The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1910-03-24

dropped into the river; or, he could
| be taken out to some lonely spot,
gagged, of course. TO prevent an out
cry. stabbed or beaten to death. and
robbed. The gags could then be re-
moved and this would cause the Inn
preston that he had been killed by
| footpads for his money and valuables.
Fortunately. his attire, that OF
wealthy aristocrat, would corroborate
| the impression. These are merely
suggestions. of course. Would II not
be well TO decide officially on HIS fate.
and then appoint committee to set
tie the manner OF his removalY'
Mr. Kourbski sat down and glanced
about with a self-satisfied air.
1T is time" said Bielinskl. rising
and resting both palms on the table.
ito bring this Incidental discussion to
close. and proceed with tho more
! important business OF tho evening.
| Nothing must be allowed 10 interfere
with the great work which we have
in hand: The destruction of so-called
government and the establishment Of
universal freedom: the elimination OF
war. oppression and tyranny. and tho
Inauguration OF general and ever.
lasting peace. equality and brother
hood"
As Bielinsh spoke. his face flushed
with enthusiasm. and his eyes glowed
with the light OF tho dreamer and the
Utopian. Murmurs OF approval ran
through the audience.
"You know" he continued, how We
propose to accomplish this great end.
Government is merely combination
OF the strong and the favored OF the
earth TO Cypress the weak. Laws arc
simply canons for the regulation Of
oppression. All these things are I'M
natural and artificial and are built on
substructure OF superstition. We
propose To render government impos-
sible by making the governing profess
! sion so dangerous that no man will
dare undertake H. But the question
now before us Is this: Here Is a man
in our midst who Is not OF us Ho Is
sympathizer with and n friend Of
our oppressors. He came to us. sup
| posing that he was going to the house
OF the Princess Romanovna, and over
| heard our plans. lie has discovered
our place OF meeting VIII Il be safo
to turn him loose. after exacting a
/ promise from him that he will not be-
tray us. II such a promise can be OBJ
tanned. or is Il your mind that he be
| removed. as Brother Kourbski sug.
gests. for the good OF the order? In
/ voting on this question you win bear
| in mind that the life OF any one in
| dividual Is Of small moment when
weighed In the balance against the
/ general good OF humanity. Brother
Smirnoff will pass among you. hand.
ing each one OF you a white and n
| black marble. supply OF which I
have here. and Brother Kourbsh viii
collect your ballots In hat. A black
ballot will signify removal. whitS
ballot life and some other eKpedient.
1 Brother Smirnoffl"
That member arose and stepped
/ brlskly 10 the side OF the chairman
who took a number OF marbles from q
drawer and poured them into a hat
Kourbsh followed him about with an
other hat. into which the members
dropped their votes In the CHASTITY
silence that reigned. Hardy could hear
HIS heart beat plainly and the mar.
bles dropping. dropping. into the hat.
ratified like paving stones falling from
a height. As Kourbsh stepped 10 the
table and poured the marbles on II.
the American arose. and mechanically
twitching at his pince-nez. gazed with
open mouth. A black stream poured
! from the hat.
The ballots are all black" an.
nounced the chairman. Il shall ap-
point Brothers Kourbski, Stankietch
and Golovlev as n committee OF three
on ways and means Gentlemen, you
will retire into the adjoining room.
Kindly reach your decision as soon as
possible, for this. as I have said, is
only an incidental matter, and we
have much of Importance before us"
The three members retired. closing
the door softly behind them. The
dream was becoming reality. Hardy,
who was still standing, glanced about
like a trapped animal, his eyes hunt.
ing some desperate means OF escape.
There was the window. He might
dash at that and leap at the panes.
The crash and the outtTy which he
would make might attract the atten.
ton OF some passer-by. But, alas, tho
majority Of the company were sitting
between him and the window, and
the shutters, which he could discern
through the thick curtains, we're. no
doubt, heavy and well secured. His
oyercoat dropped to the floor and a
scarcely audible dump" attracted his
attention. He picked up the garment,
and slipped his hand into the pocket,
where II touched the cold handle OF
a revolver. He remembered that q
merchant had given him the weapon
in the morning as a sample OF largo
stock OF German limitations that could
be sold at much lower price than
/ the American original. The merchant
had said that II was good weapon.
! despite the cheapness, and had 70.
| quested him 20 try II.
But II was not iOsaed