The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1905-07-14

n for n brief moment the crowd
stood still, watching one of their ring
leaders, who was turning and twisting
on his side half a dozen steps from the
bottom.
Then Paul raised his voice.
Listen to mel he said.
But he got no further, for some one
shot Mt him from the background, over
the frantic heads of the others, and
missed him. The bullet lodged in the
wall at the head Of the stairs in the
Jamb of the gorgeous doorway. 1t is
there today.
There was q yell Of hatred and an
ugly charge toward the stairs, but the
sight of the two revolvers held them
there motionless for a few moments.
Those in front pushed back, while the
shouters in the safe background urged
them forward by word and gesture.
W men holding a hundred in check!
But n of the two was a prince, which
makes all the difference and will n
tlnuc to make that difference, despite
half penny Journalism, until the end
of the world.
what do you want?" cried Paul.
"oh, will waltz" he shouted in the
next pause. There is plenty Of time
when you arc tired of shouting!
severa of them proceeded to tell him
what they wanted an old story, too
stale for repetition here. Paul recog-
nized in the din of many voices the
tlnkling arguments Of the professional
agitator all the world over.
Look out!' said Paul. q" believe
they are going to make d rush!"
All the while the foremost men were
edg1ng toward the stairs, while the
densely packed throng at the back
were struggling among themselves. In
the passages behind some were yelling
and screaming with a wild intonation
which Stetnmetz recognized. He had
been through the commune.
Those fellows at the back have
been killing some one," he said. 81
can tell by their voices. They are
drunk with the sight Of blood"
Some new orator gained the ears of
the rabble Mt this moment, and the i'll
kempt heads swayed from side to side.
1T is useless" he cried, "telling him
what you want! He will not give it
you! Go and take It.! Go and take it.
little fathers! That is the only way?'
Steinmetz raised his hand and peer
ed down into tho crowd, looking for
the mar Of e%loquence, and the voice
was hushed.
AT this moment, however, the yelling
Increased, and through the doorway
leading to the servants quarters came
a stream Of men, blood stained, ragged,
torn. They were waving arms and i'm
plements above their heads.
down with the a%ristocrats! Kill
them! Kill them" they were shrek
ing.
A little volley Of firearms further ex-
cited them. But vodka is not q good
thing to shoot upon, and Paul stood
untouched, waiting, as he had said, un-
til they were tired Of shouting.
"Now," yelled Steinmetz to him in
English. eve must go! We can make
a stand at the head Of the stairs, then
the doorway, them He shrugged his
shoulders. "Then-the end" he added
as they moved up the stairs step by
step backward. "My very good friend"
he went on, Eat the door we must be-
gin to shoot them down. It is our
only chance. 1t Is, moreover, our duty
toward the ladies'"
"There is one alternative" answered
Paul.
"The Moscow doctorT"
eyes"
"They may turn" said Paul. "They
are just in that humor."
The newcomers were the most dan
gerous. They were forcing their way
to the front. There was no doubt that