Gilpin observer., 1905-09-07

% A RkE ST RU STA
I H. Z
Copyright 1895 by Street Smith All rights reserved {
CHAPTER VIII.-continued.

II warn you that your act, even IL
you accomplish your purpose, will do
more injury to the cause of Russian
liberty than any decree of the auto
crat, however severe, could accom-
plish. Educate the people"
Bah! have no patience with the
ories and theorists. This Is no revolu
tionary kindergarten. We are men
and women imperiling our lives in this
movement, and tell you that success
can only be won by blood, by blood!"
murmur-"Ay. that's the talk!
Blood! blood! blood" showed that the
sentiments of the majority were in
favor of the one who had last spoken.
There is no precedent in history
to prove that a peoples wrongs were
righted by assassination" began the
first speaker. You know, Oramin-
sky, that history"
History be damned-and prece-
dents, too. We are here to make his
tory-to establish a precedent If need
be. No! no! Let the timid withdraw
If they will I, for one, will carry
through our plan. What! Act as
weaklings after all these years of
waiting, after all these months OF
preparation after all these weeks of
work in silence and in secret to over
throw the tyrant! Never! by the God
of the people of Holy Russia. never,
never, never!"
Loris Oraninsky, the man who had
last spoken, turned to those around
him as he uttered the last words OF
his impassioned speech. He looked
every inch a man who would dare-a
man whom nothing could turn aside
from purpose once fully determined
upon. The strongly marked face, with
its heavy, square jaw; the deeply
black eyes, sunken beneath shaggy
eyebrows, and the massive head with
its wealth of coal black hair, which
was almost as luxuriant as wom-
an's-these, with giants frame and
the strength OF a Hercules, would
have made Oraminsky man OF mark
in any assemblage.
or all the members Of the moder-
ates, none had opposed the extreme
views and aims of Oraminsky and his
following with greater zeal and ear
nestness than Ivan Barosky. The son
of an exile-an exile as he believed
cruelty and unjustly punished-Ivan
was as intense in his enmity to the
existing powers in Russia as was Ora
minsky himself. But he was too able
and farseeing, too progressive and
cautious to commit himself to what
he truly believed to be a course of
action that would ALLEVIATE from the
Russian revolutionists the support
and sympathy of the friends of liberty
in every country in Europe.
Oraminsky's impassioned reply. and
the favor with which it had been re-
ceiyed, convinced Ivan that further
discussion would be futile.
You have heard our views" he
said, land it is, now for me to declare
our purpose"
There was a pause.
All looked at him with every ap-
pearance of intense interest.
After this night" began Ivan. I'VE
will never"
He stopped suddenly. His car
caught on the outside the sound Of
a hurried footstep. and raising his
hand for caution and silence he lis
tened intently.
The footsteps grew nearer.
Oraminsky lifted his hand. and as
he did so singular transformation
took place.
All in the room who were seated, or
who were working with the imple.
ments before described. arose and
silently as so many specters stepped
softly back toward the sides of the
room. Each carried something's bat
terry, bit of wire a shell. conf
cal vessel handled with great care
and whose proximity was evidently
not desired by any but the man whose
duty 1t was to hold it in charge.
There they stood. lined by the
walls, like so many automatons. silent.
motionless.