The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-03-22
THE IRON HAND
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| The circle of the Iron Hand was com
| posed Of a few rascals who induced
F.! persons to join them supposing them to
! be nihilists, then Matchmaking their
dupes under threats Of exposure. The
| biggest villain Of the lot was Petro-
| vich Vronsky, who was also a member
of the secret police. Finding it to his
interest to ruin young Ivan Tornovich,
lie induced him to join the circle, sent
| him out loaded with revolutionary doc.
uments and had him arrested.
Not long after this VrOnsky was sit
ting in his Office one morning when a
young girl entered and asked If she
might have private interview with
him. Vronsky gladly listened to her,
| and she informed him that under a GER
tain viaduct over which ran the rail.
road from st. Petersburg to Moscow q
party of nihilists had stored explosives,
which were to be fired when the car
made his next passage over the road.
Vronsky, much pleased at the pros
pect Of saving the life Of the car and
the preferment sure to follow, eagerly
listened to all the girl had to say. When
she had finished he said to her:
But you have not told me where the
viaduct is located"
II will show you"
Every well. Come on"
"But do you not care to trap the con
spirators?''
Certainly"
Then wait till the car is about to
pass the place"
Vronsky made every effort to get all
the necessary information from the girl
SO that he could proceed without her
but she was 1mmOvable, and he was
obliged to be content. A few weeks
later he sent her word that the car
would 60 to Moscow the next day and
directed her to come to his Office The
girl-Fedia Pavlovna she called herself
appeared promptly, but when vron-
sky proposed to take party of the po-
lice with him she refused to do her part
unless he would 60 alone, giving as
reason that he would find no one but
boy Of fifteen who was to ignite the ex.
plos1ve. Vronsky, pleased with the idea
of gaining all the credit for himself,
consented.
Fedia led him to the outskirts Of the
city. where, tied to a post, was a horse
harnessed to a tarantass. Directing
Vronsky to get into the tarantass, she
unhitched the horse and drove into the
country. She soon complained that
the rays of the sun on the white snow
hurt her eyes, and when Vronsky told
her that she should have a hat with q
brim to shade them she told him that
II he were gallant he would lend her
his own hat AS he did not respond
she playfully tried to take it off his
head and put it on her own. This led
to a scramble, during which Fedia got
possession of the hat and dropped it in
the road. Passing the reins to Vron-
sky, she ran back for it, and while his
back was turned she slipped paper
into the lining.
Come" said Vronsky, I'VE must stop
this fooling. The cars train is due in
thirty minutes. How far have we to
go?'
''Only a short distance"
But Vronsky began to be worried
Suppose he should not reach the place
in time. He had permitted the car to
incur this risk that he might gain q
larger reward. He should have pre-
vented his majesty from going. But
In that case there would be no great
service, as the car was warned con.
stantly and Vronsky would not trap
the conspirators. What vronsky wish
ed to do was to flag the train, and
when his majesty had alighted he
would show him the preparations laid
for his destruction. He even had a |
red silk handkerchief In his pocket for
the purpose.
"Drive faster" said Vronsky.
"Why so? Do you wish to spoil all
by arriving before the boy who is to
fire the dynamite?"
I'VE can take him as he comes up"
leave it to me-" said Fedia. Am ]
not interested in our success? Have ] |
not planned it ALP
Eyes. You are very bright girl"
Fedia kept asking the time and ar
ranged their arrival SO that when they
drove up to the viaduct they heard the
train coming.
Jump out quick" she said, land
seize the boy. l will flag the train"
Here take this handkerchief"
Vronsky ran under the viaduct, and
Fedia climbed up out to the track and
waved. The train came to a stop, and
the minister of police. who accompanied
the car, alighted in great excitement.
what is the matterY'
There Is q man under the viaduct
to blow up his majesty"
Guards were sent below, but they
found no one except Vronsky, who was
the embankment
That's the man." said Fedia.
you little villain! What do you
mean? Gentlemen, 1 am Petrovich
of the police"
"And a member Of the circle Of the
Iron Hand" said Fedia.
Search him." said the minister.
Vronsky was searched and in the