The Press., 1913-03-05
A BOMB It Was an Elephant Its Owner Wanted to
 Get Rid Of By JEROME B. TORRENT

Lockwood, a graduate of technolog-
 ical institution, accepted position in
 the works of the Plowman's Harvester company and in time was sent to Rus
 sia to establish a plant for the manu- fracture of its machines.
 Lockwood occupied a suit of rooms in
 a bachelor apartment house in St. Pc | tersburg One morning as he was go- ing out young girl who was passing
 suddenly turned and, running up the
 steps, brushed past him and entered
 the house. She appeared to be very much agitated. There was something so incongruOus in her action in enter ing the abode of men that Lockwood turned and went after her to learn
 something more about her. She began
 to speak to him rapidly and earnestly | in the Russian language, of which he had made u study before leaving Amer lea and in which he had considerable | practice since.
 "Oh, mercy" she said. "The mines, the mines. I wouldn't mind to die.
 But Kara! cant endure the thought" :"
 What is it?" asked Lockwood, as | tonished.
 "I have bomb concealed on my per
 son. Help me to get rid of 1t. Oh, do
 help me! If it is found on me shall
 be sent to those terrible mines"
 The girl kept looking at the door
 which Lockwood had closed as though and come in. So pitiful was she that he was tempted to do very foolish thing-that is, relieve her of the bomb she carried. But he had no mind to go to Siberia in her stead, and he resisted the impulse, asking for more infOrma- tion. She told her story briefly and hurriedly:
 "I am a member of a revolutionary circle. Yesterday received an order to go to a certain place where I would find a woman who would give me bomb that I was to carry to another place. 1 went there, received the bomb and was taking it away when, looking back, l saw man whose eyes were fixed upon me, and I was sure he fol lowed me. 1 made a tortuous course. taking the most crowded streets and mingling with the greatest crowds. But whenever I looked back the man was sure to be near, though either looking in shop window or reading a sign or a billboard. He was following me to see where l would go. Desper- ate, seeing you coming out of this house, 1 resolved to come in. 1 do not know who lives here; I simply entered at a venture. believe the man who is following me will be here directly. l hoped l might get rid of the bomb be- fore he came"
 Lockwood listened to this intensely spoken statement. his sympathy going out to the speaker. At any moment government official might enter and find the girl talking to him, bomb on her person, doubtless intended to kill some official or possibly member of the imperial family. Lockwood was not a fool; he was a man. And here was girl whom by taking a risk he might save from that which would be worse than death, lifelong imprisonment in the mines of Kara. A great struggle was going on within him between his chiyairOus manhood and his dread of the fate for himself of which the girl stood in danger
 There was a ring at the front door bell. All color left his companions face. This and the look of despair and she gave him turned the scale.
 Give me the bomb," he said.
 Thrusting her hand into an inside pocket of the fur coat she wore. she took out a glass globe the size of a small orange and gave 1t to him. He put it in a pocket of his overcoat. say ing to her hurriedly, "This is a mans apartment house; you are my sister" and, going to the door, opened it.
 A man stood outside, and Lockwood speak. The girl stood in the hall; but, having been relieved of the bomb, she was able to gather her faculties and appeared perfectly cool, looking at the man who had been following her with a meaningless stare. He seemed some what taken aback at this reception.
 Whom do you wish to seer" asked Lockwood.
 'Who lives in this houseY' was th reply.
 "It is bachelor apartment house
 "A bachelor apartment house! | that case what is the young lady dDi here?"
 Are you a government official?"
 The man hesitated, but finally adn ted that he was.
 "Very well. If you are gOvernme official and have come here for pu. pose you are welcome to go about that purpose. I am needed at my place Of business, being an American resident of St. Petersburg. If you want any thing of me beg you to make haste: Otherwise I will go at once''
 ''I want nothing of yOu," said the man.
 And the young lady?'
 The official appeared to be puz2'"' He alone knew his object in shadONli the girl, but it was probable that. th place from which she had taken the bomb having been suspected by the DO, lice, he had been ordered to watch it ! and follow any one leaving it with a | view to being led to another rendez- vous and trapping conspirators. In this case he had been led into a house | that was not likely a headquarters of l a revolutionary circle, but he was not ! sure about it. He was hesitating l whether to make a search or get fur ther instructions from his superiors l Had he known the object of the girls i visit to the suspected place and that | she had brought away a bomb he would have called assistance and | searched her and. not finding it, would | have left no stone unturned to discover vhere 1t was.
 Presently. without a word, the of 6cial turned and without another word went down the steps and away. No sooner had the door closed behind him than the girl staggered sWooning and