Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-03-01
CHAPTER V.
The Committee of Ten.


The Committee of Ten.
1t has been said before that TruXton
King was the unsuspectins object Of
interest to two sets of watchers. The
fact that he was under the surveillance
of the government police is not sur
prising when we consider the evident
thoroughness of that department, but
that he should be continually watched
by persons of a more sinister cast sug-
gests a mystery which can be cleared
up by visiting certain underground
room unknown to tine police scarce two
blocks from the Tower of Graustark.
There were two ways of reaching
this windowless room, with its low
ceilings and dank airs. If one had the
secret in his possession he could go
down through the mysterious trapdoor
in the workshop of William Spantz,
armorer to the crown, or he might
come up through a hidden aperture in
the walls of the great government
sewer which ran directly parallel with
old building. One could take his choice
of direction in approaching this hole
in the huge sewer-he could come up
from the river, half a mile away, or ne
could come down from the hills above
if he had the courage to drop through
one of the intakes.
1t is of special significance that the
trapdoor in Spantzs workshop was
reserved for use by the armorer and
his more fastidious comrades, of whom
three were women and one an estab-
lisned functionary in the royal house
hold.
The committee of ten represented
the brains and the activity of rabid
coterie in Edelweiss, 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
princes household, julius Spantz, the
master of arms. For 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 a tenfold
greater venom.
Olga Platanova was the latest ac-
QUESTION to this select circle. A word
concerning her: She was a 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 a noble family. Less
than a 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
suitorS 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
ance for the sake of love. The all
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 became more than
he could bear he blew out his brains.
When Olga heard the news of mis-
death she was not stricken by grief.
She cried out her joy TO q 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 a passive believer in the doc
trines of her father and his circle she
became at once their most impassioned
exponent. She threw herself heart and
soul into che deliberations and trans
actions of the great red circle her faith
er 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 ner 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 dowr
in her heart she was sore afraid.
She was there not to kill mar
grown old in wrongs to her people Du'
10 destroy the life of gentle, inno'
cent boy of seven.
There were times when ner hear
shrank from the unholy deed she ha'
been selected to perform. But there
was never thought of receding from
the bloody task set down for her.
on a Saturday night, following tht
last visit of TruXton King to the
armOrer the committee of ten met II
the underground room 10 hear the lat
est word from one who could not b'
with them in person, but was always
there in spirit, if they were to believe
his most Jealous utteranccs. The lror
Count Marlanx. prufessed hatcr of al
that was rich and noble, was the pow
or behind the committee of ten. The
assassination of the little prince ant
the overthrow OF the royal family
awaited his pleasure. He was the mar
who would give the word.
Alas for the committee of ten, Tine
wiliest fox in the history of the w"rlt
was never so willy as the Iron Count
Some day they were to find out tina
he was using them to pull his choices
chestnuts from the fire.
The committee was seated arount