BLACK WEDNESDAY

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 145, 18 June 1912, Page 10

BLACK WEDNESDAY

By, ARTHUR W. MARCHMONT.

CHAPTER VI. ALjIA IS THREATENED. One nf the i-liief results of Eikov's story was to increase my alarm for Alma's safety. If a woman of the Countess XomanhofFs rank could be treated in such a way with impunity, what would be Alma's chance of escape if; once the finger of suspicion were pointed at her.

2\ot a moment must lie lost in getting her away, and I went round at once to the British Consulate to ask Alec Peterson to tell mc all about the means adopted to obtain ihe permit for. Alma to-leave the country.

"Might take three day 3or three months," was his discouraging reply: and when I mentioned Alma's name, he doubted if it would be granted at all. and he wanted to talk about her father's death. "f should just love to try my hand at unravelling that mystery, lou know my weakness for detective work,ho said.

But~l was in ho sort of mood to discuss the matter. I put him off with a promise, to give nini a chance to do something if the need arose, and went home-verv-'ne-pressed by the prospective difficulties of getting Alma away from Moscow.

So much might occur in three months, or' even in three weeks, that any such delay was out of the question. Permit or no permit. Alma must leave at, once; and r spent a couple of. hours that evenin- planning the easiest, and safest means by wliich 1 'could rush Alma across th<- frontier, and marshalling the reasons by wliich I could pursuade her to _o.

I had just, put away my maps and time-table when (fort off came in to. repay mc the money lie had borrowed on the nia-lit of the* tragedy. 1 explained mv .belief that the use he had made of it might bring iw into' trouble. Rut he laughed at. the idea. ,-. . YYe should never allow tiiat. One ofj our friends will, if necessary, account, for it. He'll admit that he stole it from you in-the garden: and. of course, yotv arc above suspicion.

The proposition aimos. took my breath away. "Do you mean you'd have mc give" evidence on oath to such a Thing? JUv dear (Jortoff!" I protested.

'■•He would "op one of those already in prison, so what would it matter ?" "A great deal to mc, of course. 1 couldn't dream of such a thing. But there, we'll leave it until the question os actually raise,!..."., _ "Very well, so long as you feel assured 'we -han't let. you be troubled. There's another thing. 1 wish to thank you for taking on ESkov. You'll never rc_rret it." "You know that he told mc about another man having taken his name as General Kasslnv's valet." "Yes. I advised him to be frank, if you had any suspicions. He could not help himself" in that matter, of'-course; and he has gained what he wished—revenge. You don't understand us Russians. Enderbv."

"You mean" that the man who took his place did the deed?" "I know it,'' he replied calmly. But his eyes' lighted as he continued. "You have heard mc Apeak of our great leader, Antonkt Gregov. It was no other than Gre.gov himself. He planned it; every detail. Disgusted by the dozen failures to remove that tyrant, he resolved to do i!. himself. He is tho one man in Russia who never fails."

What, about Eskatoff, then?"

i4 He 'helped at the last moment. Only three of us know the real truth. la the eyes of everyone else Eskatoff has all the glory of the deed. That as GregoVs own wish." •Then why do you tell mc?" T asjied. He paused to roll a cigarette, and looked at mc earnestly as he lit it. "1 have, a reason, and it's partly that which has brought mc here now." "I'd much rather not hear it if it's political."

•'A great coup lias been planned. The greatest of all as yet; and again by Antonin Gregov, - ". he "said, ' his eyes closely fixed on my face. "Do you know that iwe have always had a friend in Mademoiselle Kasslov?"

"You don't -want to drag, her in fur ther, surely?" I protested.

"t- know how you -feel toward her, Kndanby; and she herself would wish you ••to do -what J aim going feb. ask. Her sympathies -are with us, just as yours are,' on general grounds. ! .But she is committed to us, of course;"

His manner made .mc extremely un easy.- '"WeE"?" 1 asked; impatiently.

*>She has given its much useful information, and of course wbu't be able to do that now; but- " He'paused-again and- fiddled -with his cigarette, affecting to re-right at. I have news for you. The General's successor has been appointed. Ee : !is a great friend of your father's, of course of yours. It is Baron •Vodplski. Ah, tou ; avre surprised. Well, ihe is a man who would 'be disposed to make a great favourite of you, and " "-."That'll do," I interposed sharply. "1 see*~ybur drift now, and I wont have anyt&ing to do 'with it. That's my last word; Anything more will break off our friendship, GoTtofJ." "Don't say that, lit is Alma Kasslov ■who asks Has of you, as well as T. Think it over caxsfully, and remember that if voa refuse, my companions will think she has not dorre her duty. Don't force tbat.Enderby; it might be very serious for her, serious indeed. Remember, too,--that the cause stands before all thoughts of friendship. Think it over. TO ,6ee you again in a day or two; and meanwhile you can talk to mademoiselle bereelf." And with that he went away, leaving mc speechless with indignation. 11/ was to turn revolutionary and to deceive my father's old friend in order to -worm official secrets out - of him in confidence and hand them on to the Young Russia .party!' If I -refused, the consequences -were to fall upon the ■woman I loved; and how drastic those might be ETkov's case suggested. -I decided to see Alrrm. the following day,"and urge instant departure; .bnt I was prevented. Some of the St. Petery huTg.;. people interested in our patent arrived unexpectedly, and kept mc with them until it -was too fate to go to- Alma. . I chafed at the* delay, for every hour was now of importance; but I could not get to her until the following afternoon; and the instant we met I sarw that somethinghad oecured to up3et her." "I expected you yesterday;"' she said. "And I was fuming the -whole day because I could not get here. Some big -wigs came down from St. Petersburg and -kept mc dancing attendance upon them "the whole day." know; that it would have made: any difference even if you had come;" "What lias happened? I can,.see.you rx3 troubled." Sm? f' - ; ■■:s«'?"', :-.■ ■ - - .ms .-•-;■ --. -;-

"We were busy all day making preparations to go away: but " She paused and tossed up her hands expressively. "It is no use, after all." "Tell mc. please." .The news ha 3 got- out. The news of my journey, I -mean." "Who knew it?" "No one except Madame de Goui-ten-nes and. of course. Fedora. I had to tell her what things 1 should need with mc. Why do yon look like that!" she asked quickly, for my face had fallen at the mention of Fedora. "Because 1 think that the maiter has leaked out through her. She -would probably tell your cousin, for one thing." •'That might not have -mattered much." "1 do not trust her, as yon know. But what has happened?" "I am almost afraid to tell you. I have had a visit this morning from Gortoff. He and his friends forbid mc to go," she said, with a sigh. "1 have seen him also. He came to mc the night before last; and I expect 1 can guess what he had to say to you. He told mc that Baron Vodolski, an old fried of my father, had been appointed to -the Governorship, and he put it to mc that I would worm my way into his confidence in order to get secret information for the Young Russia party, and declared that yon would wish it also."

•Of course I do not. ,1 am not so base as that. It i-s infamous," .=he cried, her eyes sparkling with indignation. "Let them do what they will."

"What did he say they would do? "Did he threaten you?"

-He declared that I should be accused of being an accomplice in my father* death."

"The infernal cowards!" I exclaimed, passionately. "Somehow, they have learnt of the existence of my father's diary and of those entries about mc: and -tbey know that you have it. and will implica-te you also for having suppressed it. Oh, what trouble J have brought upon you!" and she. wrung her Hands with a deep sigh of despair.

It was indeed an ugly development. "We mustn't make too much of it," 1 sHid. reassuringly. "1 shall have something to say if -they try such tactics. I'll dee Gorton". He has "told mc things which will make inauers pretty warm for 'him: and if he drives mc to the wall, he'll find I can bite. But now, what are we to do?"

"I dare not think of going. I don't know what to do,"

■ "The first thing- is to deal -with that ruaiil of yours. We may take it for granted that she. has -told your cousin as well as GortofPs people: and now that we know she's as treacherous as a snake, we must contrive to use her. We -will let her know just so much as we wish these others to believe, and

"1 wish I had taken your advice, and not trusted her."

''.She is even more dangerous than I first thought. I have no doubt she has seen the diary and letters before, and when they were not found by the police sbe. guessed that you bad .takeSt .them. Your cousin saw them in my hands, and together they have stumbled on the truth.''

'-.She may have seen that poison,' said Alma, turning very white.

"I have no doubt of it. She put it where I found it."

"But if she swore a false tale about it, her evidence might " She could not finish the sentence, and shuddered as she pressed her hands to her face. "You must "not give way like that, 'Alma," I said, deeply moved by.. her emotion. "We shall find a way out. Trust' mc," and I laid a hand on her •arm.

She let hers slip into mine, and looked up at mc with misery-filled eyes. "They would swear my life away," she moaned.

You must be brave and face things until the way but is found."

"Even you could not help mc then: but I will do -whatever you wish," she murmured, with a brave attempt to smile. "lam horribly frightened." "We shall both be smiling at it all soon, and with more heart in it than in that smile of yours."

'T feel as if I would never smile again in earnest," she answered, sighing.

"Tf your will trust to mc I" will promise that you shall be out of the city within twenty-four hours and .then across the frontier. But you nrust understand first what it may -mean." ■iTell mc," she after a panse. "We shall have to leave sc-retly and —alone." * She trembled and. shook her head. "But if I were to fly like that they would charge mc with this horrible thing in my absence: and my flight would look like guilt."

"No. They are merely threatening this in order to keep you here to force mc to do what they want. They will stop our going if they can: but if we are'ionce away, they would have nothing to gain by any such futile accusation. ! More than that, they know the truth , about your father's death, and that will soon be known to all Russia. But there are other consequences for you to face, other sacrifices." "What are they?" I hesitated a moment. T had shrunlc from asking her to pledge herself to mc while in this trouble; but the crisis was too grave for any such considerations now. " Yon would lose your fortune and might never return to Russia, Would you make that sacrifice for—for mc, Ahna?"

The answer was in her glowing eyes and her flushed cheeks as she -raised her head and looked at mc. I hedl out my arms and my heart throbbed violently as she gave herself to mc, and I gathered her in my arms. "My dearest,". I nrarmured passionately, as our lips met. "I will answer for your safety -with my life." (To be continued daily.)'