CHAPTER XXVIII. ONCE MORE WITH THE NIHILISTS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 381, 29 June 1889, Page 4

CHAPTER XXVIII. ONCE MORE WITH THE NIHILISTS.

Tue man ran ahead of them up the re" maining flight of stairs, and into a room. He opened a closet in the room, and going into it, beckoned them to follow him. They did so, and he shut the door. The noise of the soldiers on the stairs was plainly to be heard. 'Come with me.' The man took hold of Wat's sleeve, and Wat caught Vera by the arm. They passed through a sort of door, and then they heard a fainb click behind them. Their conductor now opened another door, which led into a room in which were gathered a family group. 'Ogareff!' said the man, sententiously, and the company bowed without a word. Into another closet and into another room by a secret door, they were led. And this was repeated for several houses, at each house thus entered the man using the word ' Ogareff' as his passport. At last he asked of one man whose house had been so invaded : 4 Where are the soldiers ?' ' Six doors from here, hunting for the fugitives.' ThB man turned to Wat and Vera. ' You still may take your chances with the soldiers or with us. Which shall it be ? We are as merciless to traitors as the Czar is to the nihilists.' IWo are not traitors. We will go with you. If you save us, we can no less save you. Lead the way.' He opened the back door, and, first peering cautiously around, ran across the yard, hugging the fence as he ran. Wat and Vera followed his example, and were alongside of him in a second. A tumble-down shanty stood in the rear of the yard, and it was into this that the man led them. There he stopped again, and addressed them solemnly. • You have insisted on coming here, and I have no more to say on that score, but I warn you that you are taking your lives in your own hands.' • We are awaro of that, and do not falter;' Removing a board from the back end of the shanty, the man passed through to the other side, and when they had followed him, replaced the board. They found themselves in a stable, or rather the rear end of a stable, where all the refuse was piled up. Picking his way through the dirt, the man took them to a ladder leading to the cellar. Dark as, it was down there, he had no difficulty in making his way, and again he took Wat by the sleeve, while Wat led Vera. ' 1( , „ , Wat could distinctly make out, that they were approaching the, opposite wall, but that was all. * . ' / When they reached , there, the man felt, about until he had found what he wanted, and that he pressed with his- fingers, making Wat surmise that it was an electric bell.-, " , • / „ , , : '>, , - 1 ,He was the more, sure of it ' when he saw him, a moment , later, press it with the varying regularity, of a signal; , . ; i Jf resently >a part, pi 'the - wall seemed to melfc away, and they were, led into an apartment bey6nd. ; | , " „o ,'« . , Here they were challenged ,by a muffled voice, ,and, their, guide, answered $ 4 , . , f Ogareff. , t Two ( Vfcrangers pursued, by the , soldiers and olaiming the protection of our. Booiety. Aiman'anda woman. Man,, a* stranger, but qlaimsto have given infor,mation ©.gainst those ,who lately, j tried. to>,

serve, their country. Woman Vera Rado linski.'. ,t U tf I V ! '* 'Let them wait here.' ' , 'f, \ There was an* absolute silence for a few^ ': minutes," save for the slight noise made by the three persons breathing. '-' f Suddenly .there was a stream of light shot across the apartment, which fell so on the two fugutives that anybody properly situated could study their faces. ' It was evidently for such a purpose that the light had been set upon them, for in a few minuies'a voicesaid f '< ♦Conduct them.' "• ! 1 Come, 1 said their leader. • 'And they followed him' through the darkness once more, and through another door. ' ' They hoard a clicking behind them, and then of a sudden a fioodof light illumined the room where they were. , , ' They found themselves in a large room almost filled with men an,d women in masks. It was a weird and uncomfortable sight to feel' themselves being stared at by so many pairs of eyes without being able to sco a single face. Vera clung to Vyat as if she felt that now everything else depended on him. For she fully realised thai there was to be a war of wits. , Several minutes passed in a silent scrutiny by the assemblage. At last one of them said : ' The woman is Vera Radolinski, accused of the murder of her brother and of being a nihilist. The -latter charge is untrue, for she is tho enemy of the nihilist.' Vera at thia withdrew from Wat, and said with a noble air : ' The former charge is untrue, and, until this night, I acknowledge I have been the enemy of the nihilist. Now lam his friend.' ' * Why : • Because, being a victim of the government, I can soe the bottor justice of your cause.' • Who is the man ?' Wat stepped forward, dropped the rifle he had held in his hand, threw off the soldier's coat and hat which he had worn, and appeared in the disguise lent him by Gresser. ' Who am I ? I am the man who prevented the death of the Czar.' • At least you have courage to come here with such an assertion.' ' It is my title to your consideration.' 'Explain.' 1 Not here. Let me retire with the members of your council.' 'We have no secrets. Any council we may have is only for convenience, not for secrecy.' ' Such a statement as I have to make were better made to a fe w. Surely the few can afterwards reveal all I have said.' ' True, but it seems unnecessary.' llt is not unnecessary, however. What I have to say is of vital importance.' ' We should be the best judges of that.' 'For your own good I must refuse to i speak except to a selected few.' Impatient at Wat's obstinacy, the man turned to his comrades and said : ' What is your will, my friends t i ' Do as he asks,' was the most unanimous answer. i The man at this conferred with the others in a low voice, and, as a result, ten of . the persons there separated from the rest and led the way to a door at the farther end of the room. ; * Come,' said Wat, turning to Vera. •Leave her behind,' said a voice from among the ten. ! ' She must go with me.' 'By Heaven, she shall not !' cried several : members of the body, springing forward as if by a concerted movement. Wat at once sprang back to her side, i and in a firm voice exclaimed : • We go together. ' Those who had sprung forward immediately assumed a threatening attitude, and to Wat it seemed as if a premeditated attempt was going to be made to part him from Vera, Knowing as he did the share Sofia had in the nihilistic movement, he was on his guard against treachery. He caught up the rifle he had dropped, i and stood on the defensive.