Wh hat on earth do you mean?'
''Shmply that the Princess, or rather
your hopes. concerning her, are the CEN
tral fact of the situation"
again ! tell you that l do not un-
derstand In the least what you are
driving at. But since you speak of
hopes, | may ms well tell YOU that l
have none none, do you hear? You
know as well az do. that the idea OF
an alliance between me and such n
family as TINT of Prince kropenski Is
absurd"
II know nothing OF the kind,' said
Won Mitschka, calmly. arrangements
that would be absurd and impossible
under ordinary circumstances, become
easy and natural In the presence of
such extraordinary events as those we
are nov dealing WITH" M
II could not, ven IL such a thIne
were possible. take advantage OF the
calamity which has overtaken the
Prince"
~pooh. my dear sir. You are an en-
elishman, and you are no fool. Can't
yOu see that the Prince would do fnr
more fcr bis liberty than consent 10 q
matyiaxe between you and his daugh,
teers