Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-13

to that unfortunate explosion, which gath
cred the police about US as If they had
sprung from the ground. There was an
official examination, of course, and Jack
explained apparently to everybodys sat
isfaction, exactly how he came to make
the mistake that resulted in the loss Of
his beard and his windows. l don't know
exactly how to describe the feeling OF I'M
easiness which has come over me. At first
sight this city did not strike me as so very
much different from New York or Lon
don, and meeting, as | did, so many re-
fined gentlemen in high places, had come
to think St Petersburg was after all very
much like Paris, or Berlin, or Rome. But
It Is different. and the difference makes
itself subtly felt, just as the air in some
coast towns of Britain Is relaxing, and III
others braclng. In these towns man
doesn't notice the effect at first, but later
on he begins to feel 1t, and so it Is here in
ST. Petersbgurg. Great numbers of work
men pass down our street. They all seem
to know who the prince Is and the first
days we were here, they saluted him with
a Difference which | supposed was due 10
his rank, in spite of the greasy clothes he
wore. Since the explosion an indefinabie
change has come over these workmen.
They salute the prince still when We meet
them on the street, but there is in their
attitude a certain sly sympathy, if ] may
so term it; a bond of camraderie which is
implied in their manner rather than eX-
pressed. Jack says this Is all fancy on
my part, but | don't think 1t is. These
I
who lives among them and dresses like
them. is eoncocting some explosive which
may yet rid them of the tyrantS who make
their lives so unsafe. All this would no.
matter, but what does matter is the chem1-
cal reaction. as l believe Jack would term
it, which has taken place among the au-
thoriues. The authorities undoubtedly
have their spies among the workingmen.
and know well what they are thinking
about and talking about | do not believe
they were satisfied with the explanations
Jack gave regarding the disaster. have
tried to impress upon Jack that he must
be more careful in walking about the town,
and | have tried to persuade him. after
work to dress like the gentleman he is,
but he laughs at my fears and assures me
that l have gone from one extreme to the
other in my opinion of St Petersburg.
First / thought 1t was like all other CAPT.
tails; now / have swung too far in the.
other direction. He says the police of ST.
Petersburg would not dare arrest him. but
I'm not so sure of that. number of
things occur to me, as usual, too late. Rus
sia, with her perfect secret service sys-
tenn. must know that Prince Bermontoff
has been serving in the British navy. They
know he returned TO St Petersburg, avoids
all his old friends, and is brought TO their
notice by an inexplieable explosion, and
they must be well aware, also, that he is
In the company of the man who fired the
shell at the rock In the Baltic. and that
he himself served on the offending cruiser.
.As to my own affairs, | mist say they
are QrOSTeSSinB SiO6 ~ bdt
nevertheless II Jack would leave st.
Petersburg and come with me to London
ar New York, where he could carry on his
experiments quite as well, or even better
tar, here, should depart at once. even
If jeopardized my own prospects,.
The next letter. some time later, began:
s.Yeur two charming notes TO me ar
rived here together. tits very kind of
you to write to poor exile and cheer
him IN his Punishment. i should like to-
see that dell where you have swung soa-
hammock Beware OF Hendrick Hudson's
men SO Delightfully."- written of by WASH
.inrton irving. If they offer you anything
tn drink don't you take 1t. Think how
disastrous-it would be to all your friends
If yo11 went to sleep in that hammock for
twenty years. It's the CatslSiIls / want to
see now rather than Niagara Falls. Your
second letter containing the note from
Captain Kempt to Jack was at once de-