The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-10-17

Z
thrown open, and loud, strident voice
cried out in Russian: Master, master
save yourself. Come quickly this way.
The Anarchists! a bomb, q bOmb! a
nan stood in the doorway, pale and
paHic-sTuck, impioring wildly with his
bands
Perigord demanded sharply "Where%'
hut the man, unable TO speak, pointed n
I trembling finger at the farthest wall.
Already the eXecutioners and the serv-
snts had taken fright. and without asking
4 permission were retreating In disorder.
Cressingham alone of the others had I'M
derstood the mans words. and he explain
ed them briefly to his companions, while
( Perigord stood dumbly listening.
Something that he appeared to hear
reused him soon to action. Come. gem
tlemen." he cried; the fellow may be
right, We had better retire"
And leave that poor wretch to die
/ perhaps" cried Cressingham Indignantly.
The young man sprang to the dais and
attempted to lift the chair bodily, seeing
at once the uselessness of seeking to re-
( il ase the prisoner He found the chair,
however, fastened firmly TO the floor. Put
ting forth all his strength, he tried to up
tear the screws unheeding a dull boom
ing roar beneath his very feet. While he
strained he was caught suddenly in a
giants grip and borne struggling vainly
at a swift pace down the avenue Of
armOured figures his ears ringing with
/ Klein's shrieks and desperate yells for
help. But he was held powerlsss as =
babe and when Perigord put him down
outside the door he was breathless and
exhausted.
They had not long to wait for further
ed quickly on the heels of the first,
and this a fatal one. First, a sharp re-
port Ike the firing OF a cannon close
at hand; then a TeEding crash which
shook the floor beneath their feet and
made the whole building tremble. Peer
ing through the door, they could see for
one short instant the farthest wall OF th5
drmOTy crumpling up and collapsing in
ward like "a folding hand then came a
thunderOus noise, which dwarfed all 9TH
ers by comparison; the air was quickly
choked with dust and all about their
heads fell bricks and plaster with a wild
and awful Gathering. Silence and the
dark succeeded; a deathly silence. dense,
impenetrable darkness. Cressingham
stood stupefied and breathless, unable TO
realize he lived. He heard presently q
slight rasping sound. then caught a flicker
of light some distance off. Perig0rd had
struck a lucifer and stood calmly survey
ing the dreadful ruin around him. rs
any one hurt or injured?' he asked. his
voice sounding strangely harsh and un-
familiar.
At the question Cressingham realized
that his left arm hung limp and helpless
at his side, but ne felt it carefully and
found II was not broken. Not T. he
answered. thanks to you. Mr. Perigord. %
Col Elliott was badly shaken and had
his face cut open by some falling plaster
and some OF the servants were much
bruised. but not one seriously injured.
Perigord. Oeltjen, and Capt. Fagerholm
had escaped untouched. Presently they
all made their way by a distant stair
case to the ground floor. and quitting
the building. hurried out TO seek the fate
Of Klein. They found him after a little
search lying beneath a heap OF debris.
quite dead and mangled horribly. There
was no need 20 free him from his bonds
the chair had been smashed TO frag-
ments, but PeTigOTd ordered the screws
10 De removed from his dead hands and
his body taken TO the kitchen
The ntlemen were still surveying the
ruin by the light Of a hastily constructed
bonfire. when they became conscious OF
the presence Of a stranger who came
upon them ike a spirit from the dark.
It was Prince Carlos. On seeing him
Perigord led the whole party 10 the
kitchen. and dismissing the servants,
gave the newcomer q succinct account
OF the proceedings. The prince, whom
Cressingham regarded euriously. aP-
peared strangely anxious. but his face
grew composed when he had heard
everything. and he was the first To pro-
pose scheme which might explain TO
the world the whole occurrence. His idea
was that PeTigOrd. TO whom the mansion
had been lent by Lord Sedgewick. should
declare the explosion the result Of a
large gas escape within the armOry. and
he strongly urged Perigord not To con-
ceal T<lein's body, bUt To notify the au-
thOrities al once of his death and him.
self attend the necessarily ensuing in
quest
Perigord having listened to him politely
to the end. with d commanding gesture
called for the attention of all.
Gentlemen he said lmpTesSively.
this accident was caused by an escape
Of gas That is a fact To be understood
and remembered BY us all I shall my
self pay for the damage done, but there
viii be no inquest. as fortunately no one
was injured by the explosion. Klein's
body viii be carried at once by my serv-
ants on board my yacht. the Sea Hawk,
which now awaits its freight not three
miles distant Capt FagerhOlm. you VIII
proceed at once to the Sea Hawk and
steam with all speed to Naples. dispos
ing Of the corpse en- route. You viii take
especial care Of Madame Katherin vi
yella, who is already imprisoned in my
state room. and more particularly when
YOU reach Naples; she must hold no COM
municatiCn with the shOre-yOu under
stand Prince Carlos. Col. Elliott and
Lord Francis Cressingham. YOU will ac-
company Capt FagerhOlm. ! shall my
self Join you ut Naples. whereUpOn we
shall proceed Immediately to effect the
rescue Of Miss Francine Elliott"
Thank Cod cried the colonel.
And now, gentlemen. au revoir. Capt.
Fagerholm, you know the way?'
The captain saluted. "Excel!ency,
yes"
Good: lose no time then; your freight
shall reach the boat as soon as you.
Goodnight
Goodnight. cxcellency!" The captain
strobe Immediately TO the door. followed
by the three gentlemen under orders. He
guided them across a score of fallow
fields and wasted meadows to the sea.
They encountered no living soul in their
march. for their route was circuitous and
avoided habitatiOns like the plague. At
a short distance from the beach little
launch swung darkly It anchor, but at
d whistle from the captain il sprang to
life and glided shoreward. Even before
it touched the sand. Bellair with three
others came upon them carrying be-
tween them on a sling a square packing
case into which had been doubled I'D the
manglod corpse of Klein.
In unbrokcn silence the embaTkatiOn
took place, and twenty minutes after
ward they boarded a beautiful 500-ton