Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-26

was brought up standing before him. He
| lifted the paper-weight, took from under it
| the two letters which Lermontoff had given
| to the steward on the steamer, and handed
| them to the prisoner, who thus received
| them back for the second time.
Il wish to say, remarked the governor.
| with air OF bored Indifference which
| was evidently quite genuine, that If you
make any further attempt to communicate
| with the authorities, or with friends. you
will bring on yourself punishment which
| Will be unpleasant
LAS subject Of the car, l have the
| right to appeal to him. said the prince.
The appeal you have written here re-
piled the governor, would have proved
| useless, even If 1t had been delivered. The
car knows nothing of the TrogZmondoff,
which Is stronghold entirely under the
control of the grand dukes and of the
navy. The Trogzmondoff never gives up a
prisoner"
Then l am here for lifetime?"
Yes rejoined the Governor, with frigid
calmness. and If you give me no trouble
you will save yourself some Inconvenience"
DO you speak French?" asked the
Net
"Englsh?"
Net
'Italian?'
Net"
German"
'Da."
Then" continued Lermontoff in German,
OeSiTt 10 say d Jew WOTuS 10 you WHICH
1 don't wish this gaoer to understand. I
am Prince Ivan Lermontor, a personal
friend of the cars, who, after all. is mas
ter of the grand dukes and the navy also.
If you will help to put me into communi-
cation with him, will guarantee that no
harm comes to you, and furthermore will
make you a rich man"
The governor slowly shook his head
What you ask Is impossible. Riches
are nothing to me. Bribery may do much
in other parts of the empire, but 1t is pow
erless in the Trogzmondoff. 1 shall die in
the room adjoining this, as my predeces-
sor died. I am quite as much prisoner
In the Trogzmondof as is your highness.
No man who has once set foot in this room,
either as governor, employe or prisoner. Is
allowed to see the mainland again, and thus
the secret has been well kept, We have
had many prisoners of equal rank with
your highness, friends of the car, too, I
dare say. but they all died on the Rock.
and We're buried in the Baltic
tain supplies If I pay for them? That is
allowed in other prisons"
The governor shook his head.
II can let you have a blanket he said,
land pillow or sheepskin II you find 1t
cold at first but my power here is very
limited, and. as l tell you, the officers have
little more comfort than the prisoners"
"Oh, I don't care anything about COM
fort" protested Lermontoff. What l want
is some scientific apparatus. | am a student
of science l have nothing to do with poll
ties, and have never been Implicated in any
plot. Some one in authority has made a
stupid mistake, and so I am here. This
mistake I am quite certain will be discover
ed and remeded l hold no malice. and will
say nothing of the place, once l am free.
! 1t is no business of mine. But do not wish
| to have the intervening time wasted.
| should like to buy some electrical machinery
and materials for which I am willing to
pay any price that is asked
DO you understand electricity" ques-
81 . 10 md fret INN
| his impressive face showed a gifmmer of in
| terest
do I understand electricity? why, for
| over year l have been chief electrician
on a warShip.'
Perhaps then" said the governor re-
| lapsing into Russian again. you can tell
| me what is wrong with our dynamo here in
| the Rock. After repeated requisition they
| sent machinery for lighting our offices and
passages with electricity They apparently
| did not care to send an electrician to the
! Trogzmondoff but forwarded instead some
| books of instruction. / have been working
/ at 1t for two years and half, but I am
| still using oil lamps and candles. We wired
| the place without difficulty" He held up
! the candle, and showed, depending from the
| ceiling. a chandelier of electric lamps which
Lermontoff had not hitherto noticed yari-
| Gus brackets and one or two stand lamps
| In corner. with green silk-covered wire
! attached.
MAY | see your dynamo?" asked Ler-
| moEtoff.
| The governor, with one final warming of
| his hands took up candle told the gaoIer
| to remove the shade from the lamp and
| bring 1t, led the way along a passage and
| then into a room where the prisoner on
| first entering, had heard the roar of water
Whats this you have. A turbine? Does
| 1t give you any powerT
.iOh. it gives power enough" said the
| governor.
| Lets see how you turn on the stream"
The governor set the turbine at work and
| the dynamo began to hum. sound which,
! to the educated ear of Lermontoff, told him
| several things.
| That's all right, governor. turn 1t off.
< This is somewhat old fashioned dynamo,
I but II ought to give you all the light you
! can use. You must be natural born cleo
| trician, or you never could have got this
| machinery working as well 1t Does.
| The dull eyes of the governor glowed for
one brief moment, then resumed their Gus
| tomary expression of saddened tiredness.
| Now" said Jack, throwing off his coat
| 81 want a wrench, screw driver. hammer
and a pair of pncers II you've got them"
| Here's the tool chest" said the governor,
| and Jack found. all he needed. Bidding the
! governor hold the candle here. there and