Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1922-04-15
True
Detective Stories
BELOW DEAD LINE

IL was not Inspector byIhcS WI"
instituted the famous imaginary
barrier known as the dead line
point beyond which crooks could
not penetrate except under peril OF
immediate arrest. even though no
charges were pending against them
at the moment. The device was orig
mated by William Melville, superin-
tendent of Scotland Yard during the
reign of Queen Victoria.
But 1t was In connection with the
prevention of crime, rather than In
the solving of one that Melville had
his most distinguished success for IL
he had not been able to capture Vroff,
the famous anarchist II Is quite pos
sible that the car of Russia and pos
sibly some of tie members of the
reigning family in England would have
been blown into eternity.
The affair In question occurred some
months after Melville had taken charge
of Scotland Yard. The visit of the
car had been widely heralded through
the press and every governmental op-
erative. In Great Britain had been
pressed into service to secure the safe
ty of the visiting ruler. The entire
island was combed for men who were
known to be hiding, and, as final
resort, Melville issued an order that
any suspicious character found within
five square miles of the line Of march
from Buckingham palace to the Man.
sion house would be arrested on sight.
Three days before the arrival OF
the czar, Melvilles reports indicated
that the city had been thoroughly
cleaned up.
But on the very day Of the process
sion, only two hours before the royal
families were scheduled to leave the
palace, Melville was informed that his
men had failed to apprehend the most
dangerous nihilist on the continent
young Russian by the name Of Vroff,
who had escaped from prison In st.
Petersburg and had entered England
In such roundabout manner that his
arrival had not been recorded. Ac-
cording to the word which reached
Melville, vroff had secured employment
In wine merchants establishment
along the line which the procession
would follow, and had sworn to throw
q bomb under the cars carriage as
1t passed.
Melville realized that there wasn't
a moment to be lost. Also, 1t was
job which he must handle alone.
AS 1t happened, Melville knew the
establishment where Vroff worked, and
he also knew that certain vintage
Of champagne was kept In the cellar,
whence 1t was produced only at spe.
cial request. 1t was for this reason,
therefore, that he made his way to the
wine shop and stated that he would
like to purchase half dozen bottles
of the champagne.
AS he expected, the proprietor In
formed him that the vintage was in
the bin, but offered to have 1t brought
up Immediately.
Don't bother to do that" replied
the Scotland Yard man, I'll go down
with one of your cellarmen and pick
out the bottles for myself. Possibly
I'll see something else that | want at
the same time. Send that man along
with me to point out the way" and
he indicated one Of the employees
whom he had recognized from the de-
cription as Vroff.
AS they reached the foot OF the
stairs, the cellarman pointed to a bin
nearby and stated that 1t contained
the champagne the customer asked for.
Realizing that he could not stage his
coup so close to means Of exit, Mel
vile examined the bottles, offered some
objection to the age of the wine and
inquired what lay In the back of tho
cellar.
Burgundy" replied the other, COM
mencing to be a bit FESTIVE, for tho
hour of the approach of the process
sion was drawing rapidly nearer.
"Fine ~ said the Scotland Yard head.
II think I'd prefer that, after all. Let
me see some of 1t, will your"
Grumbling a bit under his breath,
Vroff led the way back into the dim
recesses Of the cellar, and as he bent
forward to secure a bottle, Melville
closed with him.
With sidewise, eel-like slip, Vroff
ducked out from under the detec-
tives arms, and, before Melville
knew what he was doing he had
reached into bin In the center of the
cellar and secured a big, murderous
bomb, which he held high above his
head.
stop" he commanded, as the Scot
land Yard operative started toward
him. "One more step and I'll blow
the whole place to hi and you with
It."
Melville, wise In the knowledge OF
anarchial principles, realized that this
was n bluff.
You've got me-" he admitted. "But
Tor Gods sake don't throw that thing
In here We'd both be killedi''
Then back into that doorway" di.
rected yroff, "and don't make sound.
Slowly and hesitatingly, 80 as to
bring the Russian nearer to him, Mel
fytl Ia oh