River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-05-16
CHAPTER X.-continued.
s.

A glance about showed her that her
code book was gone. In the tray
above, her Jewels remained untouched;
her pearl collar, the diamond knlck-
knacks the archduchess had given her
on successive Christmases, even a
handful of gold coins, all were safe
enough. But the code book was gone
Then indeed did the countess look
death in the face-and found it ter
r1ble. For moment she could not so
much as stand without support. 1t
was then that she saw paper folded
under her jewels and took it out with
shaking fingers. In fine, copperplate
script she read:
Madame-Tonight at one o'clock a closed
dacre will await you in the Street of the
Wise Virgins, near the church. You will
go in it, without fail, to wherever it takes
you.
(signeD The Committee Of Ten.
The committee of tent This thing
had happened TO her. Then it was
true that the half mythical committee
of ten existed, that this terror of Ii
yonia was a real terror, which had her
bv the throat. For there was no es-
cape. None. Now indeed she knew
that rumor spoke the truth and that
the terrorists were everywhere. In
daylight they had entered her room.
They had known of the safe, known
of the code. known how much else?
Wild ideas Of flight crossed her
mind, to be as instantly abandoned for
their futility. Where could she go
that they would not follow her?
When she had reacted from her first
shock she fell to bordering the mat
ter, pro and con. What could they
want of her? If she was an enemy to
the country, so were they. But even
that led nowhere, for after all, the
terrorists were not enemies to LivOnia.
They claimed indeed to be its friends,
to hold in their hands its future and
its betterment. Enemies of the royal
house they were, Of course.
She was nearly distracted by that
time. She was a brave woman, ply
sically and mentally of hard fiber, but
the very name signed to the paper set
her nerves to tWitching. 1t was the
committee of ten which had murdered
Prince Hubert and his young wife; the
committee of ten which had exploded
d bomb in the very palace itself, and
killed old Breidau, of the kings coun-
Gil; the committee of ten which had
burned the government house, and had
led the mob in the student riots
year or so before.
In this dread presence, then, she
would find herself that night! For
she would go. There was no way out.
The countess rang for her maid.
She was cool enough now, and white,
with cruel line about her mouth that
Minna knew well. She went to the
Then she turned on the maid. II
am ready for you, now"
MADAME will retire?'
~Tou little fool! You know what
am ready fort"
The maid stood still. Her wide,
bovine eyes. filled with alarm, watched
the countess as she moved swiftly
When she turned about again, she held
in her hand a thin black riding crop.
Minna's rudy color faded. She knew
the Loscheks, knew their furies.
''Madame!' she. cried, and fell on
her knees. "What have done? Oh,
what have / done?
"That is what you will tell me-" said
the countess, and brought down the
crop. A livid stripe across the girls
face turned slowly to red.
81 have done nothing, I swear 1t.
Mother Of pity, help mel I have done
nothing"
The crop descended again, this time
on one of the great sleeves of her
$ peasant costume. So thin it was, so
brutal the blow, that it cut into the