Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-05-21


Tomorrow night we meet him and his
excavators at the appointed spot and
lead them out to here" He put his
finger down upon a part of the map.
Here the oil pipeline and the main
gas-pipe cross one another-although
the fact is probably unknown to both
the oil and the gas companies. Here
the oil pipe line swings around for
the refineries, and, ten feet immedi-
ately below, is the gas main.
Here we pretend to dig for the elec-
trio wire which supposedly connects
with the dynamite store. kaulbars
will not get down into the mud, and
his soldiers will obey my orders with
out understanding or questioning.
We take with us some lengths of rub.
Der hose. We cut a hole in either
pipe and switch off the flow. The oil,
diverted from its natural channel,
streams through the gas main. The
gas choked off by the oil, flows into
the oil pipe, which is temporarily
emptied The result?"
The oil pours through all the
branches of the gas main, into every
home, comes into contact with the
light, and sets fire to the city," ] cried.
Precisely. But since only the Of
fcers and police have gas in their
homes the poor will not suffer. And
the gas. rushing through the oil pipe
into the refneres, comes into con-
tact with the lights and eXplodes with
terrific violence; moreover, it passes
straight through the pipeline beneath
the water into the. hold Of the Cas-
plan and the work of the revolution
AIRY party is accomplished
He looked at me triumphantly, and
saw, not the horror of the scheme,
with its attendant holocaust of lives,
but only the master.plan Of master
mind. | grasped his hand fervently.
ut is the plan of genius" l ex-
claimed
Kaubars and his men were already
upon the spot when we arrived at the
corner of Presbykoff street upon the
following evening. The general was
dressed as a captain of sappers. Be
hind him his six men stood at atten-
ton.
1T is something Of a tramp said
Nikolai, as he greeted him. "lf you
will follow us"
Il shall accompany you" said Kaul-
bars grimly, And ii you play us
false, Captain Skobeloff-" He hesi-
tated and looked back. Two men
sprang forward and grasped me; two
more graspcd my companion.
Search them" said the governor
general
We were neither Of US armed
When this became patent to kauIbars,
he apologized with some uneasiness.
THE truth is, Captain Skobcloff,
he said to Nikolai, Il am really at
my wits end, surrounded as ! am
by spies and traitors. | confess that
| have had suspicious of you There
are four Captain Skobelons in the
army list; but three are stationed in
Moscow and one is upon special duty
in Vienna"
81 am he" Nikolai answered, and
DtBiH W Sptdh VI lIltil az lHt 'lH-
perors court Kaulbars had been an
attache there. The last vestige of
suspicion disappeared.
And now let us set out" said Mix
OLAF: and he led us through the de-
serted streets, with their patrols at
every corner, who challenged US and
received the password from the gov.
ernor general. At last We emerged
into wilderness OF building lots a
desolate district among the oil fields,
where the rank autumn growth strug-
ged against the black ash from the
retineries that lay thickly over all.
Nikolai stopped at a small post which
indicated the turn of the subterranean
oilpipe.
Here is the most suitable place"
he said in low voice. You have the
battery. Summers?"
drew the two dry cells which had
brought from my overcoat pocket.
kaulbars looked at them suspiciously.
For generating the current" Nix.
OLAF explained. Two cells are sufii.
confederate has run the wire into the
center of a heap Of loose cordite.
No. these are not bombs, General.
See,"
He let them fall into the grass
then picked them up and stood them
against the post. Now to work. he
said, and snatched a pick from the
nearest soldier | took another, and
we began to break up the ground,
while Kaulbars, buttoning his military
overcoat tightly around him, seated
himself upon the grass and watched
the operations with some interest. At
our command the soldiers fell to
work. and soon large hole had been
excavated. Then we set to with the
spades, leaped into the excavation,
and shoveled until we could hardly
throw up the earth to the edge Of the
pit. At last the picks chinked.
That's the gas MAN," whispered
Nikolai. 1--WE must have missed the
pipe. Widen the hole!" he directed
the soldiers and the excavation began
to spread out in all directions, until
all at once an immense earthen pipe,
of wide dimensions, appeared above
our heads amidst the crumbling soil.
Nikolai unfastened his coat and, from
his waist, took a length of rubber
hose, tough but flexible; 1t was a
marvel to me how he had worn 1t.
Kaulbars sprang to his feet.
What is that?" he cried, bending
into the darkness.
The electric conductor" Nikolai
answered briskly. Now, general, will
you throw down the dry cells to me?"