Gilpin observer., 1910-05-12

They will have recovered their wits
by this time and some OF them will lie
IN wait for you and kill you, feeling
sure that you will tell what you have
seen and heard"
Hardy's eyes were becoming accus-
TONED to the darkness. and in the dis
lance he could see slit of dim gray
light. He felt his way to it, striking
barrel and hitting his head against
a hanging shelf on the way. By the
sense of touch he assured himself
that he had arrived at the cellar win
dow, boarded up, and that the slit of
gray light came through an imperfect
Joining. The door must be somewhere
near. With his fingers against the
wall, he took several steps to the left
without finding it; then he returned
to the right, made the same expert
ment, and his efforts were rewarded
with success.
Mordecai was at his side
| What are you going to do?" asked
the Jew.
Il am going to walk boldly out of
this door, replied Hardy. The .ex-
plosion will have drawn the whole
neighborhood to the front of the
| house, on the other street, and shall
not be noticed. If am, can explain
how l came here, and how l escaped.
l am going to chance it, and the
| quicker I go the better"-and he
pushed back the heavy bolt which he
had found by this time. "Goodby
my friend, and thank you suppose
you will rejoin your brethren. You
have saved my life and l shall never
forget it, For your sake, l will say
nothing about what 1 have seen and
| heard this night The nest is broken
up for the present and the police do
not seem to need my aid"
| The American walked a couple of
] squares, then turned sharply to the
right and gained the main street. He
was safe now, and he hailed passing
cab. ordered the isvoschik to take him
to the Slaviansky Bazaar. AS he stood
on the walk, waiting for the vehicle
to draw up. he felt chilly and, his ex-
element having subsidized somewhat,
he made discovery that gave him a
shock and filled him with feeling of
uneasiness that was destined to pos
sess him for many days to come.
He had left his overcoat behind
somewhere in that den Of nihilists. He
got into the cab. and. as it tore
through the streets, the wheels
sQueaking in the snow. he sat there
shivering, his chin in his hand, rack
ing his brain to remember, II possible,
whether there was anything in the
pockets, letter, cards, a cigar-case,
that might betray the identity of the
owner. To save his life he could not
settle this point in his mind.
| 1t was late when he reached the
hotel. and Just as the gray light of
dawn began to sift in through the
curtains. he fell into sound slumber
1t was fully ten o'clock when he went
out into his office and sent for his
coffee. As he was drinking it, Wang
entered in great excitement, with a
newspaper.
Look at this" cried the boy. "The
police raided a den Of nihilists last
night, and the latter threw a bomb,
killing four Of the officers and wound
ing six others. 1t was the society
known as The Enemies of Russia,
made up Of disaffected Russians,
Poles. Firms. even Jews-all who hate
this accused government"
Hardy glanced at the boy. marvel
ing much at the revelation Of hate in
that ingenious word, accused"
Why are you an enemy of Rus
sia?" he asked.
"Oh. for no particular reason" fall
tered the boy. turning pale. "I-per-
disappeared. as though the earth had
swallowed them up. Not q thing was
left to prove the identity of a men,
Der. except one costly, fur-lined over.
coat. which proves that this society
numbers among its members some of
the weather. classes, perhaps Of the
nobility. tell you"-and Wang
struck the paper with his right hand
in his excitement-"that this country
is a house divided against itself.
Leave 1t alone. and It will work out
its own destruction and salvation"
The boys eyes were flashing now
and his cheeks were SO aflame with
excitement that the scar nearly dis.
| appeared.
Hardy gulped down his coffee and
started for the door.
III anybody calls for me, Wang" he
said. tell them that will be back
in an hour"
He did return in that time, wear.
ing an exact duplicate Of the over
coat that he had lost the night before.
| And atill thare waa No oiup ~ Tho
police. He felt treasured. Had there
been any telltale letters. cards or doc.
uments in the pockets of the missing
garment. the Officers Of the law, he
reasoned. would have lost no time in
laying hands on him.
CHAPTER xxxlli.