Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-10-29

tnstOn Gardens as a. rendezvous
where matters might be discussed
Gessner was there to the minute
without idea, without hope, seeking
only that pity which he himself had
never bestowed upon any human be-
Ing
Paul Boriskoft did not hurry to the
Gardens, 80 stire WAS he Of the Sue
CESS Of HIS undertaking. The frowsy
black coat, IN which he made his bow
to the millionaire, had not seen thn
lignt for many years-his hat was =
wide brimmed eccentricity in soft
felt which greatly delighted the nurse-
maids who passed him by. Gessner
would never have recognized, in the
hollow-cheeked, pale-faced, humble
creature the sturdy young Pole who
had come to him early generation
ago and had said, "Our fortunes are
made; this discovery" Believing at
the moment that money would buy
such q derelict body and soul, he
opened the negotiations firmly and in
that lofty tone which suited Throg-
morton Street 80 well But five min
utes had not passed before he undnr-
stood his mistake and realized that
Boriskcff, the Pole, who now threaten
ed him, were one and the same after
all.
II remember you perfectly" he said
1t would be idle to say that do not.
You had some claim in the matter of
a certain furnace. Yes. remember
that and would Willingly admit It,
But, my friend. you fell into trouble
with the Government and what could
do then? Was not I also compelled
to leave Roland? Did not I change
my name for that yer..' reason? How
could repay the debit Here in Eng
land it is different. You make your
existence known to me and l respond
at once. Speak freely. then, for l
shall hear you patiently"
They were seated on bench be-
meath chestnut in full bloom. Dis
family, through vista of giant
trunks, the waters of the Round Pond
g1immered in the evening light.
Children, worn out by the day, sat
idle in groups on the benches OF the
Long Walk or Jagged through fit
full game on the open spaces between
the trees. Few observed these two
men who thus earnestly recalled the
drama of their lives, none remarked
their odd association, for were not
both obviously foreigners, and who
shall dictate fashion to such as
they. Indeed. they conversed without
any animation Of gesture: the one
convulsed with fears he did not dare
to express. the other by hopes on the
threshold of realization.
IT speak freely" said Boriskoff,
with unaffected candor, "for to do
that I have come here. And first
must set your memory right in a
matter that concerns us both. You
did not leave Poland to serve your
country; you left 1t to betray us
Spare your words, for the story has
been told many times in Warsaw and
In London. Shall I give you the list
Of those who are tortured to-day at
Saghalien because of what you dill?
It would be vain, for If you have any
feeling. even that Of a dog, you be-
Remembered by you You betrayed
the man who trusted you: you be-
l2trayed your countrS--for what? Shall
| say that it was for this asylum in a
| strange land; for power, for the temp.
tations which all must suffer? No,
no. You Rave had but one desire iii
all your lifs and that is money. go
much even understand. You are
ressdy now to part with little of that
money-so little that 1t would be rs
Ia few grains from the sands of tho
sea--to save your neck from the rope,
to escape the just punishment which
is about to fall upon you Do not be-
lieve that You can do so. hold your
secret, but at any hour, at any min.
1 lJfn nfharS al n WIFI,
Maxim Gogol--for shall call you by
your true name-if one word of this
we're spoken to the Committee at
Warsaw how long would you have to
live? You know the answer to the
question. Do not compel me to dwell
upon It,"
He spoke in a soft purring tone, an
echo of a voice, as it were, beneath
the rusting leaves; but. none the
less. Richard Gessner caught every
word as though 1t had been the voice
of an oracle. A very shrewd man,
he had feared this knowledge ami
fear had brought him to this covert
Interview. The Pole could betray him
and betrayal must mean death--anti
what a death, reluctant, procrastinat-
Ing. the hour of It unknown, the man
| ner OF IL beyond any words terrible.
Such had been the end of many who
had left Poland as he bad done. He
had read their story and shudered
even in his imagined security. And
now this accusation was spoken, not
as a whisper of voice in the hours
of the night but as the truth of an in
evitable day.
And what should he answer? Would
/ It profit him to speak Of law; 70 re-
tort with threat to ritter the com.
monplaces concerning Scotland Yard
and vigilant police? He was far too
wise even to contemplate such folly
Let him have this man arrested and
| what then? Would any country there.
after shelter the informer from the
vengeance Of the thousands whom no
law could arrest? Would any house
harbor him against the dagger of the
assassin, the swift blow It might even
be the lingering justice Of such fana,
ties as sought to rule Poland. He
knew that there was none. AFFECT
assent could be the only reply. He
must yield to any humiliation. suffer