The Idaho Springs siftings-news. (Idaho Springs, Colo.) 1905-19??, 1916-03-24

to be . gala performance at the thea
ter. Leithcourt took a box and the
whole party were rowed ashore. The
crew we're 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 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 1t 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 refinement-went below to
the saloon. and after a few moments
called to the man Wilson who was on
watch, and gave him glass of whisky
and water. which he took up on deck
to drink at his leisure
The unusual character of my fel-
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 I 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 fortifca-
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's
name, and I 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,
l took on my shoes and crept up to a
spot where I 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 fash, a dull
report, and a mans short, agonized
cry. Startled, l leaned around the
corner of the deckhouse, when, to my
abject horror, l 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 moment l stood utterly
yet as l looked saw the
baron, in 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 mai
esty. knowing that the revelations
would result in my disgrace and
downfall But, you Internal cur, you
did not know that those who attempt
to thwart Xavier Oberg either die by
accident or 90 for life to Kajana or
the mines!' And he spurned the
body with his foot and laughed 70
himself as he gloated over his das-
tardly crime.
Il watched his rage, unable to utter
a single word. saw him. after he
lad searched the dead mans pockets,
raise the inert body with its awful
face and drag 1t to the bull
warks. Then / rushed forward and
faced him
In an instant he sprang at me. and
| screamed. But no aid came. The
man Wilson was sleeping soundly n
the bows, for the whisky he had given
him had been doctored." went on the
narrative. Upon his face was .
fierce. murderous look such as ] had
never seen before Your he screamed,
his dark eyes starting from their
sockets as he realized that ! had been
a witness Of his cowardly crime. You