The Alaska citizen., 1910-09-26
Five Conspirators


 the interior to the Czar of Russia. sat in his office examining police re- ports This" he said 10 himself. notes a conspiracy that gives no particulars. This charges one sup posed to be devoted to the govern ment with being implicated in a plot to assassinate the emperor on his coming trip to meet the Ger | man Kaiser"
 Al this moment an attendant en- ! tered and announced that a young girl wished to speak with his high ness on a matter of great import ance to him.
 Are you sure she has no wea- pon concealed under her clothes? 2" asked the minister.
 We can search her"
 Do SO Then if you are satisfied admit her"
 Presently a girl of twenty, with the light hair and blue eyes of the north. entered. She was trembling.
 What do you wish?" asked the prince.
 TO warn your highness of a con spiracy."
 What object have you in warn ing me? Do you do it purely from loyalty?"
 No. I love one of the conspira- tors
 What is the conspiracy?
 "A plot to assassinate you. There are five of them. They will station themselves at the bridge across the Neva between your office and your home. One will give warning of your coming. another will throw a bomb under your carriage, a third will be ready at the other end of the bridge to shoot you in case the bomb fails; the fourth and fifth will be ready to act in case you escape all three"
 The minister paled. He stared at he girl waiting for her to proceed.
 T will give you the names of these men," she continued, "On con lition that you follow a plan l have conceived whereby one of them whom l love will live, while the others may be executed. They have persuaded him to join them and given him the most dangerous posi- tion l am willing that they should die, but l wish to save him.
 What is your plan?"
 "I must protect him as well from his associates as from you. If he re ceiyes immunity they will kill him, believing that he betrayed them. Therefore when you arrest them ar rest him as well. Sentence them all to be shot, but at him fire a blank cartridge"
 Upon my word" said the prince. What a head you have for such matters. But supposing l prefer to punish these men in my own way.
 Then my lips are sealed
 T can send you to Siberia"
 That would not move me-
 The prince arose from his desk thought, then, turning to the girl, said:
 T accept your terms. l presume you wish some guaranty that l will carry out my part of the contract?"
 No. If you suffer my lover to be harmed l shall take it upon myself 70 relieve the state of your tyranny"
 But suppose l put you where you will be powerless."
 There are two others to carry out what you would prevent my doing. If the first fails the second will take up the work. If both fall there will be a third and a fourth to carry it on.'
 Very well. Now tell me the rest of this plot"
 The girl gave the information re- quired and had no sooner left the minister than the prince notified the police to locate every one of the conspirators and when this was done to arrest them simultaneously. That night they were taken to the fort ress of St. Peter.
 Trials occur in Russia when it is deemed eXpedient to satisfy the people who are cogniZant of the case. But in this instance no trial was needed. The name of the man 10 be spared was krikoff. and the police had description of him, so that there should be no mistake made concerning him. The orders were to take the men separately in to the prison yard, stand them up against a wall and proceed in ac- cordance with the secret orders giv- en the governor of the fortress.
 At the same moment that the con sprators were arrested the police appeared at the home of Vera Scerevich, the girl who had given the information and took her into custody. This was some thing on which she had not counted She thought she had laid