The Washington times., 1904-01-24
BY ALEXANDER MACARTHUR

Again Strong gave vent to bad Ian
guage. Il do not mean for myself" he
said Indignantly. but for you-for all
of you"
Yeliseyeff shrugged his shoulders and
smiled.
At that moment the sentry passed the
door and Yeliseyefr added softly:
PITY. boys the game is up. Just too.
when we were all so sure of success"
You have the papers where?" asked
Stassof. who was nearest him
Right here in my breast pocket"
And there is nothing we can do?"
Unless swallow them-a physical i'm
possibility"
Good God! You have papers?" ejac-
ulated Strong. growing paler.
Yeliseyeff shook his head warningly
and the game continued in a deep 81
lence
why not burn themy'' suggested
Strong
Yeliseyeff turned his mild eyes on him
and smiled.
Burn them!" he echoed why, don't
you see the sentry? One movement to
the stove there-you cannot open the
cursed things without making an infer
nal racket-wouid land us all In the Pc
tro-Paolovsky prison. No. there is moth
ing TO do but face the music. l know
this is sy last game of cards. Don't
spoil 1t for me-" he begged with a wan
smile
Strong was too dumfounded for mo-
ment to say anything. He stared back
at Yeliseyeff. marveling at his friends
wonderful nerve. For Yeliseyeff was
smiling
But" he began, this means, then"
ut means Siberia" Yeliseyefr broke
in impatiently but we must all die
sooner or later. Don't interrupt our
game--go on. You are safe"
Hell! Do you think that worries me?
What kind of coward do,you take me
for?"
My dear Strong" Yeliseyeff muir
INJURED calmly. there is 10 question OF
cowardice here You can absolutely do
ger. You remember our talk about the
plans of the Cronstadt fortress. An Off
Ger was shot the other day for selling
them. and Barton went away today.
Well. those plans are here-right here
in my pocket, and I am dead man, to
all intents and purposes. You cannot
help me. and as a friend l ask you to
avoid exposing yourself to needless dan
ger and inconvenience. You are en-
route for New York, and you must leave
US now. Apraxine and Stassof viii prob
ably only get light sentences; but IL
He paused and smiled.
He spoke as he was used to in the
confessional. that is. under his breath.
but loud enough for the others to hear
him. When he had finished he poured
out four glasses Of vodka. and. raising
his own glass. said cheerily:
We'll. boys. here's to US all" Then
with shrug he quoted quite gayly:
Here's sigh FOR those that love me
And a smile for those that hate,
But, whatever sky's above me
Here's heart for any fate.
At that moment the goradanachalnik
came as far as the door and looked in
Anthony Strong stood up. thinking he
had come TO make the search. and threw
down his cards face upward on the
table. Even in that moment he could
not help remarking that they were all
trumps They lay a blotch of red on
the green baize.
The goradanachalnik observed the ac-
ton and Anthony Strong's disturbed
countenance and at once entered the
room.
Ah, your excellencyi' said Yeliseyeff,
getting up in his quiet, indolent way. Il
want you to do me favor. Mr.. Strong
is terribly disturbed lest your order
keep him from getting 70 his hotel in
time to pack his trunk. He leaves for
Hamburg in the morning. and has to
catch his steamer for New York.
hope your excelIency will pardon my
suggestion that it would be as well to
let him go"
On seeing the American passport, all
properly vised. the goradanachalnik was
politeness itself Then he addressed a
few words to Yeliseyeff in Russian, to
which the latter replied briefly. Where
upon Anthony Strong said deprecat-
ingly:
1T really doesn't matter. Do not dis
turb yourself. lit is all the same, "
disconnected sentence that evidently
puzzled the Russian official, for he
looked at the young man and said, after
quite a lengthy pause:
Sir. by no means do l wish you TO
80 har n
Yeliseyeff, the goradanachalnik said in
Russian. his English not being over
fluent: Tell him he will have TO sub
nit to an examination of his person"
Tell him I'll break his ID head!'
Strong roared excitedly, his choler ris-
ing as he listened TO Yeliseyeff's trans
laion. But on the assurance of his
n