Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-04-22
CHAPTER X.
Converting a Russian.

"Thou liest," snarled Karloff.
"This is some trickery which l do
not understand. Thou art a paid
jackal, and l shall kill YOU and none
will know" He lunged forward with
reaching hands.
Yamata's revolver swung upon
him as Gafford sprang back. "Wait
a bit, Karloff," he snapped sharply.
"Corle to the brook and l will prove
that am white"
shaking his head. "If you speak
truly" he questioned, what do you
here ?"
81 came to fin4 you and wake you
from the dreams which held you
said Gafford. "All l have told you
is the truth. Come to the brook" :"
He turned and walked to the bank
of the stream. STOPPING, he moist
ened his fingers and began rubbing
the back of his other hand
The color of his skin lightened and
presently showed 2 whit spot. The
g2sped with heave of the chest.
Come up quickly, thou he di-
rected. ~ believe you now, and we
must talk"
Gafford scrambled back to his side,
le,, the way farther back from the
hut. In a little glaze in a thicket
he paused and squatted down.
"All you have told me is true ?"
ha asked.
"On the word of soldier, yes"
"About what t'.cy intend doing,
and about this girl whom oshitu
stole?"
Eyes. l desire to rescue her."
Karloff nodded. "You have per-
formed the first part of your mis-
sion. am awake" he said.
"For Years | have. as YOU said,
dreamed dreairs-for over nine
years. 1t is t'mc I walked. l, Dimitri
haps had it been different | had not
dreamed. In time joined society
come true"
Gafford nodded 81 know you are
a nihilist," he said.
"So?" responded Karloff. "You
know much, it seems. You must tell
Gafford nodded again and plunged
into the story o how he had come
by his knowledge of the bombs, went
on to his rescue of Shiela McRae and
her final abduction, and paused.
Karloff put out hand and gripped
that of his companion.
Listen, and l ill tell you my
story" he said. Confidence begets
confidence, lieutenant-so. At the
outbreak of the Russo-Japanese war
I was an electrician on the Retzivan.
When the vessel was sunk /, with
others, leaped into the sea and be-
gan to swim. After a long time
hands picked me up and lifted me
out of the -ater, and | found myself
in the power of the Japanese.
81 tell you Truth when | say that
my service in the Russian, navy was
not one of love. | had suffered too
much already from the hands of our
autocracy, and the society 70 which
I belonged was one which plotted
their overthrow and the establish
ment of a popular government.
unlike you, had | been accused
of plotting against my land l would
have been guilty I, regards her gov
ernment; so that L troubled little
about my capture. told my captors
of my knowledge of electricity, and
was kept as a sort of privileged
prisoner to do work for them. !
was even paid small wage.
"After the war | found work in
this country, and continued to
study. In that way Was born my
great idea Of bombs. had studied
the wireless deeply, and ! conceived
of bomb which could be moved,
steered and exploded by wireless
force. After Two y,ars success
came to me. believed that | held
in my hands the means of finally
freeing Russia from the despots who
hold her.
"I went to the Japanese govern
ment and laid my proposal before
them. They were to build the bombs,
and when they were finished they