CHAPTER XVII.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 377, 15 June 1889, Page 3

CHAPTER XVII.

A RACE FOX LIBERTY. He stood nearest the door, and the key was in the lock. With the swiftness of a panther he made a sudden -and unexpected spring to the ddor, and with one motion snatched the key out and opened the door. They were after him in an instant, bub he had closed the door before they could reach it. They tugged at it to open it, but he held it with a grip like iron while he inserted the key and turned it. Finding they could not open it, at once they hammered on it and called fiercely to those in the other room. Wat ran to the farther door and hastily opened it and closed it again, taking the key out atfcer turning it in the lock. When he opened the door the noise from the council - room penetrated the larger room, but Wat closed the door so quickly that che noise was drowned at once. With a composed countenance he walked rapidly around the room to the exit door, and had it half opened when the other door was assailed by kicks and blows, which, with the angry shouts behind it, aroused the attention of everybody ab once. Wat knew his time was short, so he darted hastily through the door and closed it behind him. It had no key in it, and he could only hurry in to the green baize doors and pass through them. As he did so he heard the last door open, and by the scuffling of feet and the confused shouting of voices, he knew that the crowd was pouring after him. The men guarding the room he had entered looked ab him in surprise, and instinctively rose to their feet. • Chernigoff very ill. I'm going for some medicine.' Wat said this with such an air of life and death that the men drew back and let him pass to the door. It was only to'-get out of that and he felt he could defy them to catch him. His hand was on the knob when the crowd burst in. He swung the door open and darted out. He tiied to shut it after him, but with a howl of rage the guards, suddenly realising that they had been duped caught it and sprang after him. ' There was yet one more door to pass through. Wat ran as a man may whose life depends upon his heels. It was pitch-dark in the hall-way, but Wat had some recollection of the length of the hall, and so was ready to reach out for the door. He was fortunate enough to put his hand on the knob almost as he touched the door. If the door had only opened outward he would have been saved, but it opened inward, and he had not time to pull it open and get out before he was leaped on by the foremost of his pursuers. The impetus closed the door. The men erappled with him, but h threw them off and essayed once more to open the door. Before he could do so, however, he was set upon by the whole crowd, or as many of them as could crowd into the hall. Those behind held the door of the first room open, so that there iwas sufficient light to enable his pursuers to see what they were doing. Knowing that capture under such circumstances meant death, Wat fought like a tiger. Ho was overwhelmed by numbers, however, and almost torn to pieces by his angry assailants. At command from someon in the rear*, he was hustled back into the guard-room, and from there into the large meetingroom. • Tie him !' commanded ChernigofT. The command was quickly obeyed, and Wat was left in a little circle by himself. Chernigoff and the other members of the council stood before him, looking dai'kly on him. ' He's a spy ! Kill him!' cried one voice. ' And the cry was hoarsely taken up by the whole roomful. ' .Let us examine him first,' said Chernigoff, sardonically. ' Perhaps we can learn something from the spy as well as he from us. Who are you?' ' Since you are going to kill me, what difference can it make ?' • We would like to know what to put on your tpmb.' ' Kill him ! kill him !' roared the crowd. ' Have pationce, my friends. See how the struggle has disordered his hair.' As he spoke he advanced to Wat and snatched off the wig and whiskers he had worn as a part of his disguise. " Chernigoff started at the sight of the boyish face, and even the angry crowd gave vent to a murmur of wonder at ib. '•It seems to me I have seen you before,' v said Chernigoff. ' A traitor's fears make him think many strange things. 5 J A shade passed quickly over ChernigofFs face, which even at that critical moment did not escape Wat's eye. • A spy can hardly be expected to distinguish between a traitor and a patriot.' • Come,' said one of the council, impatiently, ' let him pay the penalty of spying on us.' ' Yes, yes!' chorused the ci'owd ; ' let him die!' ' Far be it from me to oppose you,' said Chernigoff. And it seemed to Wat that he was much less anxious to have any further parley, now that he recognised the American detective in the spy. ' At leost,' he said, * you will let me have a word to say for myself ' • What need ?' interposed Chernigoff. ' You were caught in tho act, and as you are' not a member, you have no right to live. • Lot us retire to tho council-room,' said,

one of the council, * and deliberate on the mode of death.' 'No,' interposed ChernigoiF. 'Let us put him in the council- room whilo we remain here, for after the mode has been decided on, the executioner must be chosen by lot.' 'Do you see, my friends,' said Wat, quickly* ' that the Count Chernigoir is ah aid to let me remain with you when he is not present lc-t I should tell you what I mean in calling him a traitor.' Chernigoff laughed disdainfully. ' Your credentials are hardly good enough to enable you to do me much harm by your insinuations. What do you Fay, my friends ? Shall I retire and lot you examine the charges this spy has to make againsb me ?' 'The word of a spy is worthless,' answered one of the men, and the others ga\ c a hoarse assent to the doctrine. ' Away with him !' cried Chernigoff. 'You see,' said Wat, earnestly, 'he is afraid to have me .«peaU. What if lam a spy, so that I can p.'ove what I say V But the nihilists were in no mood to listen to anything. To them" a spy was a noxious thing, deserving of no sympathy, no credence. They valued their own lives too little to hesitate long over the death of one who, to them, represented the oppressors of their country. was hustled into the council-room and there left, after an inspection of his bonds and the door and window had been made.