Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-07-30
CHAPTER XVI

tdukHtPT. I1o ~ u SlTOnB Hlhu WHO
ly does nothing in the midst of tears.
Most men either laugh or weep, but some
there are who remain grave.
Matthew Mark Easton was not a
strong man. The last meeting of the
association no was pleased TO call Guy
Eawkcs' was looked forward to by him
with positive dread. lie did not hold
himself responsible for l'avlosk and his
three cOmpatrios for he knew well
enough that he himself was but means
to the end. IL these four Russians had
not met with him, they would still have
gone to Siberia; for they were branded.
their souls were scared by the hot iron
the thrire-heated iron OF unquenchable
vengeance.
Sergius Pavloski was the first to ar
rive. Immaculate. cold. aud scf-contain-
ID as usual his old Fashioned dress clothes
Scrupuously brushed. his large amethyst
shirt studs brightly polished. There was
\ steady glitter in his unpicasan'ly veil
ed eyes. but his manners were always
suave and courtly.
"Ah. Smith - cried Easton "punctnal
as usual. We business men know Its
value. especially at mra times.
When the guests were assembled. Eas-
ton led the way to another room. where
dinner was served. The usual silence up
on the subject Of their meeting was OBJ
served until the meal was over. and all
chairs were drawn round the fire.
Then the informal proceedings com
n,enced. Matthew Mark Easton was a
trihe more restless than usual: his mo-
bile features alternatcd between grave
and gay. while his dancing eyes were
never still.
"Grntlemen," he said. 1--WE have done
a vast deal OF talking, and now at last
~ome OF us are going into action Each
one of you knows his part. and each one
Of you. of course will do his best. The
three gentlemen who leave tonight for
Siberia take absolutely nothing with
them except little money. There are
no maps no letters. no instructions. moth
Ing thai; an enemy can get hold of. We
have however. taken measures to supply
them with money at various stages of the
journey. We have also completed meth
Od OF communication, by means of which
the safe progress Of the travellers can
from time to time be reported to ST. Pc
tersburg. and subsequently, to the head
quarters in London. But in case of par
tial failure. it is quite understood that
the others so on. Mr.. Tyars undertakes
70 GET his ship round Cape Chelyuskin,
aud to wait for you at the meeting place
arranged. namely. the wasprnmost mouth
of the river Yana. not far from Dust
Yansk. where we have a good friend. On
the 10Th of July he sails thence to COM
plete the northeast passage. and reach
tho coast of Alaska. That date. gentle
men. is fixed. If no one comes to meet
him. he goes on alone. but he hopes to
ses yon all three. and each with party
not exceeding fifteen persons
The three men turned their dull eyes
toward the two Engishmen seated side
by side. Unconsciously the seven men
assembled had grouped themselves in or
der. The stout Russian and Easton were
seated side by side with their backs to
the table. and on their left were placed
the three young Russians. while on the
right the two aiors sat side by sidr-a
big man and a small One-the lesser and
the greater power.
or course" went on East0n. "thn dis.
tanrcs are enormous. but We have endeav-
ored TO equalize them MS much as posi-
BILE. The meeting point has been fixed
with view TO this. 1t is the southern
most anchorage obtainahle east of Cape
Ohelyuskin. though it is far within the
Arctic Circle. We have succeeded. | sur
mise, in keeping our scheme completely
secret. No one knows of it except our
selves; not even the Nihilist party in
London. We must remember that we are
not Nihilis,., but merely seven men on.
gagged upon private enterprise. We
"a ia fri Ian ftau
He'd. many vi them without trial-upon
mere suspicion We are attempting to
rescue those friends that is ALL"
Yes" echoed the stout man, Speaking
for the first time. that Is all. | seek
my daughter"
And ! my sister," said one
And I my brother" said another.
ut is" added Pavloski. slowly, "a wife
with me-"
Tyars and Grace said nothing. They
had not quite thought it out. and were
unprepared with reason. Easton was
more AT ease now. Hr consulted little
notebook hitherto concealed in his waist
coat pocket.
II have endeavored." he continued
without taking his eyes from the pocket
book. TO make every department indie
pendent as far as possible. For instance
any own death would in no wise affect the
expedition. The money and informal or
would. After such an event, continue tr
filter through to Siberia by prearrange(
channels. In case of the death or impris
onment of our agent in ST. Petersburg
the same communications would be KEEP
open. We have each substitute. ant
the arrangements are so simple that these
substitutes will have no difficulty in car
ryng them out. | need scarcely tell yor
that heavy brides have been sent 10 III,
right quarters in Siberia-high offca
quarters"
The stout man grunted in a KNOWN.
way, and sgnified by little nod of tn,
head that no further interruption neet
be feared.
"In Russia" continued Faston, turnin!
the pages of his notebook. I'VE all know
that every official has his price. Thu
only difficulty lies In the discovery Of tina
price The only parts that have not beef
Ioubled are those Of the three gentlemen
who go out to Siberia to organize thu
escape of the prisoners and exies. l sur
mise that it is unnecessary TO point OIL
that these parts cannot be doubled. Their
are not three other such men TO be found
oho hui n