Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-05-04
CHAPTER V.
THE COMMITTEE OF TEN.

THE COMMITTEE OF TEN
" 7 has been said before that Trux-
ton King was the unsuspecting
E object of interest to two sets of
watchers. The fact that he was
under the surveillance of the govern
ment police is not surprising when we
consider the evident thoroughness of
that department, but that he should
be continually watched by persons Of
more sinister cast suggests a mys-
terry which can be cleared up by Wis
iting certain underground room I'M
known to the police scarce two blocks
from the Tower of Graustark.
There were two ways of reaching
this windowless room, with it's low
ceilings and dank airs. If one had
the secret in his possession he could
go down through the mysterious trap
door in the workshop of William
SpantZ, armorer to the crown, or he
might come up through hidden aper-
ture in the walls of the great govern
ment sewer which ran directly paral-
lei with and far below the walls Of
the quaint old building. One could
take his 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
1t is of special significance that the
| SnQnt1'U DC
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 Edelweiss, among them
selves styled the Party of Equals. In
plain language, they were "reds."
The nominal leader was William
! Spantz, he who had a son in the
| princes household, julius Spantz, the
master Of armss 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 a tenfol6
greater venom.
Olga Platanoya was the latest ac
QUESTION to this select circle. A wore
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 o.
the most brilliant men in Europe anG
member of a noble family. Les!
than a year before the opening of thi'
tale he was executed for treason an(
conspiracy against the empire.
His daughter, Olga, was recognized
as one Of the most beautiful and cul
tured young women in Warsaw. He
suitors seemed to be without number
Finally there came one who conquered
and was beloved. He was the son O.
a mighty duke, prince Of the blood
The young prince pledged himself t
marry her despite all opposition; b
was ready to give up his noble inherit
ance for the sake Of love. The al
, powerful ruler of an empire Learned
of this proposed mesalliance and wa
Mortified. The will Of the crown wa
made known to him and-he obeyed
<Olga Platanova was cast aside, but no
forgotten. He became the husband o
! an unloved, scrawny lady of diadems
Y When the situation beanie more tina
r he could bear he blew out his brains
E When Olga heard the news of hi
death she was not stricken by grie-
she cried out her joy to now CLOUD
less sky, for he had justified the grea
: love that had been theirs and woul
: be theirs to the end of time.
From a passive believer in the do
res of her father and his circle sh
ae lme at once their most impassione