Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-03-02

custom house, there was no difficulty
in getting me Struggled ashore In q
suit belonging to one Of the sailors.
From the moment my feet touched
Russian soil, was no longer free
agent. became. for the time being
the servant Of the revolutionary com
mittee, and they undertook to provide
for me in every way.
[ was taken to a small boarding house
frequented by the mates and masters
Of small merchantmen, and here
lived for several weeks, dressed in
nautical costume, and pretending that
L was waiting for ship that never
turned up. 1t was not a particularly
pleasant existence. My walks were
limited to the neighborhood Of the
docks, and l was afraid to open my
mouth lest my ignorance Of nautical
things should make itself apparent. I
knew nothing all this time Of the prog
ress of the plot in which was to play
so important q part. had no idea
whether the car had resolved to sail
on board one Of the ships Of war, or to
accompany the squadron in the imper1-
al yacht. Nor did want to know any
thing about it. Yet the time hung so
heavy on my hands, my life was so
monotonous, that positively longed
for the time when my adventure was
to begin.
At last the summons came.
1t was just after dark one evening in
August when note was put into my
hand. 1t had no address, but when l
opened it recognized the handwriting
as that Of the letter of instructions l
had received before my return to Eng.
land.
"All is ready" So ran the note. "At
this hour tomorrow night, dressed as
you are now, leave the house and turn
in the direction of the river. Before
you have gone far you will meet
man who will ask you for pipeful OF
tobacco. Offer him your pouch, and it
he asks you, Have you any Scotch to-
bacco% reply, NO; but have some in
my chest He will then leave you.
Follow him, taking care to keep him in
sight without going so near him as 10
excite anyone's suspicion that you are
tracking lin. He will bring you to a
wharf on the bank of the river, at
which boat with two men in her will
be lying. They will take you On board
the boat and there you will receive fur
ther instructions. Burn this as soon as
you read it,"
1t was with a strange feeling Of sub
dued excitement that I sprang out OF
bed next morning, and dressed myself
in my sea-going garments. The day
had at last dawned-the day that was
to see the beginning of the strange en-
terprise l had undertaken. 1t was i'm
possible to be calm, the stake at issue
was too great. Not for any reason
short of the one was acting upon-the
saving of the girl loved from being
married to Alexis Kropenski-would
l have taken part in such a plot.
was thankful that mine was to be a
passive part I doubt whether my
nerves would not have betrayed me it
l had had to do more than to obey or
dcrs.
Half an hour after sunset left the
house and strolled along the street. A
sailor coming UP to me, touched his
cap and asked for a pipe of tobacco.
was in the act of giving it to him when
the question for which 1 had been. pre-
pared was put and answered. He
took the tobacco, thanked me, and
turned down the street. followed him
ut considerable distance, and he led
me to the river.
There was a wharf at the place, and
the lights Of the many ships riding in
the harbor could be plainly seen.
| The sailor turned away, and walked
forward to the edge of the wharf. A
set of stairs ran down to the water,
and at the foot of the stairs a small
boat, with two men in her, rocked with
the tide.
! took hold of the iron railing, for the
steps We're slippery, and had already
taken a few steps downwards, when a
rough hand was laid on my collar.
looked up. The grinning face OF
gendarme looked down at me. Anoth-
er. as we'll as the tip Of a bayonet,
peered at me from behind him.
| looked down at the boat, to calcu-
late the distance, for my first thought
was to drop down into the water,
dragging the gendarme with me. But
the boat was already several yards
away from the shore.
Should l drop into the water and
drown, or surrender to the Russian po-
lice? What did it matter? When the
second gendarme, coming to his COM
rade's assistance, seized my arm, Of
fered no further resistance. 1t was
useless. I might have drowned them
both, but must myself have been eth
er drowned or captured.
I submitted quietly, stating that
was an English merchant captain OF
the name Of Brown. l was taken to
the nearest police station and made to
empty my pockets.
What is that paper? 1t seems famil-
lar to me. One of the officials picks it
up from the heap Of articles-a revolver
among theln-lying on the table, and
begins to read it. AS he reads it, saw
age ioy comes into his face. AS live
fool, ass, dolt that l am!-it is the
letter I had received the night before!
NV box of vestas being empty, had
slipped it into my pocket, meaning to
burn it later, and had forgotten it! My
fate was sealed!