Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-09-09

tlu6 HOtu Vi a ScTeWOIlFer from the
carpenters shop, and next night.
when everyone was asleep, l crept
out and unscrewed the panel, when to
my surprise | saw that the secret
cavity behind was filled with beauti-
full jewelry, diamond collars, tiaras,
necklets, fine pearls, emeralds and
turquoises, all thrown in indiscrim-
inately.
Il replaced the panel and kept care
full watch. At Marseilles, where we
called, more jewelry and a heavy bag
full of plate was brought aboard and
secreted behind another panel. Then
l knew that the men were thieves.
We'll, one hot summers night we
were lying off Naples, and as it was
a grand fiesta ashore and there was
to be a gala performance at the thea
ter, Leithcourt took a box and the
whole party were rowed ashore. The
crew were also given shore-leave for
the evening, but as the great heat had
upset me declined to accompany the
theater party and remained on board
with one sailor named Wilson to con-
stitute the watch. We had anchored
about half a mile from land, and
earlier in the evening the baron had
gone ashore to send kilograms to Rus
STA and had not returned.
About ten o'clock l went below to
try and sleep, but had a slight at
tack of fever, and was unable. There.
fore l redressed and sat with the light
still out, gazing across the starlit bay.
Presently from my portfolio l saw a
~shoreboat approaching, and recognized
in it the baron with a well-dressed
stranger. They both came on board,
and the boatman, having been paid,
pulled back to the shore. Then the
baron and his friend-a dark. middle
aged, f~ull-bearded man, evidently a
person of refinement-went below to
the saloon, and after a few moments
called to the man Wilson who was on
watch, and gave him a glass of whisky
and water, which he took up on deck
to drink at his leisure.
The unusual character of my fell
~low-guests on board that craft was
such that my suspicion was constantly
on the alert, therefore curiosity tempt
ed me to creep along and peep in at
the crack of the door standing ajar. A
closer view revealed the fact that the
stranger was a high Russian official
to whom l had once been introduced
at the government palace at Helsing-
fors, the Privy Councillor and Sena-
tor Paul Polovstoff. They were smok-
ing togther, and were discussing in
Russian the means by which he,
Polovstoff, had arranged to obtain
plans OF some new British fortified.
lions at Gibraltar. From what he
said, it seemed that some Russian
woman, married to an Englishman, a
captain in the garrison, had been i'm
pressed into the secret service against
her will, but that she had, in order to
save herself. promised to obtain the
photographs and plans that we're re-
quired. | heard the Englishman's
name. and l resolved to take some
steps to inform him in secret Of the
intentions of the Russian agent.
Presently the two men took fresh
cigars, assembled on deck, and cast
themselves in the long cane chairs
amidships. Still all curiosity to heat
further details on the ingenious piece
Of espionage against my W nation
| took off my shoes and crept up to Q
spot where l could crouch concealed
and overhear their conversation. fol
the italian night was calm and still
They talked mainly about affairs il
Finland, and with some of Oberg'i
tured to differ. Suddenly, while thu
privy councillor lay back in his chat
pulling thoughtfully at his cigar, Their,
was a bright, blood-red flash, a dull
report, and a mans short, agonize,
cry. Startled, | leaned around tn
/ corner of the deckhouse, when, to m,
abject horror, / saw under the electri
/ rays the cars privy councillor lynn
sideways in his chair with part of hi
face blown away. Then the hideou
; truth in an instant became apparen'
: The cigar which Oberg had presse
upon him down in the saloon had e.
3 ploded, and the small missile col
cealed inside the diabolical contri'
. ance had passed upwards into hi
{ brain. For a moment | stood utterI
stupeied, yet as l looked / saw tn
baron, in a paroxysm Of rage, shak
his fist in the dead mans face and or
with a fearful imprecation: 'Yo
e hound You have plotted to replaC
me in the cars favor. You intende
to become encouragement Of Fl
e land! You knew certain facts whic
8 you intended to put before his ma
, esty, knowing that the revelation
t. would result in my disgrace an