Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-10
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A Minister'S
Walking Stick. ,

lOrlsinall

but failed
"i'ell me, Peter; tell met
Death
When Peter Marlenien found voice to
speak he said that he could tell no one
Of his trouble. but Anna Orlofr was Ills
sweetheart, and they were 10 have been
married In II month SO ut last she drew
lis secret. He WAS n member OF q
band Of Russian terrorlsts aud had
been ordered 10 assnssinate Minister
Alexis Enobikoff, who had more pa
The cars officials. This meant surer
death TO Peter than TO the minister for
the attempt might not be successful.
whereas. whether he succeeded or not.
he would undoubtedly be struck down
by the guards or, II taken alive. be cx.
erutcd. II he refused to do the deed
lie would lie killed by the band from
which he had received the order
"'rhore must be some way out OF
this said Anna. I'VE must set our
wits TO work
by bomb, and that
There are always more ways than
one Of doing anything. You know. my
father is nm inventor He has invented
many strange devices, but nothing that
has thus far given us money. Perhaps
liz may now invent some safe way of
killing the minister without exposing
him who kills"
Poison IL the only means for doing
that, and 1t is impossible to get near
enough 10 these people to poison them
BESIDES, they are too careful OF what
they eat"
Anna went 10 her father. told him
OF her trouble and asked him TO con
centratc his mind on some method oc
Kidding Russia of the tyrant that would
not reveal the pcrpetrator OF the deed
The inventor adored Ills daughter ana
needed no other spur to sharpen his
wits. He pondcrcd several days. thea
told Anna that II he could get n cane
,lscd by the minister lie would have n
good chance of success.
The next day Anna went to the OF
fee of the minister Her object WIS
10 steal his walking stick. She got tn
the office before his arrival and waited
IN an nntcroom. but when he came lie
was without Il cane. Then she went
TO his residence TO apply for II position
as servant. She got into the hall
where she saw number OF canes In II
stand. She also succeeded i'll Interview
Ing the major domo. but this Inter
view she did not value. Theu she
watched for days for the minister To
enter or come out OF his house to oh.
serve what walking stick. II any. lie
used Finally she saw him emerge for
n walk, and he carried cane. Ii was
Que with gold head She went again
10 the house on different pretended err
rands and at last succeeded in stealing
the gold headed canc.
That the minister seldom used cane
was evident from the fact that Il was
ten days before II WAS missed. This
Anna Inferred, since after that time
che saw an advertisement OF It's loss.
Evidently the minister supposed that
lie had left 1t somewhere inadvertcnt-
~. This, II so. was fortunate. Or.
loft took the cane 10 his workshop ana
In II few days returned II to his daugh.
ter.
Give it TO Peter" he said. but tell
him 10 keep Il In an upright position
ON no account permit II 10 become
horizontal unless It Is 10 be used 10
Kill. Bntif 1t is to be so used unscrew
the top slightly"
The question now arose how to get
the cane back to the minister without
being connected with rs return. If the
minister was killed In handling ii, the
person who had returned 1t would be
hunted down. This plan was finally
decided on: Anna in watching for the
minister's ingress and egress 10 and
from his home had noticed that he
came and went q, fzed hours. He
usually returned from his Office ut
o'clock In the afternoon and either
walked or drove out. In this he was
very punc;ual. One day Peter watched
his opportunity and a few minutes
PRIOR to the minister's expected return
stood the cane up in n corner against
his door. When the minister returned
anu saw 1t he started. He WAS
surprised and itizzled. not understand
ing the manner OF its return. He was
IN such constant danger from the ter.
rorists that he became at once sus-
plcicns. or what: Simply the mys-
terry attending the manner of the canes
return. lie took 1t into the house and
without laying 1t down. went directly
TO The telephone to communicate with
the police. This done. he threw the
cane on lounge and started upstairs.
lie had barely left the room, placing
brick wall between him aud II. when
there was terrific explosion, blowing
out The front windows. The mlniste.
was unframed.