Daily Arizona silver belt., 1910-02-18

take hls choice of direction in ap- preaching this hole in the huge sewer he could come up from the river, half mile away, or he could come down from the hills above if he had the courage to drop through one of the intakes.
 It is of special significance that the trapdoor in Spantz's workshop was reserved for use by the armorer and his more fastidious comrades, of whom three were women and one an estab- lished functionary in the royal house. hold.
 The committee of ten represented the brains and the activity of a rabid coterie in Edelwelss. among them selves styled the Party of Equals. In plain language, they were "reds."
 The nominal leader was William Spantz, he who had son in the princess household, Julius Spantz, the master of arms. Far off in the hills above the Danube there lived the real leader of this deadly group-the Iron Count Marlanx, exile from the land of his birth, hated and execrated by ev- cry loyal Graustarkian, hating and execrating in return with tenfold greater venom.
 Olga Platanova was the latest ac- quisition to this select circle. A word concerning her: She was the daugh- ter of Professor Platanova, one time oculist and sociologist in a large Ger man university. He had been one of the most brilliant men in Europe and a member of noble family. Less than year before the opening of this tale he was executed for treason and conspiracy against the empire.
 His daughter, Olga, was recognized as one of the most beautiful and cul- tured young women in Warsaw. Her sultors seemed to be without number. Finally there came one who conquered and was beloved. He was the son of a mighty duke, a prince of the blood. The young prince pledged himself to marry her despite all opposition; he was ready to give up his noble inherit
 
 powerful ruler of an empire learned of this proposed mesalliance and was mortified The will of the crown was made known to him and-he obeyed. Olga PlatanOva was cast aside, but not forgotten. He became the husband of an unloved, scrawny lady of diadems. When the situation beame more than he could bear he blew out his brains
 When Olga heard the news of his death she was not stricken by grief She cried out her joy to a now cloud less sky, for he had justified the great love that had been theirs and would be theirs to the end of time.
 From passive believer in the doc trlnes of her father and his circle she became at once their most impassioned exponent She threw herself heart and soul into the deliberations and transactions of the great red circle; her father understood and yet was amazed
 Then he was put to death by the class she had come to hate-one more stone in the sepulcher of her tender, girliSh ideals. When the time came she travelled to Graustark in response to the call of the committee of ten; she came prepared to kill the creature she would be asked to kill. And yet down n her heart she was sore afraid.
 She was there not to kill man grown old in wrongs to her people. but to destroy the life of gentle. inno- cent boy of seven!
 There were times when her heart shrank from the unh0ly deed she had been selected 10 perform. But there was never thought of receding from the bloody task set down for her.
 On Saturday night, following the last visit of Truzton King to the armorer. the committee of ten met in the underground room to hear the lat est word from one who could not be with them in person, but was always there in spirit, if they were to believe his 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 and the overthrow of the royal fam fly awaited his pleasure. He was the man, who would give the word.
 Alas for the committee of ten! The wiliest fox in the history of the world was never so willy as the Iron Count. Some day they were to find out that he was using them to pull his choicest chestnuts from the fire.