Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-04-20
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: THE BLACK TERROR :
e Il Romance Of Russia. "a
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- By X. LEYS, *
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1900 QQQQQQ QQQQQQQQQ
BY JOHN X. LEYS.
2 Observation-Disclosures

not know l owed my liberty, if not
my life. to this man. And he had set
me free by committing what the world
would call cold blooded murder. 10
| say that l was shocked and hOrrifleu
! is to say only the truth. But to say
that l looked with adherence on the
deed, or the man who had done it,
would be untrue. Murder or no muir
der, on NIitschka's words found an
echo i'll my own sense Of justice. New
| er was there a man who more de-
served to die.
| You will come with me?' said Won
| Alitschka. as he moved towards the
sledge. ut is not particularly safe
for you to accompany me, but can
think Of no better plan
81 cannot leave the Princess 1rene,'
said 1. Il will go back to the castle"
Are you mad?" said Won Mitschka,
turning on me with a look of amaze
ment Don't you see that everyone
will take you for the murderer: Even
il YOU were to tell the truth about the
t;flair-which I am sure YOU would not
do except at. the last eNtremity-you
| would not be believed"
NO matter" said L. My place is
/ beside the Princess Irene. am going
back
Il dare not stay now" said this Sin
gular man. but if you will give me an
address that will find you, l will write
to you"
l gave him an address in London,
and he left me. without offering to
shake hands. I have no doubt that he
thought l might hesitate to take in
mine a hand upon which, as it were,
the stain of blood was not yet dry. He
| bcckoned to his companion, who had
! been examining the body of the Prince
to make sure that life had fled. The
| two men took their seats in the sledge,
| the horses sprang forward, and | was
| left alone. standing beside the dead.
| | leaned over the body. but l could
not bring myself to touch it. A NOR
sci of white paper had been fastened
to the Princes coat by Won AIitschka's
friendno doubt a protest that it was
not 4 common murder that had been
committed. but deliberate act of re-
prisa or of vengeance. | did not read
it. After one look at the face Of the
corpse. | turned and ran back to the
Castle.
| l knew it was the hour when the
| would be sure to find the Princess
Irene in the drawing room. Forum
ntcly. | met no one as I made my way
ia ut 4 side door and passed to the
front of the building where the draw
ing room lay.
Irene spang up from her low chair
as l entered the room, and her white
hands went up to her throat. She ut
Of 0S,tn tS.l,
stared at me as though | had been a
ghost.
why are you here?' she gasped.
Irene" said. going close up to her.
II have come back to tell you'll bring
! you sad news"
SIS it about my father she wills
pnred.
Yes. lie hes met with a terrible &C
cident."
DO you mean that he is-dead?"
| My silence answered her She sank,
| trembling. into the nearest seat.
| Where is he? How did it happen?
| But was it an accident? Are you sure
that it was not a mans hand that
killed him? Oh. What am l saying?
Take me to him.
| He is past your help, or the help Of
anyone l said. gravely "And you
are right 1t was no accident that
| killed him. I had nothing to do With
his death. I tried to prevent it, but l
! was myself taken unawares and over
powered. All the same, if it ever be-
comes known that | was at liberty
| Turing the time he met with his DEATH
| wound. L will be looked upon as his
! murderer. I repeat that. as 1 hope for
| mercy hereafter. l had no part in his
| death. But / will die for it if my
| fight has been discovered. l think
only you and the man you brbed
| know that | have not been in the tow
er room all this time. He will keep
! his own counsel, we may be sure: so
| all you have to do is to send for me
some time tonight. or tomorrow morn.
| ing. to let the gaoler know that l am
| still in the tOwer-room. And if you
ask for the Prince. and say that some
one mad better go to meet him, you will
then learn-all there is to know"
| l spoke hurriedly, knowing that my
one chance lay i'll reach*Ig the room
in which l had been confined before
anyone in the Castle saw me. and the
moment the last word left my lips
i rushed out
1t was fortunate that it was. as
have said. the servants supper hour,
| or | must have been noticed half ii
dozen times on my way to the tower.
! AS it was. | saw no one. Only
heard at a distance the sound of the
servants laughing and chatting over
| their meal. The door at the foot of
the stairs had been closed but not
| locked. l pulled it open, sprang up
+; the narrow stone steps, and in anoth-
or second was safe in the room
thought never to see again. Half an
hour later the door of my cell was
pushed gently open; a cunning. fright
ened face peered in, and was quickly
gone. Then tie key was turned in the
| lock. ard | was again a prisoner.
Three days later the Prince was con-
signed to his last home on earth. Late
in the afternoon the Princess Irene
sent for me. was conducted to the
great hall. where she sat at a table
covered with papers and parchments.
A number of grave. elderly men
whom l supposed to be neighboring