Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-09-16
A NIHILIST'S
DESPERATE DEED
Story Of a Queer Bet and
Why It Was Made.

sim" said Nicholas. II have advanced
your interests by attaching you to thu
cars stan, thus opening to you a ca.
reer. You have repaid me by Joining
this conspiracy against the car"
II have notr' exclaimed the captain
Indignantly. NJ
"'r have the proof" q 4
-'Let me see IL" I,E
The grand duke held before IN.
young man a letter written In tho cap
tain's handwriting and signed by him
The accused man started back, sud
den pallor overspreading his face. :,
"Ahg said Nicholas icily. "When
confronted with evidence your assuN
ance deserts you"
81 never wrote that letterT'
'Tt is in your handwriting"
$50 nearly like It that could moi
tell It from mine. Nevertheless It b
forgery"
Nicholas eyes flashed. who would
be interested in perpetrating such I
villainy"
II cannot imagine. Stopl Let M
think. Can 1t be that they are trying
to get me out of their wayT III
paused In deep thought
"What do you mean7"
81 suspect certain men. ccrtnlv
man especially, owing to an accidenm
discovery recently made of MI AZ
tempt not on the life OF the czar ID
on yours"
Whom do you suspect7" nsked NIA
olas. changing color.
Zone of them IL my friend. n 40
cused him 1t might be wrongfully.
would rather go to Siberia than harm
him IL he is innocent"
"You will go to Siberia If you do no
give me his name"
"Then l will go to Siberia"
The door opened and young maj
named Pertof entered
"How fortunate" exclaimed the CON
| err, ito find you two together! ] haW
heard that WarascoR is in trouble, anl
1 came to say to your imperial high
ness that any accusations against bid
are absurd"
81 am sorry to say. Pertof. that
have indisputable proof. Read that
And he tossed him the letter he had
! shown the captain. Pertof read 1t aDs
flung it aside contemptuously.
| 1.-THE capital Is full of plotting"
said. 81 believe no accusations. for
am as likely to be accused as any oD|
| Dismiss this matter from your MIND
Nicholas. We three are intimid
friends. None Of us knows how sod
he may fall victim to intrigue. Thsv|
fore let us not worry. but enjoy whi|
of life remains to US. Bring out son'
of that wine / tasted when we wq
last together and let US make merry
/ The grand duke, though not q
WINGED, concluded to fall In with
friends humor and, tapping a bell
ordered the wine.
Pertof emptied his glass; the graz,
duke slipped his; Captain WarasCS,
left his untouched.
whats the matter, DmitriT' chd
Pertof. Isn't his highness' wine god
enough for your"
~ cannot drink under accusation
"You're squeamish, man. Whoe7d
troubles himself at being suspected
even accused In these days is In dag
ger of nervous collapse. III make VI
a bet of 100 rubles even that with
thirty days. will be accused Of SOM
conspiracy. I'll make another bet
100 to 1000 rubles that within, aul
days | go to Siberia and third bet
10000 rubles that am executed"
"You are trifling with serious nd,
ters," said Nicholas uneasily.
mot at all. We are all in dansd
and If l could make the last nanq
bet 1t would be an insurance on
life for my family"
81 will take that bet" said Wari
scoff. with singular look in his eyf
"Done," said Pertof. talsing his hanI
, The grand duke looked at both men1
, If he thought they had taken leave
their senses,
Pertof took a cigar case from
pocket and was about to strike ma I
when. recollecting himself. he hand
the case to the grand duke.
Nicholas took cigar from the es
J struck a match and lighted 1t. He
, taken but few whifrs when DIM
! Warascoff made leap for
snatched the cigar from his lips
, raising a, window sash. threw It
} Nicholas looked at him angrily
the apparent insult In a few seec1
an explosion was heard In the cs
, below. All stood mute for avn
Then warascoff. pointing at Pen
said:
There is the man. your highnl
, who forged that letter. | overbs
!, him speaking with some suspc
, persons upon the subject OF an eH
!, sive cigar"
Pertof was tried and executed
: the attempted murder of the ca
Duke Nicholas. The day after the
ecution the widow received an ans
nous letter coueaining 10000 ru1j
It was in payment of the wager
between Warascoff and Pertof
bet was made by Pertof because
had determined to sacrifice his lnD
!. the nihilist cause and accepted
Warascoff because he had loved
girl Pertof had married. Five
later he married his old love.