Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-27
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Tribunal

TT was a small ruinous chapel. the windows of
which had been roughly boarded up, and, so
far as could see by the dim light cast by two
oil lanterns hung on the walls, all those assem-
bled inside were men: about fifty in number
guessed, for the place was by no means
crowded There a clear space at the
farther end. round the raised piece where the
altar had once stood, where four men were
seated on a bench of some sort. | could not
distinguish their faces for they all wore their
hats and the lamplight was so dim that 1t
served only to make the darkness visible. The
atmosphere steamy too; tor we were
drenched and draggled lot
There was no excitement at present. One OF
the four men on the dais was speaking in a
level monotonous voice but. as | cautiously
edged my way toward the front, felt that this
silent sinister crowd was in deadly earnest, as
was the man who addressing it. He was
speaking in Russian. and could not make out
quite all he said
| gathered that some resolution was about
to be passed; for just as got sufficiently for
ward to peer round and convince myself that
Anne was not there each man present. except
myself and two others, held up his right hand.
| followed suit instantly, judging that to be
wisest and one of the other two-he was stand
ing close beside me-pur his up, after mo-
mentary hesitation that think was unnoticed
save by myself. | took a SIdelong glance at
him. He was elderly, distinguished looking
man, with a short gray beard cut to point and
upturned gray mustache. He was listening
intently; but, though l couldn't see his face
distinctly got the impression that he also was
Il stranger and that he understood even less
than / did what going on.
The president spoke again. care there any
here who are against the election of Constan-
tine, could not catch the other name which
long Polish one, | think, . to the place on
the council, vacant since the murder of our
comrade. Vladimir Selinski9"
Selinski! Cassavetti! He little guessed as he
spoke that the man who found CassavettiS body
now within five PAGES of him.
Not hand was raised, and the man who had
not voted stepped on the dais. in obedience
to gesture from the president, and took his
sect in silence.
A hoarse murnur of approval went round:
but that was all. The grim quletude of these
men was more fearful than any amount of noise
could have been. and, as the president raised
his hand slightly. dead silence fell:
Remains now only that do justice on
the murderess of SeIinski, the traitress who has
betrayed our secrets. has frustrated many of
our plans, has warned more than one of those
whom we have Justly doomed to death,-her
lover among them,-with the result that they
have escaped, for the present! We would not
condemn her unheard but so far she is OBJ
durate She defies us, endeavors once more to
trick us. If she other than she is, or
rather than she has been. she would have been
removed long since. when suspicion first fell
upon her; but there many of us who love
her STILL who would not believe her guilty
without the evidence of their own eyes and
ears and therefore we have brought her here
that she may speak for herself, defend herself if
that is possible. 1t will rest with YOU to ac-
quit or condemn her"
He spoke quietly; but the cool, deliber-
ate magnity of his tone was horrible and
somehow | knew that the ma lority of those
present shared his luminosity against the pris-
oner, although he had spoken OF many OF us
who love her"
The man beside me touched my arm and
asked in French. Do you understand him."