The Press., 1914-07-01

boring village, so that it was possible for Jack by cutting sharply across country to come out ahead of Pc tronchka's numbering farm wagon two versts farther on. Across country went Jack. skimming the borders of the forest and encountering no living being until he once more leaped into the hard, white roadway on the oppo- site side of the loop.
 "This is a great joke on Uncle Pc tronchkaw he cried. How the old fel- low will cross himself and wonder to see me here before him. ... .--
 Then it occurred to Jack to give the telecque driver a surprise, and. step ping into a little wood of pine and birch, he crouched down in the grass to await Petronchka's coming.
 But the first wayfarers to pass along the quiet road came from the opposite direction-that in which Moscow lay. Peering out of his hiding place, Jack Langdon saw that these travellers were three in number, that they journeyed afOOt and that each carried upon his back heavy pack like that borne by peddlers. He also noticed that, al- though the three were dressed in caps and sheepskin coats like ordinary peasants, their swarthy faces present ed a keen. crafty aspect. They rested near Jack.
 Lying concealed among the bushes Jack soon found that the men were nihilists and that they had concerted a plan for the murder of a high Rus sian official. to which Uncle Petronch- ka was to contribute without knowing what he was doing. They had with them some packages. which Jack learned from their conversation con tained dynamite instead of the. rare Swiss clocks which Uncle Petronchka had agreed to smuggle with his vege- tables into the market town and de- liver at point agreed upon with the conspirator
 Fortunate was it for Jack that the men rose as they saw Uncle Petronch- ka approaching. walked forward to meet him and then moved off with him in the direction from which he had come. 1t gave Jack a chance to es- cape and allowed Uncle PetrOnchka to drive back to his farmhouse with only the supposed Swiss clocks hidden in his cart instead of taking with him conscience burdened with the murder of the American boy, whom he liked.
 Late that night a score of police sur rounded the farmhouse of the old farm CT, dragged him out of bed and cap tured the packs of dynamite. Drag ged by torchlight to the steps of a car riage near by, Petronchka was horri- fled to perceive therein the grand Duke Alexis AleXandrOvitch, seated beside his little acquaintance, Jack LangdOn. When he learned that what he thought were packages of Smuggled clocks really contained deadly explosives Pc trOnchka broke down utterly and told the whole story. giving descriptions of the three conspirators. which after ward led to their capture, and com pletely verifying the account conveyed to the grand duke by little Jack Lang don.
 Jack had saddIed his own pony and ridden at full gallop into O., where he found the governor at brilliant banquet. The news of nihiiistic con spiracy. however, secured him an tIu- dience, with the result that PctrOIIGh- ka's house was surrounded. the dyIia- mite captured and the state reeords, saved.
 And now. my little hero." said the governor when all was over, what re- ward can I confer upon you for the great service you have done to Rus sia?"
 Jack thought a moment and then an swered: First l should like poor old Uncle Petronc hIla to get off. and. sec Ondly. II want leave to explore fire crackers on the Fourth of, July
 With an amused smile the grand duke wrote the following order and handed it to the petitioner:
 For the reason that Ivan Ivanovitch Langdon has placed the empire under ar obligation it is hereby ordained
 F'irst.-That the prisoner Petronchka be renlanded indefinitely in the custody of the said Ivan Ivanovitch. -........ ..
 Second.-That the said Ivan IvanoVitch be permitted on the 4th day of July next ensuing to explode 1irecrac ckers and squibs in such quantities he thinks fit in hon. Of his native country.
 Third.-That the municipality of O. be ordered to supply the said Ivan lVano- witch with one ton of the very best fire crackers which it's merchants can import across the frontier at the expense of the government. as%
 Given under my hand and seal
 ALEXIS ALEXANDROVITCH
 Governor For the Car