The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-02-04

led into the larger room and given surprisingly hearty meal. Peter Brutus had just voiced the pleasure of the majority by urging the necessity for physical torture to wiring the governments secrets from the pris- oner King, half famished. half crazed fierce argument through the thin door that separated the rooms. He heard {, the sudden, eager movement toward l the door of his cell and squared him. self against the opposite wall, ready to i fight to the death. Then there came voice that he recognized. | A woman was addressing the con- spirators in tones of deadly earnest ness. His heart gave a bound. It was the first time since his incarceration ! that he had heard the voice of Olga Platanova, she who still must be his , friend
 "No! You shall not torture him. have said he is no spy. still say fty' she was exclaiming.
 "God, girl, we cannot turn him loose now. He must die.' This was from 1 Spantz.
 i we cannot release him, I grant I you,' she said. and Truxton's heart sank. Mot now, but afterward, 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 I shall not perform my part of the work on the Beth. This l is inal."
 "You cannot withdraw" exclaimed Peter Brutus. "You are pledged. You are sworn. It is ordained"
 II, Olga Platanova. say this to you. It is not plea. not a petition; it is an ultimatum. Spare him or the glorious cause must suffer by my defection."
 'sSh! Not so loud. girl! He can hear every word you sayp'
 "Let him hear. Let him know that I, Olga Platanova, 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 f iFnext week. Then the world will say that Olga Platanoya was not a beast, but deliverer, creator! Let him hear!"
 The listeners blood was running cold. The life of Prince Robin! An assassination! .'The thing that will f-destroy!" A bomb! l For half an hour they argued with her, seeking to turn her from the stand Sue had taken. 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 in him.
 Truxton was brought into the room few minutes later. He was white with emotion as he faced the commit tee of ten. Before word could be addressed to him he blurted out:
 You towards! Weak as I am, I would have fought for you. Miss Pla- tanova, if I could have got through that door. Thank you for what you nave done to convince these dogs! Only don't do this awful thing! Think of that dear little boyv'
 Olga Platanova cried out and covered her eyes with her hands. She was led from the room by William Spantz.
 Peter Crutus s.ooc over nlng, w1oss
 arms were held by two stalwart men.
 "Enoughw he commanded. "We
 spare you not for her sake, but for
 the sake of the cause we serve. Hear
 me! You are to be held here prisoner
 until our plans are consummated. You
 will be properly fed and cared for You have heard Miss Platanova say
 that she will cook the food for you
 herself, but you are not to see her."
 King interrupted him. ''I haven't
 the least doubt that you will kill me in
 the end. She may not be here to pro.
 tect me after-after the assassina tion. 2
 "She is prepared to die by the same , bomb that stays the prince," was all , that Brutus would say in response to r this, but King observed the sly look
 that went around among them. He ] knew then that they meant to kill him
 in the end.
 , Afterward, in his little room, he ! writhed in the agony of helplessness , The prince. his court. the government i -all were to be blasted to satisfy the } end of this sickening conspiracy. Lo- raine! She. too, was doomed! He , groaned aloud in his misery and awe. : There was telegraph instrument l in the outer room. He could hear it
 ticking off it's messages day and night , and could hear the discussion of re. : ports as they came in or went out. Ii 2 soon became clear to him that the wire connected the room with Marlanx's $
 headquarters near Balak, in Axphain ! a branch instrument being stationed ir = the cave above the witchs hut.
 On his third night he heard the com ], mittee discussing the conditions at the : castle.
 '"The count is more afraid of this !. man Tullis than of all the rest" aver !: red Peter Brutus. He has reasons tt : hate and fear the Americans. That is :, | why he desires the death of our pris ? oner He has said time and agai1
 over the wire that King will in some r way escape and play the deuce witl l our plans. It does not seem possible 7 however We have him absolutely SC l cures
 g 'This is the 22d; Saturday is tht 3 Is26th Nothing could be done to stol
 us in four days" said one of the wo l 1 men