The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1906-08-25
CHAPTER XVI,

laughter. He Is a strong man who mere
ly does nothing In the midst Of tears
Most men either laugh or weep, but some
there are who remain grave.
Matthew Mark Easton was not a
strong man. The 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 he knew well
enough that he himself was but a means
to the end. If these four Russians had
not met with him, they would still 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 self-contain-
I'd as usual his old fashioned dress clothes
scrupulously brushed, his large amethyst
shirt studs brightly polished. There was
steady glitter in his unpleasantly veil
ed eyes, but his manners were always
suave and courtly.
| "Ah, Smith ~ 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
on the subject Of their meeting was OBJ
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
trife more restless than usual; his mo-
bile features alternated between grave
and gay, while his dancing eyes were
never still.
Gentlemen" he said, I'VE have done
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
have, however, taken measures to supply
them with money at various stages of the
| journey. We have also completed 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
| tial failure, it Is quite understood that
the others go on. Mr.. Tyars undertakes
to 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
Yansk, where we have good friend. On
the 10th of July he sails thence to COM
plete the northeast passage, and reach
the coast Of Alaska. That date, gentle
men, is fixed. If no one comes to meet
him, he goes on alone, but he hopes to
see you all three, and each with a party
not exceeding fifteen persons"
The three men turned their dull eyes
toward the two Englishmen seated side
by 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 side-a
big man and a small one-the lesser and
the greater power.
OF course" went on Easton, "the dis
tances are enormous, but we have endeay-
ored to equalize them as much as posi-
Bile. The meeting point has been fixed
with view to this. 1t Is the southern
most anchorage obtainable east of Cape
Ohelyuskin, though it Is far within the
Arctic Circle. We have succeeded | sur
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 Nihilists, but merely seven men en-
gagged upon private enterprise. We
have friends who have been unjustly 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
for the first time, that Is all. | seek
my daughter"
And my sister," said one.
"And l my brother" said another.
1T Is, added Pavloski, slowly, "a wife
with me-"
Tyars and Grace said nothing. They
had not quite thought 1t out, and were
unprepared with a reason. Easton was
more at ease now. He consulted a little
notebook hitherto concealed in his waist
coat pocket.
] continued,
without taking his eyes from the pocket
book. ito make every department indie
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
filter through to Siberia by prearranged
channels. In case of the death or impris-
onment Of our agent In st. Petersburg,
the same communications would be kent
open. We have each a substitute. and
the arrangements are so simple that these
substitutes will have no difficulty In car
rying them out. need scarcely tell you
that heavy brides have been sent to the
right quarters in Siberia-high official
quarters"
The stout man grunted In a knowing
way, and signifed by a little nod of the
head that no further interruption need
be feared.
I'm Russia" continued Easton, turning
the pages Of his notebook. I'VE all know
that every official has his price. The
only difficulty lies In the discovery Of that
price. The only parts that have not been
doubled are those Of the three gentlemen
who 60 out to Siberia to organize the
escape of the prisoners and exiles. sur