The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-08

change In his appearance. 10 have been
recognized by Pesca, and To be there
fore In danger OF his life?
IL I could get speech OF him that night.if
could show him that /. too knew OF the
mortal peril In which he stood, what/re-
suit would follow? Plainly this. one OF US
must be master OF the situation-one OF
us must Inevitably be at the mercy OF the
other
l owed II TO myself TO consider the
chances against me, before confronted
them. / owed II 10 my wife TO do all that
lay I'm my power 10 lessen the risk.
The chances against me wanted no
reckoning up: they were all merged In
one II the court discovered, by my own
avowal, that the direct way TO his safety
lay through my life, he was probably the
last man In existence who would shrink
from throwing me OF my guard and TAX
ing that way. when he had me alone
within his reach. The only means OF de-
fense against him on which could at all
rely TO lessen the risk, presented them
selves, after little careful thinking.
clearly enough. Before made any per-
sonal Acknowledgement Of my discovery
I'm his presence. l must place the discov-
cry itself where II would be ready for
instant use against him. and safe from
any attempt at suppression on his part. ~
7 laid the mine under his feet before
approached him. and IL left instructions
with n third person TO fire IL on the ex-
piration OF a certain time, unless direc-
tons TO the contrary were previously re-
ceived under my own hand. or from my
own lips-in that event. the counts Sc
curity was absolutely dependent upon
mine. and might hold the vantage
ground over him securely, even In his
own house.
This idea occurred TO me when I was
close TO the new lodgings which we had
taken on returning from the seaside. i
went In. without disturbing any one, by
the help OF my key A light was in the
hall: and stole up with II TO my work
room, To make my preparations and alb
solutely TO commit myself 10 an interview
with the count, before either Laura or
Marian could have the slightest suspicion
OF what intended to do
A letter addressed 10 Pesca represented
the surest measure OF precaution which
IL was now possible for me TO take. l
wrote as follows:
'"The man whom I pointed out TO you at
the opera Is a member OF the brother
hood, and has been false TO his trust. Put
both these assertions to the test Instant
ly. You know the name he goes by In
England. His address is Forest road. St.
Johns Wood. on the love you once bore
me, use the power instrusted to you,
without mercy and without delay. against
that man. | have risked all. and lost all
and the forfeit OF my failure has been
paid with my life
| signed and dated these lines, inclosed
them In an envelope, and sealed II UP. on
the outside. wrote this direction:
Keep the Enclosure unopened until nine
o'clock tomorrow morning II you do not
hear from me. or see me, before that
time. break the seal when TIE clock
strikes. and read the contents" added
my initials: and protected the whole by
inclosing IL in a second sealed envelope.
addressed to Pesca at his lodgings.
Nothing remained 10 be done after this
but to find the means OF sending my let
ter 10 it's destination Immediately. L
should then have accomplished all that
lay in my power II anything happened to
me in the counts house. I had now. pro-
vided for his answering IL with his life.
That the means of preventing his es-
cape under any circumstances whatever
were at Pesca's disposal. II he chose to
exert them. I did not for an instant
doubt The extraordinary anxiety which
he had expressed tn remain unenlighten-
cd as TO the counts identty-or. in other
words, TO be left uncertain enough about
facts To Justify him TO his own con-
science In remaining passive-betrayed
plainly that the means of exercising the
terrible Justice NJ the brotherhood were
ready 10 his hand, although as a natural
ly humane man. he had shrunk from
plainly saying as much in my presence.
The deadly certainty with which the ven
geance OF foreign political societies can
hunt down traitor 70 the cause. hide
himself where he may, had been too often
exemplifed, even in my superficial expert
ence. to allow any doubt Considering the
subject only as a reader Of newspapers
cases recurred to my memory. both In
London and I'm Paris. OF foreigners found
stabbed In the streets. whose assassins
could never he traced--of bodies and parts
OF bodies thrown into the Thames and
the Seine. by hands that could never be
discovered-of deaths by secret violence
which could only be accounted for in one
way. have disguised nothing relating To
myself In these pages-and / do not dis
guise here that l believed I had written
Count Foscos death warrant. II the fatal
emergency happened which authorized
Pesca to open my inclosure.