Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-02-09
CHATTER XIV. (ContInued.)

hLt " NA AAt oCAflIC lVh NE2lh'AA0 Vi
me is" / said this with a smile, to
show that | did not take the matter
very seriously; yet ] was unwilling
that | should sail at the outset under
false colors.
Won Mitschka took no notice of my
speech; but | could not help seeing
that the Pole gave a perceptible start
as spoke and regarded me for a mo-
mem or W. with a curious i~ntentness.
Il said that you should have an in
terview with Prince Kropenski," said
the chief, land L will arrange for you
to see him tomorrow. The Prince is
quite well. / HOPPER he added, turning
TO his lieutenant.
Perfectly well IN health, but very
restless. He gives us more trouble
than any half-doZen OF the rest"
THAT reminds me-What are we to
do about the new prisoners, the suryi-
vors of the Noygoradf" said Won
Mitschka. "We cannot house them,
and l DO not see how we are to feed
them; yet we dare not allow one Of
them to return to Russia"
Sooner than do that, / would shoot
them I'm a body" said Lobieski, as
calmly as II he had been speaking OF
Strengthening a number of pigs. l sup
T.sose that he saw something OF the alb
b%orrence | felt reflected in my face,
for he FASTENED to add
Better that a few sailors should
meet their fate n few years before
their time. than have the great work
we have been doing for P~oland-and
for Russia-destrcyed."
As it happened, j overheard a speech
which Won Mitschka made that after
noon to the surviving officer and sea
men OF the Inflated Noygorod. He ex-
planned TO them, not without n touch
OF magnificence that he and his
friends were at war with the Russian
government, and that they were pris-
oncrs of war. Their lives were. there
fore safe: but. for the time being, they
must remain or the island. Unfortun-
ately, he said, the accommodations
were not sufficient, and the food must
be, for a short period, rather monOton-
"a In character. But the authorities
would do their utmost 10 have huts
erected for them. as well as large sup
plies of food laid in, before the sum
mer came to an end. For the present
they would be allowed as much per
sonal liberty as was consistent with
the safety OF the settlement.
Are you not afraid Ct a rising
among the prisoners? % | asked, when |
found myself opposite Won Mitsehka
ut dinner that evening, after Lobiesai
had left us.
"No, | can't say that | am" he re
turned, "and for three reasons. In the
first place, our men are all heavily
armed. while the rebels would not
have as much as a cartridge or a cut
lass among them. In the second place,
the prisoners who are 10 live outside
the walls will be well treated. much
better than Che average sailor on board
a Russian man-cf-war, so that they
will have no very strong l~nducenent
10 risk their lives in an attempt to es-
cape. And, in the third place. even II
they did succeed in making themselves
masters Of the island. they have no
boat, nor any tools or materials for
making one. nor any knowledge OF
their whereabouts. so chat IL they did
get the upper hand. they would be lit
tie better off than they were before
There Is something In that. ! sup
pose it would he highly indiscreet in
me to ask what quarter of the globe
we are in!'
.'My dear Heath" said the conspir-
ator, with n smile OF real feeling, Il
have such confidence In your honor
that, IL il had depended solely on me,
YOU would have been told all u Sc
crets long ago. As you know, have
TO consult others; but have obtained
permission TO tell you the situation 81
this island. approximately, on condi-
ton that you keep the matter a secret
until we give You leave to dlyulge IT,
Il will give the promise, an
swered,, rejecting a moment, with
this proyiso, that what ! may observe
for myself Is my o~wn-Subject, of
course. to the old stipulation, that If ]
decline TO serve you as YOU desire, !
must hold my tongue about the wholc
affair"
For reply Won Mitschka held out his
hand, aud we shook hands.
..You must know, them, said he,
that we have been sailing about fol
the last few days with no other OBJ
iect than TO prevent you-and not only
Won but the prisoners we had on board
and some OF the sailors from knowing
our real destination. 1t may surprise
YOU to know that the island cver thee
is mart or the soil of Great Britain
Great Britain! Impossible! DO you
mean to tell NE, seriously, that we are
In Englandg
I'm Scotland, at any rate, which
comes 10 very nearly the same thing.
This Is one OF the outlying sIanas OF
the Herbrides you will excuse my
mentioning its name ut present"
| was too profoundly areazed TO re-
ply. Once more l was c~oIfounded al
Che evidence OF resources, CT cool au-
dacity displayed by the leaders or the
new revolution.
'Hcw Is 1t possible ] asked that
you should keep your prisoners here a
month without the fact being known:
How { o you manage to eyade inquiries,
10 prevent Communications
Won Mitschka interrupted me with q
hearty. laugh.
my dear fellow he cried, 1.-THE sim
ole fact is that what seems TO you
next 10 an imposHbility has proved, as
L knew 1t would. the easiest part OF the
whole enterprise Indeed, IL has pre-
sented no difiicuity worthy OF the
name. Hill up your glass and take
a fresh cigar. anu l Will tell You exact
ly how we managed TO sct up what Is
practically an independent state Oh the
soil Of Greav Britain"
Rather MORE than two years ago. In
NE ssri0g Of the year before last, two