Evening star., 1922-07-13
The Germ of Death
By Arthur B. Reeve.
One of The Stars Weekend Fiction Series,
Each story complete in three installments.

rested on Careless heap OF dainty
wearing apparel on a chair In the
corner.
Where is Nevsky?" asked DIR. Khar-
koff. apparently missing the person
who owned the garments.
'Ekaterina has gone to a rehearsal
OF the little play Of Gershunrs escape
from Siberia and betrayal by Rosen-
East Broadway tonight. She has de-
serted me and here l am all alone.
finishing a story for one Of the Amer
ican magazines"
"Ah, Prof. Kennedy. that Is un-
fortunate" commented Kharkon. "A
brilliant woman In Mile. Nevsky-de-
voted to the cause. I know only one
who equals her. and that is my patient
downstairs-the little dancer, Sama-
rova."
"samarova is faithful, Nevsky is a
genius" put In kazanovitch. Khar-
koff said nothing for time, though
1T was easy to see he regarded the
actress highly.
"Samarova." he said at length to US.
was arrested for her part in the
assa ssination Of Grand Duke Sergius
and thrown into solitary confinement
In the fortress Of St Peter and st.
Paul. They tortured her, the beasts
burned her body with their cigarettes.
1t was unspeakable. But she would
not confess and finally they had to let
her go: Nevsky. who was a student
Of biology at the University of st.
Petersburg when Won Plevhe WAS as
sassinated. was arrested. but her rela-
tives had sufficient influence to secure
her release. They met in Paris and
Nevsky persuaded Olga to go on the
stage and come to New York"
Next to Ekaterina's devotion to the
cause is her devotion to science" said
kazanovttch. opening a door to lit
tie room. Then he added: IF she
were not a woman. or if your univer-
be welcome anywhere as a professor.
See, here is her laboratory. 1t is the
best we-she can afford. Organic
chemistry. as you call 1t in English,
interests me. too: but of course, I am
not trained scientist am a novel
ist"
The laboratory was simple. almost
bare. Photographs of Koch, Ehrlich
Metchnikoff and a number of other
scientists adorned the walls The
deeply stained deal table was Uttered
with beakers and test tubes.
How is Saratovsky? asked the
writer Of the doctor. aside, as we
gazed curiously about.
Kharkoff shook his head gravely
we have just come from his room.
He was too weak to talk, but he ask
ed that you tell Mr.. Kennedy any
thing that it is necessary he should
know about our suspicious"
ut is that We are living with the
sword OF Damocles constantly dang
ling over our heads, gentlemen" cried
kazanoyitch passionately, turning to-
ward US. You will excuse me IL l
get some cigarettes downstairs? Over
them will tell you what we fear"
A call from Saratovsky took the
doctor away also at the same mo-
n1 W 1Gff q
"A queer situation. Craig" re-
marked, giancing involuntarily at the
heap of feminine flnery on the chair,
as 1 sat down before Kazanovitch's
desk.
Queer for New York, not for ST
Petersburg" was his laconic reply, as
he looked around for another chair.
and papers. and at last he leaned
over and lifted the dress from the
chair to place it on the bed as the
easiest way Of securing a seat In
the scantily furnished room.
A pocketbook and letter fell to
the floor from the folds of the dress.
He stopped to pick them up and 1
saw a strange look Of surprise on his
face. without a moments hesita-
ton he showed the letter into his
pocket and replaced the other things
as he had found them.
A movement later Kazanovitch re-
turned with a large box of Russian
cigarettes. BE seated, sir" he said
to Kennedy, sweeping a mass of books
and papers of large divan. when
Nevsky Is not here the room gets
sadly disarranged. I have no genius
for order"
Amid the clouds of fragrant light
break the silence.
Perhaps you think that the iron
hand Of the Russian prime minister
has broken the backbone of revolu-
ton in Russia" he began at length.
But because the duma is subservient
Not at all. We are not asleep. Revo-
luton is smouldering. ready to break
forth at any moment. The agents of
the government know it. They are
desperate. There is no means they
would not use to crush us. Their
long arm reaches even to New York.
in this land of freedom"
He rose and excitedly paced the
room. Somehow or other this man
did not prepossess me. Was it that l
was prejudiced by q puritanical dis
approval of the things that pass cur
rent in old world morality? Or was
it. merely ntan that ,seqi1x found the hs. sses. d
matic effect always At tho cost Of
sincerity?
Just what is 1t that you suspect
asked Craig, anxious to dispense with
the rhetoric and to get down to facts.
Surely. when three persons are
stricken. you must suspect some
thing"
Poison" replied KaEanovitch.
quickly. Poison, and of a kind that
even the poison doctors of st. Pc
tersburg have never employed. DR..
Kharkoff is completely bafied. Your
in to see saratovsky-say It is the
better. There Is no typhus rash.
Besides"-and he leaned forward to
emphasize his words-"one does not
get over typhus in q week and have
it again as Saratovsky has"
could see that Kennedy was grow
to him. and only politeness kept him
listening to Kasanovitch longer.
"Doctor," he said. as Kharkoff en-
tered the room again, do you sup
pose you could get some perfectly
clean test tubes and sterile bouillon
from Miss Nevsky's laboratory?
think 1 saw a rack Of tubes on the
table" :.
surely" answered Kharkoff
you will excuse US. Mr.. Kazano-
witch" apologized Kennedy brskly,
but I feel that I am going to have
a hard day tomorrow andy the
way. would you be so kind as to come
nm to my laboratory some time dur
ing the day and continue your story?"
On the way out Craig took the doc
tor aside for moment and they talk
ed earnestly. At last Craig motioned
waiter" he explained. "Dr. Khar-
koff is going to prepare some cultures
in the test tubes tonight so that l
can make a microscopic examination
Of the blood of Saratovsky. Samarova
and later of his servant. The tubes
will be ready early in the morning