The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-03

tho his lips were dry, and he moistened
them as he spoke; then, to learn wheth-
er money was valueless on the rock, as
the governor had intimated, he drew
gold pieces, glad that he happened to
have so many, and slipped it into the
palm of the jailer IS hand, whose fingers
clutched it as eagerly as if he were IN s
st. Petersburg.
ct think candle can be managed,
CT wish you would. -
The door was again locked and bolt
ed, but before Lermontof had finished
his soup, and bread and cheese, it was
opened again. The iailer placed TN
basin, similar to the former one, on the
ledge, put candle and cand!estick
on the table, and a tin cup beside
1T thought there was no part Of Rus,
STA where bribery was extinct, SAID
the prince to himself, as the door closed
again for the night. -.
After supper LermontoH again SHIFT
ed his table, stood upon it, lit his can
die and resumed his tunneling, work
ing hard until after midnight. His
progress was deplorably slow, and the
spraying Of the rock proved about as
firing a task as ever he had under
taken His second basin-full of solu-
ton was made a little stronger, but
without DefcepClDle lHlploVemehc LII 10
effect On ceasing operations for the
night he found himself in a situation
common to few prisoners, that of being
embarrassed with riches. He possessed
two basins, and one of them must be
concealed. Of course he might leave
his working basin in the upper tunnel
where it had rested when the iailer
had brought in his supper, but he real
lied that at any moment the lantern
rays might strike its shining surface
and 80 bring on an investigation of the
upper tunnel, certain to prove the de-
struction of his whole scheme A few
minutes thought, however, solved the
problem admirably: He placed the
basin face downwards in the rapid
stream which swept it to the iron bars
between the two cells, and there it lay
quite concealed with the swift water
ripping over it.. This done, he flung
off his clothes and got into bed, not
awakening until the iailer and his as
sistant brought in bread, cheese and
coffee for breakfast.
The next day he began to feel the in
conveniences of the governors friend
ship, and wished he were safely back
to the time when one loaf lasted four
days, for if such were now the case, he
would be free of the constant state of
tension which the ever:recurring visits
Of the taller caused. He feared that
some day he mig ht become so absorbed
in his occupation that he would not
hear the withdrawing of the bolt, and
thus, as it were, be caught in the act.
Shortly after lunch the governor sent
for him, and asked many questions per
tanning to the running Of the dynamo.
Lermontotf concealed his 1mpatlence,
and set about his instructions with ex-
emplary earnestness. Russian text
books on electricity at hand were of
the most documentary description, and
altho the governor could speak Ger
man he could not read it, SO the two
volumes he possessed in that language
were closed to him. Therefore John
was compelled to begin at the very A
| B of the science.
The governor, however, became so
deeply Interested that he momentarily
forgot his caution, unlocked a door, and
took Lermontoff into room which he
saw was the armory and ammunition
storehouse of the prison. On the floor
of this chamber the governor pointed
and asked what they were for. Ler-
montoff explained the purposes Of the
battery, meanwhile examining it thoro-
". and finding that many of the cells
had been all but ruined in transit, thru
the falling away of the composition IN
the grids.. Something like half of the
accumulators, however, were intact an9
|
brought into the dynamo room, where
| he showed the governor the process Of
charging. he saw in the storeroom a
box containing incandescent lamps,
coils of covered wire and other ma
terial that made his eyes glisten with
] delight. He spoke in German an g 4,;a
wire one or two of the lamps, and an
accumulation, or indeed half a dozen OF
them, I will trouble you no more fol
candles.''
The governor did not reply at the
moment, but a short time after asked
| Lermontoff in Russian how long II
would be before the accumulators Were
charged. Lermontoff stated the time
and the governor told the iailer t.
bring the G-isoner from the. cell at thai
hour. and. SO dismissed his instructor:
One feature Of this interview which
pleased Lermontoff was that howeve1
: L -nl,n Ia0d- II