Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-01-08
DAILY SHORT STORY
Caught in a Trap.
fOrigInal.l


to take in any one who, uniformed of
come to visit them.
Katia Vassalich, the wife of one of
the principal nihilists then in the city,
walked into the trap and was at once
placed under arrest. When asked her
name, she gave an assumed one, but
refused to give her residence, knowing
that the house was full of compromis-
ing documents and her husband al
ready under suspicion. She feigned to
be n very stupid person and to believe
that they were arresting her for COM
plicity with theft or some such offense,
that she was very much afraid of her
husband and that he would be greatly
enraged at seeing her brought home In
charge of the police.
The pristav, or chief police officer,
treasured her, saying that in case all
was right he would tell her husband
that no blame was to be attached to
her. Upon this she consented to show
him to her home, intending to take him
TO the wrong place in order to delay
him, hoping that her failure to return
by Il certain hour would serve as a
warning to her husband. Fortunately
when the party descended into the
street a man entered the building who
was intending, as Katia had done. to
visit the nihilist quarters there. Seeing
her in charge of the police, he entered
Il different room. But Katia knew that
he would warn her husband, and her
object was simply to delay reaching
her home long enough to enable Vas
salich to rid the house of all compro-
missing documents and get away him
self
Katia led the police several miles,
then stopped at a house, telling the
pristav that she lived there. But when
he asked her on which floor she broke
down, began to weep and confessed
that she had misled him for fear of her
husband. The officer sternly ordered
her taken to prison, whereupon she
began to shrek and promised that if
he would spare her she would take him
to the right place. He agreed to give
her one more trial, and she led the way
back again to point near where she
had been arrested, and as more than
two hours had elapsed and she felt
sure her husband had gone she took
the police to her home. What was her
to see her husband sitting
at desk writing as calmly as if not
threatened with such a danger.
Vassalich had been warned and had
taken away all compromising docu-
ments. Instead of disappearing, how
ever, he resolved to stand his ground
and either save his wife or suffer with
her. When she entered, he looked up
as though greatly astOnished. Katia,
I'm order to give him his cue, fell into
Mysteries, begging him not to believe
her guilty of any crime. whereupon he
regarded her sternly and asked the pO-
lice why she had been arrested. When
informed of the cause, Vassalich invit-
ed the pristav to search the house. This
was done, and of course not a scrap of
paper was found.
1T only remains" said the pristav to
Vassalich, Ito verify your passports,
after which. assure you. neither you
nor your wife will be further troubled,
but in the meanwhile it will be my
duty to keep guard here
Both Vassalich and his wife knew
that their passports were forged and
that their Punishment to Siberia would
follow a discovery of the
fact They were left in the living room
with one policeman to watch them
while the pristav went out to verify the
documents. In order to put the watch
off his guard, they talked freely, the
wife telling her husband how distressed
she had been and how happy she was
at the turn the affair had taken, the
husband promising her that as soon as
the pristav returned he would take her
put and solace her with a good dinner.
Suddenly Katia put her hand to her
heart, gave a shrek and fell on the
1oor Vassalich, having been warned
by a look from her that she was about
20 make feint, rushed to her, raised her
n his arms and between his sobs and
means told the policeman that she WAS
lying at the same time imploring him
10 go up to the floor above and bring |
| bottle he would find on the dressing
case. If he was in time, Katia's life |
might be saved. The man, dreading
est by his refusal he might be the III
lirect cause of her death, rushed up
stairs, seized all the bottles standing |
IN the dressing case and rushed down |
again.
The room was empty.
Knowing he had been duped, the |
guard cast a quick glance about the |
DOM and espied an open window that |
lad undoubtedly been opened for the |
purpose of flight, for it was closed |
when he left and, being on the ground |
loor, would afford an easy means of
,scape. Jumping out into the narrow
7ard, for moment he deliberated |
whether the fugitives would go into
he street or back into an alley. TAX
ng it for granted that they would nat
rally go where their haste would not
,e noticed, he darted to the rear. The
ugitives were not there, and he ran
Jack and forth, looking for an egress
through which they might have gone.
Coming to a gate, he opened it and
ushed through passageway to a