Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-06-30

tOl0 tnat they could work TO Detuer
advantage beyond the Russian borders
than within them. In Russia the gov
eminent could act direct. In other
countries more or less red tape was
necessary to arrest. a suspect, and be
fore IL could be done an assassination
might take place. General A. was
spending a season at Mentone for his
health, being afflicted with some nerv
Gus disorder. 1t seemed to me that
man living in fear for his life would
be likely to have nerve trouble. He
was very regular in his habits, going
out to walk in the morning and to
drive in the afternoon. always attend
ed by men In citizens dress, who
closely eyed every one who approached
him.
Notwithstanding the precautions tax
en- the general was assassinated at
Mentone and at the time I was there.
1t was IN June and the days were long.
About half past o'clock one evening
went up TO my room after dinner
and, lighting cigar, stood for mo-
ment at my window, which was On the
north side of the hotel. Several build
ings were near, and from a window of
one of them / saw pun of smoke and
heard a crack. There was nothing
to be seen in the window, for the
blinds were closed. If a shot had been
fred it must have been from between
the stats.
The occurrence did not make much
impression on me, but an hour later,
on going downstairs, found the hotel
proprietor, the servants, the guests, all
horror stricken. On asking the cause
/ was told that General A. had been
shot by some one who had fired a bull
let into his room through an open win
dow. Upon asking the time the affair
occurred 1 was told that it was about
half past s.
knew perfectly well that I had
seen the smoke of the weapon that had
done the deed and could point out the
window from which it had been fred,
but l held my peace. Some one had
revenged long list OF barbarities Wis
tied upon those who had dared to at
tempt to build up an oppressed people,
and / was not interested in taking any
part in the affair I inquired If it was
known from what point the shot was
fired and was told that It was believed
1t had come from a tree that grew
near the generals window. BY this
knew that was the only person who
had witnessed the firing. By giving
the information 1 possessed the police
would have a description of the per-
son or persons occupying the room
from which the assassin had done the
work, and they would be pretty sure to
4 y E,-e. l, On
ing with the Russian revolutionists, I
had no intention of enlightening them.
1 was pleased, however, possessing
such a secret. that the time had come
for me to leave Mentone. My steamer
was due to sail from Genoa the next
morning, and I took night train for
that city. / stood, shortly before sail
ing. on the upper deck looking at the
swarm of people, some hurrying
aboard, some going ashore, all infected
by that hustle usual to a steamer about
to leave port.
A girl came up the gangway whose
face was familiar to me. Where had
l seen her? 1t bothers one to see a
face without being able to place ii.
and this case annoyed me more than
usual. However, since 1 could not rec
ollect where 1 had met her ] ceased
to think about her. interesting myself
in other persons. We soon passed
out on to the bosom OF the Mediterra-
mean, and rejoiced at the prospect of
getting home.
During the next few days I looked
for the girl whom had been unable |
to place, both on deck and in the din
ing saloon. 1 dill not see her till we |
had passed Gibraltar and steamed out |
on to the Atlantic. Then one morning. |
while walking on the highest of all the |
decks, where there were no other pas
sengers, suddenly came upon her |
sitting on the boards, leaning up
against a projection that shielded her |
from the wind.
She turned white as a cloth.
At first thought would stop and |
ask her where we had met, but she |
turned her eyes away from me. and /
saw that either had made mistake
In appearing that / had known her
or she had no desire to continue the
acquaintance. But why had the meet
ing with me so affected her?
thought over every one / had met
abroad-indeed. every one had ever