Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-07-18

the captain turned on the bridge and
seemed for a moment uncertain what
to do with his prisoner. A number Of
men were leaning over the bulwarks Of
the British ship, and it would have
been quite possible for the person on
one boat to give a message to those on
the other. The prince, understanding
the captains quandary, looked up at
him and smiled, but made no attempt
to take advantage of his ~predicament
Some one on board the English ship
shouted and huttered q handkerchief,
whereupon the prince waved his Gig
arctic in the air, and the big boat dis
appeared in the thickness of the east.
Lermontof walked the deck, think
ing very seriously about his situation
and wondering where they intended to
take him. If he were to be put in
prison, 1t must be in some place of de-
tention N the coast of Finland, which
seemed strange, because he understood
that the fortresses there were already
filled with dissatisfied Inhabitants of
that disaffected land. His first impress
sion had been that Punishment was in
tended, and he had expected to be
landed at some Swedish or German
port, but a chance remark made by
the captain at breakfast inclined him
to believe that there were other pris-
oners on board not quite so favorably
treated as himself. But why should
he be sent out of Russia proper or even
removed from st. Petersburg, which,
he was we'll aware, suffered from no
lack of jails? The continued voyage
Of the steamer through an open sea
! again aroused the hope that Stock
holm was the objective point. If they
landed him there, it merely meant a
little temporary inconvenience, and,
once ashore, he hoped to concoct q
telegram so apparently innocent that
it would win through to his friend and
give Drummond at least the knowledge
Of his abiding place. The thought OF
Drummond aroused all his old fear
that the Englishman was to be the real
victim, and this enforced voyage was
merely a convenient method Of getting
himself out of the way.
After lunch a dismal drizzle set ir
that presently increased to q steady
downpour, which drove Lermontof tt
his cabin, and, that room being unpro
vided with either window or electric
light, the prince struck a match to one
Of the candles newly placed on the
washstand. He pushed the electric
button summoning the steward and
giving him some money, asked If there
was such a thing as a piece of stone OF
board, carried as ballast or for an!
other purpose. The steward said b,
would inquire and finally returned
with q sharpening stone used for tn,
knives in the galley. Boiling his door
Lermontof began an experiment ant
at once forgot he was a prisoner. HI
filed the wash basin with water and
opening M of the glass stoppered bot
ties, took out with the point Of hi
knife q most minute portion Of the sub
stance within, which be dissolved IL
the water with no apparent effect
Standing the milestone up on end, b,
filled the glass syringe and directed
fine, vaporous spray against the stone
1t dissolved before his eyes al a SAM
castle or the shore dissolves at tn
touch Of an incoming tide.
by st. Peter of Russia" he CRIED
"T've got 1t at last! / must write t
Katherine about this"
Summoning the steward again I
take away this auid and bring him al