The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-12
CHAPTER l.
A Chance Meeting.

AeNA6AAtAS dA tllG AllClAi W AclLCB anu II
is no light matter to laugh at these
self-satisfied, bullying officials in Rus
sian Poland Some OF them have too
much power.
DO I understand that yoq refuse TO
answer my questions and show me your
papers?"
And what if I do?" He had burst
into my room in the little inn at Brat
insk as l sat reading my paper over
a cigar, and without any preface had
fired his questions at me with the per-
emptory incivility of the average police
agent. Ny temper had taken the in
trusiOn badly
He shrugged his shoulders and raised
his eyebrows. Il am a police agent
from Warsaw and must know your
business in Bratinsk."
AT that 1 saw light. I recalled
paragraph 1 had just read IN the War
saw paper. 1 pointed to it. rs this
the key to your visit?'
"Ah, you have read it," he replied
with that offensive manner in which
these people always cOntrive 10 imply
that everything you say or do IS d
matter of suspicion.
"Tu read it again now with more
interest" said /. I did so very de-
liberately, to gain time to cool my tenn
per and see how it could possibly affect
me.
we are in a position 10 state that a
raid was made two nights ago upon a
house in the Kronplatz, which has
long been suspected to be the Warsaw
headquarters Of a branch of the dan
gerous patriotic society known as the
p. F. F. polish Freedom Fraternity.
The house was deserted at the time,
but important papers were found which
revealed the existence of a conspiracy
of wide and far-reaching extent. The
complete breakup of the powerful CT
ganization of the Freedom Fraternity
is likely TO be the result Of the raid,
and several Well-knOWn patriots are
said to be implicated by the discoveries.
Among the names rumOred is that of
Count Peter NaldemaT, once well known
as the Stormy Petrol of Polish poll
tics"
DO you take me for Count Peter
VaIdemar?" asked.
Il did not come here 10 be fooled,
was the angry reply. If you will not
comply with my demands, you must
accompany me to Warsaw"
1 saw the prudence of not anSerins
him. Il am Robert AnstrutheT, an
Englishman, and have been here about
three weeks, shooting over the estate Of
my friend, Count Ladislas Tuleski.'
Your passport"
Here 1t is. You have a very unpleas-
ant. manner" I could not help adding,
as I took out my pocket book. Ry
a curious chance had three passports;
my own and that of my chum. Robert
Garrett and his sister, Margaret. They
were to have come out with me on
their way to Turkey, but had been
PREVENTED at the last moment. I picked
mine out and handed it to him. It's
properly vised you'll see"
Re assumed d very profound air as
he read it, You speak Polish very
we'll for an Englishman." he said.
Il speak also German and French
and some Russian"
You have no trace Of the vile Eng
lish accent"
rs that meant for a compliment"
asked lightly. II was no use to sc
angry again.
And you are a friend of Coun
Ladislas Tuleski? You are, no doubt
aware that he is a suspect"
I smiled as I thought Of my friend
airy impulsiveness and almost butterfl!
Reputation of responsibility. Il an
surprised he should be suspected Of do
ing anything seriously
He is" was the snappy reply. "Ant
his friends are naturally objects of in
terest just now. Where is hep
I don't know. I heard of him las
in London"
And you are from London? 1t is a
least d coincidence. Do you know
Count Peter Valdemar?"
Il believe I met him once" 1 re
membered that I had seen him at m,
friends hotel in London.
Another coincidence" he returne
drily. There was a pause during whicl
he regarded me fiXedly pretty much a
though I were a criminal. You wOul
perhaps, like to show me all you
papers, to satisfy me Of the truth o
your story"
That was what an American wouI
call the limit"
1 got up and opened the door. %
have told you the truth and l don
allow any man TO question my word
You'd better go before I lose my lem
per-"
I stood six feet without book heels
I had been the heaviest number fiv
in my college eight that Corpus ha
had for years; and was in the pink o
condition. He saw that I meant bust
ness and rose.
Il don't question your word" he be
gan.
Are you going?"
He went out irto the corridor. 'W
shall probably require you 70 come t
Warsaw"
If you wish to arrest me do it, an
be hanged to you"
you mustn't talk like that, and ha
better leave Bratinsk. SO long as yO
stay here you will be under surveil
lance" the rest of his sentence wa
lost, for I slammed the door in mi
face.
The attempt at any kind Of surveil
v1-oxrar,,er,fg I,
me out of BTatinsk like a shot; and
should have ben much more annoye
by the incident but for the fact that
had been daily expecting my visit {
be brought to a close by the weather
I had been very lucky to hit such a
open season; but it was late in Decem
Der, and the snow was so long overdu
that by leaving at once I should mis-
very little sport.
I determined to go, therefore. I ha
A pig-sticking do fixed for the follow
ing day: and that should be the last
It was not at all unlikely. TOO. tina
Warsaw would afford me some excite
ment. The papers were full Of hint
about impending troubles from tn
strikers and revolutionary party, con
seduent upon the ominous unrest in s
Petersburg; and I settled that I Nigh
as well go there for a couple of day
to see the fun, and then rush home fC
Christmas.
With tbs plan in my thoughts
.-A-1n,1 ~, 20 4ba "a fTK8-ar~ station