The Yale expositor., 1915-09-09

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 went below TO
try and sleep, but ! had a slight at
tack of fever, and was unable. There
fore redressed and sat with the light
still out. gazing across the starlit bay.
Presently from my portfolio ! saw
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, full-bearded man. evidently a
person of acknowledgment 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 / had once been introduced
at the government palace at Helsing-
fors, the Privy Councillor and Sena-
tor Paul Polovstofr. 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 fortifica-
tons 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 were re-
| quired. / heard the Englishman'
name. and | 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 hear
! further details on the ingenious piece
! Of espionage against my own nation,
/ took off my shoes and crept up to a
spot where / could crouch concealed
and overhear their conversation, for
the italian night was calm and still
They talked mainly about affairs in
Finland, and with some Of Oberg's
expressions of opinion Polovstoff ven-
tured to differ. Suddenly, while the
privy councillor lay back in his chair
pulling thoughtfully at his cigar there
was a bright, blood-red flash, a dull
report and a mans short, agonized
cry. Startled, leaned around the
corner Of the deckhouse, when, to my
abject horror, saw under the electric
rays the cars privy councillor lying
sideways in his chair with part of his
face blown away. Then the hideous
truth in an instant became apparent.
The cigar which Oberg had pressed
upon him down in the saloon had ex.
ploded, and the small missile con
cealed inside the diabolical contriv.
ance had passed upwards into his
brain. For a moment | stood utterly
stupefied, yet as | looked ! saw the
baron, in a paroxysm of rage, shake
his fist in the dead mans face and cry
with a fearful imprecation: You
hound! You have plotted to replace
me in the cars favor. You intended
to become governor-general of Fin
land! You knew certain facts which
you intended to put before his maj
esty, knowing that the revelations
would result in my disgrace and
downfall But, you Internal cur. yor
did not know that those who attemp
to thwart Xavier Oberg either die BY
accident or 90 for life to Kajana o.
the mines!' And he spurned tn,
body with his foot and laughed u
hihioCll dS ut 6lOdACu ONOi HIS uds
tardly crime.
r II watched his rage, unable to ute
/. single word. / saw him, after h.
q had searched the dead mans pockets
raise the inert body with it's awfu
|. featureless face and drag it to the bu
q warks. Then / rushed forward an
9 faced him.
: In an instant he sprang at me, an
: I screamed. But no aid came. TIL
Q man Wilson was sleeping soundly !
!, the bows, for the whisky he had give
t him had been doctored," went on tn
o narrative. Upon his face was
It fierce, murderous look such as / ha
l. never seen before. You' he screamed
J, his dark eyes starting from the
d sockets as he realized that had bee
l. a witness of his cowardly crime. 'Yo
have spied upon me, grill he hisse'
p and you shall die alsol' / sank upo
e my knees imploring him to spare m
= but he only laughed at my entreat,
d 'See! he cried, as you saw how b