New-York tribune., 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-
bed inside were men, about fifty IN number,
guessed, for the place was by no means
crowded There was clear space at the
farther end round the raised piece where the
altar had once stood where four men were
seated bench of some sort. could not
distinguish their faces; for they all wore their
hats and the lamplight so DIM that 1t
served only to make the darkness visible The
atmosphere was steamy too; tor we We're
drenched and draggled lot.
There no excitement at present One OF
the four men the dais speaking IN
level monotonouS voice; but as / cautiously
edged my way toward the front. felt that this
silent sinister crowd in deadly earnest. as
was the who was 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 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-put his up, after mo-
mentary hesitation that | think unnoticed
save by myself. | took a sidelong glance at
him. He was an elderly, distinguished looking
man, with a short gray beard cut to point and
an upturned gray mustache. He was listening
intenty; but though | couldn't see his face
distinctly, got the impression that he also was
4 stranger and that he understood even less
than | did what was going on
The president spoke again Are there anv
here who are against the election of ConStan-
tine. | could not catch the other name which
was long Polish ore, | think, g to the place on
the council vacant since the murder of our
COmrade Vladimir SelinSk?"
Sehnskii Cassavettii He little guessed as he
spoke that the man who found Cassavetti's body
was now within five PAGES of him
Not hand was raised. and the man who had
not voted stepped on the dais, in obedience
TO a gesture from the president, and took his
sect in silence.
\ hoarse murmur of approval went round ;
but that was all. The grim quietude 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 only that We do Justice on
the murderesS of Selinski 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 thev
have escaped, for the present. We would not
condemn her unheard, but far she is OBJ
durate. She dehcS us, endeaVOrs once more to
trick us. II she were 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 are 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 malipnity of his tone was horrible and
somehow | knew that the majority of those
present shared his animosity against the pris-
oner. although he had spoken of many of us
who love her"
The man beside touched my arm and
asked in French. d" DO vou understand him.