Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-05-07

footpads for his money and valuables.
Fortunately, his attire, thct of
wealthy aristocrst, would cssrroborates
the impression. These are merely
suggestions of course Would 1t not
be we'll to decide officially on his
fate, and then appoint a committee
to settle the manner Of his removal ~
Mr. Kourbski ct down and glanced
about with o selg-sstisfied air.
1t is time, said Bielinski, rising
and resting both palms on the table,
ITO bring this incidental discussion
to close, and proceed with the more
important business of the evening.
Nothing must be allowed to Interfere
with the great work which we have
In hand: the destruction of so-calIed
government and the establishment of
universal freedom; the elimination Of
war, oppression and tyranny. and the
inauguration of general and everlast-
Ing peace, equality md brotherhood.
AS Bieiinski spoke, his f:ce flushed
with enthusiasm, and lis eyes gbwed
with the light Of the dreamer and the
Utopian. Murmurs Of approval ran
through the audience
You knew" he continued, chow we
propose to accomplish. this great end.
Government is merely combination
or the strong end the favored of the
earth TO cppreEs the weak Laws are
simply canons for the regulation Of
oppression. All these things are I'M
natural and artificial and are built on
substructure of superstition. We
propose to render government impos-
sible by making the governing profess.
sion so dangerous that no man will
dare undertake 1t. But the question
now before us is this: here is man
IN our midst who is not of us. He is
sympathi2er with and friend Of
our oppressors. He came to us. sup
posing that he was going to the house
OF the Princess Romanoyna, and over
heard our pans. He has discovered
our place of meeting. Will it be safe
to turn him loose, after exacting a
promise from him that he will not be-
tray us, II such promise can be OBJ
tanned, or Is 1t your mind that he be
removed, as Brother Kourbski sug-
gests, for the good of the Order? In
voting on this question you will bear
In mind that the life Of any one in
dividual is Of small moment when
weighed in the blance against the
general good Of humanity. Brother
Smiroff will pass among you. handing
each one of you a white and black
marble, a supply of which have here,
and Brother Kourbski will collect
your ballots in hat. A black ballot
will signify removal, a white ballot
life and some other expedient, Brother
Smirnoff!"
That member arose and stepped
briskly to the side of the chairman
who took a number Of marbles from
q drawer and poured them into hat.
Kourbski followed him about with
another hat, into which the members
dropped their votes. In the CHASTITY
silence that reigned, Hardy could
hear his heart beat plainly, and the
marbles dropping, dropping into the
hat. ratified like paving stones falling
from a height. AS Kourbski stepped
to the table and poured that marbles
on it, the American arose and mechan.
ically twitching at his pince-nez gazed
with open mouth. A black stream pour.
ed from the hat.
"The ballots are all black" an.
nounced the chairman. IT shall ap.
point Brothers Kourbski, Stankietch
and Golovlev as committee OF three
on ways and means. Gentlemen, you
will retire into the adjoining room.
Kindly reach your decision as soon
as possible, for this, as have said, ls
only an incidental matter, and we
have much Of Importance before u.s.
The three members retired, closing
the door softly behind them. The
dream becoming reality. Hardy who
was still standing, glanced about like
a trapped animal, his eyes hunting
some desperate means Of escape.
There was the window. He might
dash at that and leap at the panes.
The crash and the cutlery which he
ton of some passer-by. But, alas,
the majority Of the company were sit
ting between him and the window,
and the shutters, which he could dis.
Germ through, the thick curtains, were,
no doubt, heavy and we'll secured. His
overcoat dropped to the floor and a
scarcely audible bump" attracted his
attention. He picked UP the garment,
and slid his hand into the pocket,
where it touched the cold handle Of a
revolver. He remembered that mer-
chant had given him the weapon in
the morning as a sample of large
stock of German limitations that could
be sold at a much lower price than
the American original. The merchant
had said that 1t was a good weapon,
despite the scheapness, and had re-
quested him to try 1t. s
But It was not loaded.
At this moment the committee re.
entered the room. It had transacted
its grisly business with despatch.
Kourbski acted as spokesman.
"Mr. Chairman and Brethren" he
announced, I'VE have decided that the
most practical method is to bind the
prisoner and rive an awl into the base
of his brain. We have with us here
a shoemaker, who can do the business
scientifically. Then, In the early hours
of the morning. when the street is de-
serted, we can throw him into Brother
Ivan's cab, drive him to some lonely
spot on the banks of the Moskva and
drop him into the water ..s
( THE committee already. appointed
will act in this matter" said Bielinski
in businesslfke tone, with the ad-
dition of Brother Ivan, who is a
strong man, and the shoemaker"
T,,o- o,,1 4, oh 1yrY n r,on or,A