The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-09-21

awakes In due time, and hooking about
him. finds himself surrounded by the OBJ
jects on which he closed his eyes. The
same pictures hang upon the walls, the
same ornaments decorate the mantelpiece,
the same furniture il disposed about him
in the same positions. He recognizes the
gentlemen with whom he dined. They
bend over him in tender concern. he
has been i'll, but he knows that one OF
his friends is medical man-a man OF
the highest repute, he has been told. he
is advised to lie still and repose himself
He is able in little while to take nour-
ishment. The object Of his abduction is
not to kill him, but to hand him over
with all the secrets which he only can
reveal. His life is precious to his cap
tors. When he is sufficiently recovered
to endure, a second dose without danger,
he is drugged anew. And then the we'll
appointed carriage, the sleeping wagon,
the railway journey, the awakening 70
the familiar faces and the familiar pic
lures on the wall, the partial recovery
the composing draught, and all. Finally
he is landed in Russian territory, and Is
arrested
Dobroski had listened to all this with
an attentive air, but NJ. Wroblewskoff
had heard it with a watchfulness alto
gether cat-like. His keen look dwelt
alternately on Dobroski and Farley.
"Yes," said Dobroski, when Farley's
pause had lasted long enough to seem to
demand an answer to his speech. The
plan Is simple and ingenious enough.
What of it?"
IF any servant Of Russia took upon
him to carry such plan into execution
and succeeded in it, would his government
accept the risk of OBTAINING the manr
What do you say to that, Wroblew-
skoff?" asked Dobroski.
II have not altogether understood, dear
sir" said Wrobleswskof. us 1t his
tory? Is it discovered plot? Has 1t
happened? Is it feared that it will hap
pen?"
Neither" said Austin. 1T is merely
an invention. 1t is part of the plan OF
a book I am writing-a novel,"
Sir" cried Mr.. Wroblewskof, rising
to his feet, do not write that book"
why not?" asked Austin, little
startled by the others vehemence.
"Oh, sir, put no such tool as that In
Muscovite hands! Put no such thought
as that in Muscovite hearts! If that
thing has not been done, it is only be-
cause they have not seen their way to
do it. Do not show them such way.
Do not set trained and cunning intel
lect to work to devise plans for that
devilish police. All, dear sir"-he turned
to Dobroski-" your friend must not i'm
peril your safety"
my good Wroblewskoff," said Dob
roski, with his mournful and affectionate
smile. write your book, Mr.. Farley,
with no fear of my amiable companion's
fears. You ask me would Russia do such
a thing as you have described. tell you
she would do anything for her own profit.
If the thing were we'll done, the victim
would disappear simply and absolutely.
No inquiries would unearth him."
He would never be heard of more, "
cried Wroblewskoff, with new vehemence.
"You confess it. You admit it. Such a
scheme made public-sown broadcast in
a book !! 1t is intolerable. 1t is horrible.
1t is terrible"
Even whilst he stood declaiming there,
a vivid hope was burning within him,
and the thought was in his mind, If
1 could brighten the fool from writing
such tale, 1 should have all the credit
to myself"
Nobody knew better than Mr.. Zeno
how his employers would applaud and
pay the man who placed Dobroski in their
hands. But then, on the other hand, no
body knew better than he how complete
ly that man would be lost who tried
such trick as Farley had been speaking
of, and failed in it. To succeed would
be to be covered with glory-that is to
say, with glory of such quality as Mr..
Zeno coveted. To be found QUITO be
foiled-to give reason to the enemies of
the master he served for a new outcry
against the disregard of national honesty,
would be to be lost beyond redemption.
1t was big stake to play for, and Zeno
had had it in his mind ever since he had
been set upon Dobroski's track. But 1t
had been with him as a dream rather
than as a plaza thing to wish for rather
than arrange. Now that he saw it formu-
lated it looked possible. Zeno walked
homeward, turning the thing over in his
mind. Then he began to draw up an in
ventory.
ITO he continually