The daily morning Alaskan., 1904-02-19
CAUGHT IN A TRAP
lorglnaIl

lOr'gInall
 The police of st. Petersburg had made a descent upon a uihilst strong hold and, having taken every one found there to prison. left several policemen to take In any one who uninformed of the arrest of the occupants, should come to visit them
 Kau0 Xassalch. the wife of one of Che principal nihilists tAen ln the city walked into the trap and was at once placed under arrest. When asked her name. she ggve an assumed one, but refused to give her residence, knowing that the house was rul Of compromis ing documents and her husband al ready under suspicion. She feigned to be very stupid person and to believe that they were arestng her for com plcity with theft or some such odense that she was very much afraid of Der husband and that be would be greatly enraged at seeing her brought home in charge of Che police.
 The prisuy or chief police officer reassured her. saying that in case an was right up 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 a 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 Kata had done to visit the nihiist quarters there. Seeing her in charge Of the police, he entered a different room. But Katid knew that be 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 an compro- mislug documents and get away him. self.
 Kaua led the police several miles, then stopped at a house telling the prIstav Chat she lived there But when he asked her on which floor she broke down. began to weep and confessed that she had mlslcd him fog fear of her husband. The officer sternIy ordered her taken to prison. whereupon she began to shriek and promised that it he would spare hpr 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 bad gone she took the police to her home What was her constcrnation to sec her husband sitting at a desk writing 0s calmly as .f not threatened with such a danger
 Yassalch bad been warned and had taken away an compromising docu- meuts Instead of disappearing how ever. be resolved to stand his ground and either save his wife OF suffer with her. When she entered he looked up as though greatly astouished Katia. in order to give him bis cue. fell Into mysteries. begging him not to believe her guilty of any crime. whcreupon he regarded her steruly and asked the po- lice why she had been arrested When informed of Che cause. V0ss8uch inyit- cd the pristav to search the house. This was done. and of course not a scrap of compromisng paper was found.
 "It only remains" said the pristav to Vassauch. "to 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 Vassa'ich and his wife knew that their passports were forged and that their punishment to Siberia would Immediately follow a discovery of the fact They were left iu the living room with one policeman Co watch them while Che pr.suv went out to verify the documents. In order Go put the watch or his guard. they talked freely, the wife telling hcr husband how distressed she had hrru and how happy she was at the turn tue affair had taken, the husband promising her that as soon as the pris,av returned he would take her out and sol1cc her with a good dinner
 Suddenly Kada put her hand Co her heart gave suries and fell on the floor. Vassalich. having been warned by a look from lu that she was about to makea feint. rushed to her, raised her In his arms and between his sobs and moans told the poIiccman that she was dying. at the same time imploring him to go up to the floor above and bring a bottle be would find on the dressing case. IT he was m time. katia's life might be saved The man. dreading lest by his refusal he might be the ln- direct cause of her death rushed up- stairs seized an che bottles standing on the dressing cose and rushed down again.
 The room was empty
 Knowing be had been duped, the guard cast a quick glance about the room and espied an open window that had undoubtedly been opened for the purpose Of flight, for it was closed when he left and being on the ground floor. would afford am easy means of escape. Jumping out into the narrow yard. flor moment he delberated whether the fug'tlycs would go Into lhe street or back into an alley. Tak- ing it for granted that they would nat urally go where their hustc would not t ...ar..5 to 1orfb1 f, fhn roor The