The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1910-04-21

cent boy of seven!
There We're times when her heart !
from the unholy deed she had
peen sesected to perform. But there
was never thought of receding from
the bloody task set down for her.
On Saturday night. following the
last visit of Truxton King to the
armOrer. the committee of ten met in
the underground room to hear the lat
est word from one who could not I've
Win them i'll person, but was aIways
there in spirit, if they were to believe
ms most Jealous utterances. The Iron
count Marlanx, professed hater of all
that was rich and noble, was the
power behind the committee of ten
The assassination of the little prince
ana the overthrow of the royal fam
lily awaited his pleasure. lie was the
man who would give the word.
Alas for the committee of ten! The
widest fox in the history of the world
was never SO willy as the Iron Count.
Some day they We're to find out that
he was using them to pull his choicest
chestnuts from the fire.
The committee was seated around
the long table in the sitting, breath
less room, the armorer at the head.
Those who came by way of the sewer
had performed additions in the queer
toilet room that once had been a secret
vault for the storing of feudal plum
der. What air there was came from
the narrow ventilator that burrowed
its way up to the shop of William
Spantz or through the chimney hole
in the ceiling. Olga Platanova sat far
down the side, Il moody, inscrutable
expression i'll her dark eyes At
Spantz's right lounged Peter Brutus,
lawyer, formerly secretary to the
Iron Count and now his sole represent
atiYe among these people. He was a
dark faced, snaky eyed young man,
with mop of coarse black hair that
hung ominously low over his high, re-
| ceding forehead,
julius SpantZ, the armorer's sou, a
| placid young man of goodly physical
| proportions, sat next to BrutuS, while
down the table ranged others deep IL
| the consideration Of the worlds gray
est problems. One Of the women wa:
| Mime. DrovnaSk, whose husband ha(
been sent to Siberia for life. and the
| other Anna Cromer, rabid red lee
| turer. who had been driven from til,
United States, together with her anna
bic husband, an assassin Of some dis
tinction and many aliases, at presen
foreman i'll charge of one of the bridg e
building crews on the new railroad.
Every man in the party. and Their
were eight. for Olga was not q mem
Der of the "ten," Wore over the lowe
part of his face false black beard O
huge dimensions-not that they wer
averse to recognition among then
selves, but in the fear that by som
, hook or crook Dangloss or his agent
might be able to look in upon them.
Brutus was speaking. '"The man
a spy. He has been brought her
|, from America to Tullis."
I'VE shall continue to watch hi
every movement" said William Spant
"Time will tell. When we are pos
tive that he is a detective and thu
he is dangerous there is a way to sto
!, his operations
"Dangloss suspects more than one
u.s. ventured Brutus. his gaze trave
ing toward Olga. There was lewd AZ
=, miration in that steady glance. ''B'
Well fool the old fox. The time wi
soon be here for the blow that FREE
Graustark from the yoke"
- 1t appeared in the course of his r
marks that MarlanX had friends al
supporters in all parts OF Graustar
. Hundreds Of men in the hills. inclu
ing honest shepherds and the dishone
~ brigands who thrived on them. CO
~ miners and wood stealers. hunters al
outlaws were ready to do his biddi
y, when the time was ripe. Moreov'
-, Marlanx had been successful in
- design to fill the railway construct
crews with the riffraff Of all EuroI
e all Of whom We're under the control
leaders who could sway them in a
~ movement provided it was against Il
and order.
"a With a cunning that commands {
miration, the Iron Count deliberate
J sanctioned the assassination Of the
!, the prince Of the reds, knowing tt
- the condemnation Of the world wo'
- fall upon them instead of upon b
=, and that his own actions following
ycgicide would at once stamp him
" ~ irrevocably opposed to anarchy and
~ Of it's practices!
" In the course Of his remarks Pc
n ~. Brutus touched hastily upon the s
iect Of the little prince.
al Hes not very big" said he. wit
eu laugh. land it won't require a v
as big bomb to blow him to smitheree
He wilr'-
eu. stop cried Olga Platanova. spri
Az. Ing to her feet. II cannot listen
VI you! You shall not speak Of it in t
ian MZM