Enterprise news-record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1910-1911, 1911-04-08
CHAPTER xI.
UNDER THE GROUND.


time. for he was almost fam
ished. Thereafter twice a day he was
led into the larger room and given a
surprisingly hearty meal.
Peter Brutus had just voiced the
pleasure of the majority by urging the
necessity for physical torture to wiring
the governments secrets from the piis-
oner King, half famished. half crazed
by thirst had been listening to the
fierce argument through the thin door
that separated the rooms. He heard
the sudden. eager movement toward
the door of his cell and squared him
self against the opposite wall. ready to
fight to the death. Then there came
voice that he recognized
A woman was addressing the con-
| spirators In tones of deadly earnest
ness. His heart gave bound. 1t was
the first time since his Incarceration
that he had heard the voice of Olga
Platanova. she who sill must be his
| friend
mo! You shall not torture him.
have said he Is no spy. still say itp'
she was exclaiming.
God. girl, we cannot turn him loose
now. He must die" This was from
ASpantz.
"We cannot release him, grant
you," she said, and Truxton's heart
sank. mot, now. but afterward, yes.
When 1t is all over he canldo no harm
But hear me now. all of you. II he Is
harmed In any way shall not perform
my part OF. the work on the 26th- This
Is final"
"You cannot withdrawn exclaimed
Peter Brutus. "You are pledged. You
are sworn. 1t Is ordained"
81. Olga Platanova. say this to you.
1t is not plea. not petition; it Is an
ultimatum. Spare him or the glorious
cause must suffer by my detection"
"Sh! Not so loud. girl! He can hear
every word you sayw
Let him hear. Let him know that
I, Olga Platanova, am to hurl the thing
that is to destroy the life Of Prince
Robin. l am not afraid to have him
know today what the world will know
next week. Then the world will say
thai. Olga Platanova was not beast,
but deliverer, creator! Let him
hearw
The listeners blood was running
cold. The life of Prince Robin! An
assassination! "The thing that win
destroyw A bomb!
For half an hour they argued with
her, seeking to turn her from the stand
she had taken. Then they came to
terms with her. Truxton King owed
his life to this strange girl. who knew
him not at all, but who believed in him.
| Truxten was brought into the room
a few minutes later. He was white
with emotion as he faced the commit.
tee of ten. Before word could be
addressed to him he blurted out:
you towards! Weak as l am,
would have fought for you. Miss Pla.
tanova, If l could have got through
that door. Thank you for what you
have done to convince these dogs
Only don't do this awful thing! Thinl,
Of that dear little boyp'
Olga Platanova cried-out and covered
her eyes with her hands. She was
led from the room by william Spantx
Peter Brutus stood over King, whose
arms were held by two stalwart men
"Enough!" he commanded. "Wt
spare you not for her sake. but fo
, the sake of the cause we serve. Hea
mel You are to be held here prisonel
M ,la ta1
will be properly fed and cared for
You have heard Miss Platanova sa.
that she will cook the food for 20,
herself, but you are not to see her"
King interrupted him. 81 haven
j the least doubt that you will kill me II
a the end. She may not be here to pro
tect me after-after the assassination.
"She is prepared to die by the sam
bomb that slays the prince" was al
that Brutus would say In response Z
this, but King observed the sly lool
that went around among them. a
knew then that they meant to kill hin
g In the end.
O. Afterward. in his little room, b
. writhed In the agony Of helplessness
The prince. his court. the government
all were to be blasted to satisfy tn
end Of this. sickening conspiracy. Lo
rainel She. too, was doomed! II
groaned aloud in his misery and awe.
There was telegraph instrumen
In the outer room. He could hear
! ticking Off its messages day and nigh
I and could hear the discussion Of r.
s ports as they came in or went out
5 soon became clear to him that the wir
. connected the room with Marlanx'
headquarters near Balak, In Axphair
branch instrument being stationed !
; the cave above the witch's hut.
On his third night he heard the con