The Washington times., 1904-01-24

three friends that the search would help
them he submitted.
We'll. very WE'LL he said, and the
goradanachalnik, seeing that his anger
had passed. said in his quietest Inanner
This is official business. and you with
excuse me If 1 must ask you to submit
TO an examination. Kindly give me the
contents of your pockets
Without a word Strong handed him
several papers. his pocketbook and sew
eral small coins of loose change. a PEN
knife and pcrcil-
The goradanachalnik returned these
latter with smile. He glanced at the
letters and the contents of the pocket
book. handed them back. and began a
lengthy scrutiny of the passport Then
he said politely he returned the lat
ter; Now. sir, l am quite satisfied. 1
beg you to make your adieu- I shall see
you myself to the door,
As in a dream Strong found himself
shaking hands with his friends, and he
noticed that the clasp given him by
Yeliseyeff was unusually hearty. Could
1t be possible he was thinking just then
that they were indeed parting for the
last ume?-were seeing each othsr for
the last time? He felt no doubt Of it:
the fervency of Yeliseyens clasp pre-
saged it. He gave one backward, agon- 3
lied glance at the latter.
Il wish you all luck he said in
husky voice as he moved to the door
Then he went out TO the 'ante-chamb,r.
where the porter was sitting. with the
fur shoubas, or long coats. worn by the
Russians during the winter, on wide
rack behind him
Strong put on his cap and MS shouba
slowly. His heart was heaIy at the pre-
dicament of his frieneds He began TO
realize what It meant for them, espe-
ciaIly for YeIiseyeff- -Siberiai As the
name echoed in his thoughts 1t sent a
thrill of horror through him. All that
he had read and heard of the dismal
life of political exiIes came rushing to
fis memory. He himself had seen once
when on a visit to a country seat in
Saratof band of prisoners on the
march. Even as he thought of it he
could see the manacled creatures and
hear the clank. clank. of their chains.
the pitiiess, brutal voices OF their
guards. And Yeliseyeff to face all thist
-Yeliseyeff, the polished man OF the
world, TO whom all that was luxurious
and refined in life was a necessity! He
tried to picture this faultlessly dressed
man of fashion in prison garb. and he
found it impossible. And yet there SEEM
ed no hope OF its being otherwise. He
would leave the gay liie Of this fasci-
mating winter city for Something worse
thsn-hell.
Strong had been known in college and
school as Strong the resourceful. He
was famous &c being equal to any mer-
gency. but acre. in an emergency. the
greatest he had ever faced, he found
himself helpless, without an idea or a
suggestion that was not banal or futile.
Ard. meanwhile. the precious seconds
were passing. and he was wasting them.
While he was thus musing most ter
rible uproar began in the rooms OF the
landlady The police were pulling and
demolishing on ali sides. The several
drawers OF bureau were lying one
upon the other their contents scattered
on the floor The landlady so far had
said nothing. but when four bird cages
containing canaries were turned upside
down TO search for false bottoms or
hidden places. no attention whatever
being paid to the luckIess birds. the
woman's ire was aroused and between
her outcries and the frightened shriH
chirping of the birds, and the hoarse
voices of the men. pandemonium had
set in.
Personally. Strong was glad Of the
row 1t gave him opportunity to think
and en- excuse to stay on The CORA
danachalnik left him and Strong fol-
lowed and stood at the door looking
in until order was restored When the
goradanachainik came out, Strong said,
agitatedly:
'Papiros. papirosi'-the Russian term
for cigarette-tapping his breast pocket
in pantomime.
The goradanachaInik nodded his head.
and on a run Strong went back to his
friends.
Before the officer. who was much too
portly and dignifed to rush himself.
could reach the room, the athletic
Strong threw himself on Yeliseyeff. and.
diving into his breast pocket, snatched
the compromising bundle of papers and
tossed them I'm between the fur lining
and cloth of his shouba, which he had
slit with a penknife during the bird
row in the landlady's room.
He was standing up smiling by the
time the goradanachalnik reached the
door.
Yeliseyeff sat Imply in his seat, all
his affected composure shaken to pieces.
Have some-all of you" Strong cried
cordially. as he passed round Yeliseyefr's
gold cigarette case. which he had APP
prOpriated for the occasion.
The officer saw nothing out of the or
binary despite his vigilant glance. and
when Strong carefully brushed away the
small hairs of the fur that had loosen
ed in the cutting he supposed II to-
bacco or cigarette ash. The gcradana-
chalnik waited till all were supplied with
cigarettes. accepted one himself. and
then escorted Strong TO the door
He got to the street like man in a
dream. and feeling If all the regi-
ments of Russia were at his heels. Be
tween fear and agitation he neglected
the pressing offers of the various is
wotchiks, and walked so slowly il took
three-quarters of an hour to reach his
hotel. Once inside his room. after he
had fastened every blind closely, he
procured a needle and thread and sewed
y -...--.-''--s.''