The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1906-07-04
CHAPTER XVI.

there are who remain grave.
Matthew Mark Easeon was not a
strong man. Tho last meeting Of the
association he was pleased to call Guy
Fawkes' was looked forward to by him
with positive dread. He did not hold
himself responsible for Pavloski and his
three compatriots, for be knew well
enough that he himself was but a means
TO the end. If these four Russians had
not met with him, they would sill have
gone to Siberia for they were branded,
their souls were scared by the hot iron
the thrice-heated iron Of unquenchable
vengeance.
Sergius PavloSki was the FIRST to ar
rive. Immaculate, cold, and sclf-contain.
ed rs usual his old-fashioned dress clothes
scrupulously brushed, his large amethyst
shirt studs brightly polished. There was
a steady glitter in his unpleasantly veil
ed eyes, but his manners we're always
suave and courtly.
'Ah, Smith y cried Easton ''punctual
as usual. We business men know its
value, eh?-especially at meal times"
When the guests were assembled, Eas-
ton led the way TO another room, where
dinner was served. The usual silence up
80 S'S SNDJNNl. vi lutII HlsttlIS WAS Cd
served until the meal was over, and all
chairs were drawn round the fire.
Then the informal proceedings com
menced. Matthew Mark Easton was a
tribe more restless than usual his mo-
Ollie features alternated between grave
and gay, while his dancing eyes were
never still.
gentlemen he said, 1--WE have lone
a vast deal of talking, and now at last
some 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 a little money. There are
no maps, no letters, no Instructions moth
ing that an enemy can get hold of. We
nave, however, taken measures to suppIy
them with money at various stages of the
Journey. We have also completed a meth
Cd 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
tai failure, it is quite understood that
the others go on. Mr.. Tyars undertakes
10 get his ship round Cape Chelyuskin.
and to wait for you at the meeting place
arranged, namely, the wasternmost mouth
of the river Yana, not far from Gust
Iansk, where we have a good friend. On
the 10th of July he sails thence to com
piete the northeast passage, and reach
The coast OF Alaska. That date. gentle
men, rs fixed. If no one comes to meet
MIN, nc goes on alone, but he hopes to
see you all three, and each with a party
not exceeding fifteen persons"
Inc three men turned their dull eyes
toward the two Englishmen seated side
oy 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 sailors sat side by side1a
big man and a small one-the lesser and
the greater power.
of course" went on Easton, "the dis
fances are enormous, bnt we have endeay-
ored to e~qualize them as much as possi-
BILE. The meeting point has been fixed
with a view to this. 1t is the southern
most anchorage obtainable east of Cane
Chelyuskin, though it Is far within the
~ We NAVE SuCCptUeU. Il SuT- |
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 Nihifsts, but merely seven men en-
gagged upon a private enterprise. We
have friends who have been u~njustly ex-
He'd, many of them without a trial-upon
mere suspicion. We are attempting to ,
rescue those friends that is ALL
Yes" echoed the stout man. speaking
Tor the first time, shat is all. l seek ,
my daughter" !
And nay sister, said one. I
And ! my brother said another.
IT is" added Pavloski, slowly, "a wife ]
with me-"
Tyars and Grace said nothing. They .
had not quite thought it out. and were /,
u~nprepared with a reason. Easton was
more at ease now. He consulted a little :
notebook hitherto concealed in his waist 5
coat pocket. !
have endeavored," he continued,
taking his eyes from the pocket /,
book, 'to make every department. inde- !
pendent as far as possible. For instance, )
my own death would in no wise affect the
expedition. The money and information
would, after such an event, continue TO I,
flter through to Siberia by prearrangcd ;
channels. In case of the death or impris- .
onment of our agent in st. Petersburg, 7
the same communications would be kept
open. We have each a substitute. and .
the arrangements are so simple that these
substitutes will have no difficulty in car F.
them but. l need scarcely tell you
heavy brides have been sent to the
night quarters In Siberia-high official .
quarters"
The sfouf man grunted in a know;ry a