Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-10-24
WHISPERED IN his EAR.

l became known as government
ngent TO assure my comrades that L
was working deep laid scheme in the
interest of the revolution.
/ laid a plan which l felt sure would
give me the entire confidence of the
minister. | told him that / had dis
covered the meeting place of a circle
whose members were cOnspiring to
assassinate him. My intention was to
have him send a force to arrest the
circle, of which | was a member, while
they were in session. But | intended
that the force should arrive after the
meeting had broken up. At the proper
moment l would announce to the circle
THAI was a pretended spy for the
government and inform them OF the
plan l had laid. They would dispense.
leaving documents to show that the
place had been used by revolutionists.
but nothing to incriminate any one OF
them.
It was a hazardous scheme, but I
felt that II it were successful it would
give me a footing with the govern
ment on which to found a still greater
benefit to the revolution. But | dare
not tell the members OF the circle be
forehand what I was about to do, for
| was not sure but that some one of
them was n government spy, such as
l pretended to be. Such things now
and then occurred.
On n certain day l told the minister
tS.at the revolutionary body whose
members were cOnspiring to assassi-
nate him would meet at n certain
place at II o'clock at night. If he
would send n force there at half past
II he would capture them. The meet
ing hour was really 10 o'clock. and
Intended by II to have warned my
associates. charged-the minister to
have the force az the meeting place ut
tue exact hour and minute I had given
him. else the plan would go amiss.
And so it would but for the circle in
stead Of the government.
Though by keeping the matter Sc
cret from my comrades till the last
moment I headed off any one Of the
members who might be a government
spy, there wcs another danger, but it
did not occur TO me- Suppose one OF
our number should secretly be playing
the same 81 me ! was.
Our circle met at the appointed hour.
10 O'Clock. I waited anxiously for Or
loft to come in. since if my scheme
should react upon me my life would
depend upon his evidence. But the
president called the circle to order, and
Orloff had not arrived. Half an hour
cha psed while we were in session, and
still he did not come. Then suddenly
something happeaed which filed me
with CONSERVATION. Peter Vronsky,
one OF the circle, came in hurriedly
end said:
I'VE are betrayed"
Every man started from his seat.
but the president directed that we re-
main where we were.
by whom he asked.
zone Of our number"
(which one?''
81 do not know"
Fortunately the eyes Of the members
were concentrated on the man who
gave the Information. so that no one
noticed the pallOr that spread itself
over my face when the words Il do
not know" were spoken. / recovered
myself. for inferred thar some time
-rDuld elapss before I should be identi-
fed as the traitor. But, heavens, how
! Ionged for Orlof.
Every possible precaution bad been
taken since our frst meeting TO insure
against surprise and To deceive any
force which might come upon Us as 20
our real character. There were sew
eral scientific men in our midst. and
certain Instruments and books used by
them were Kept on hand TO be pro-
duced ia case OF emergency TO prove
that we were a society intended for
the advancement Of science. These de-
vices were brought out and ali incrlm-
mating documents burned.
We had barely got things in order
when there was a sound II footsteps
without. and man wearing heavy /.
beard that concealed his mouth snc