The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-01-11


friend. Once more he threw HIM
self to the floor and glued his
ear to the crack; her voice had
not the strident qualities of the
other women in this lovely COM
|pany.
you are not to do this thing"
she was saying. King knew that
she stood between her compan-
ions and the door. You are not
to touch him! Do you hear me,
Peter Brutus? All of your"
There followed the silence of
|stupefaction, broken at last by a
voice which he recognized as that
of old man Spantz.
"Olga! Stand aside!"
mo! You shall not torture
him. 1 have said he is no spy. l
still say 1t. He knows nothing of
1.-THE police and their plans. He
has not been spying upon US. II
am sure of it."
How can you be sure of it2'
cried a woman's voice, harsh and
Istrident.
HE has played with you,"
sneered another.
Il will not discuss the point.
l know he is not what fou say
he is. You have no right to tor
ture him. You have no right to
hold him prisoner.
God, girl, we cannot turn him
loose now. He must never so
free again. He must die" This
was from Spantz.
1--WE cannot release linn, grant
you,' she said, and Truxton' IS
heart sank. Not now. but after
ward, yes. When it is all over he
can do no harm. But, hear me
now, all of you. If he is harmed
in any way, If he is maltreated,
or if you pursue this design to
starve him, / shall not perform
my part of the work on the 26th.
This is final"
For full minute, it seemed to
King, no one spoke.
You cannot withdraw" ex-
claimed Peter Brutus. You are
pledged. You are sworn. 1t is
iordained."
TRY me, and see If l will not
do as l say. He is to be treated
kindly so long as we hold him
here and he is to be released when
the committee is in power. Then
he may tell all that he knows, for
lit will be of no avail. He cannot
escape, that you know. If he were
a spy l would offer no objection
| to your methods. He is an Ameri-
can gentleman, a traveller. I, Olga
Platanova, say this to you. 1t is
not plea, not petition; it is an
|ultimatum. Spare him, or the
glorious cause must suffer by my
detection"
Ssh! Not so loud, girl! He
can hear every word you say!"
why should 1t matter, mad
am? He is where he can do no
harm to our cause. Let him hear.
Let him understand what it is that
we are doing. Are we ashamed
of our duty to the world? If SO,
then we are criminals, not deliv-
erers. l am not ashamed of what
God wills me to do. 1t is horri-
BILE, but 1t is the edict of God.
will obey. But God does not
command us to torture an inno-
cent man who happens to fall into
our hands. No! Let him hear
Let him know that I, Olga Plata
nova, am to hurl the thing that
is to destroy the life of Prince
Robin. I am not afraid to have
him know today what the world
will know next week. Let him
hear and revile me now, as the
world will do after 1t is over and
| am gone. The glory will be
mine when all the people of this
great globe are Joined to our glor.
ious realm. Then the world will
say that Olga Platanova was not
a beast, but deliverer, q creator!
Let him hear!"
The listeners blood was run
ming cold. The life of Prince
Robin! An assassination! "The
thing that will destroy!" AL
bombi God!
For half an hour they argued
with her. seeking to turn her
from the stand she had taken:
protesting to the last stage, ours
ing her for sentimental fool.
Then they came to terms with
her. Truxton King owed his life
to this strange girl who knew him
not at all. but who believed ms
him, He suffered intensely In thee
discovery that she was. In the u