PRISONERS OF THE COUNCIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14688, 24 May 1911, Page 10

PRISONERS OF THE COUNCIL

BY LEWIS RAMSDEN.

Author of "The Word of a Somerleigh," "Bod

Cavalier," "My Comrade Frank," " Under a Kingly Mask," Etc., Etc.

[COPYRIGHT.]

CHAPTER XXXI. THE STOUT OF MICIIAKL AM EN SKY. "So that scoundrel, Count Ivan, has persuaded her he saved me from accident, instead of so nearly causing me injury," I exclaimed when Helen's letter had been read. And he protends to be her friend."

"God help the woman who believes in Count Ivan's,friendship," groaned Michael, and I could see he was deeply moved.

" Count Ivan! Was.it Count Ivan?" cried Marie Latimer.

" Do you know him then?" I asked. "Indeed I do," she replied, and her face was tinged with colour.

" He was the cause of our trouble," oxplained Latimer. " When I foil in lovo with Marie he was ono of my many rivals. She, following her father's example, had becomo an adherent of tho revolutionary cause. For my sake she was about to sever this connection, when she received the Council's command to marry Count Ivan. His high position (for he moved in tho inner circle of Court and diplomatic life) made him a most desirable recruit, and he agreed to become the Council's secret agent if Marie's hand and fortune should be bestowed upon him. Sho know the possible penalty of disobedience, but did not hesitate; ,we were secretly married, and fled, as you know, from tho wrath of the Council."

" Then Helen's fears of being forced into a marriage wero well-grounded," I said, excitedly. " The revolutionaries are now using her and her fortune as a lure for this Count Ivan, whose affections can doubtless be quickly transferred."

• " His affections !" exclaimed Michaol with a frightful laugh. " Why, I toll you the man is a devil incarnate."

"Do not let us waste another moment, then. Let Latimer carry out his resolve, and put the whole matter in the hands of the police."

Michael shook his head.

"And afterwards? You do not yet realise the power of the Council. Sooner or later it would have its revenge, and your lives would be in hourly danger. Tho fears of our good friends here, when they fled across Europe, were not without foundation."

"That is quite true," said Mario Latimer, with a shudder.

" But, if you will only trust me, I have what I consider to be a better plan," continued Michael. Vou have reminded me, however, that we must not waste time. 1' invite yon, therefore, to immediately accompany me to my house, No. 1, Forestreet, and we will discuss my plan there." " To the House of the Yellow Door?"- I questioned*

" Yes; we shall bo far safer there than here, and the house is my own, although I-have long lent it to the uses of the council. Besides, there are a couple of men there who will bo useful to my purpose. They bore the message I intercepted this morning, and I took them up to tho strong room—in tho usual way," said Michael, with a touch of his accustomed humour. "But wo must go at once, if wo aro to take possession without dispute." A few minutes later and wo wore being swiftly borne by motor-car towards Pimlico, Michael again acting as chauffeur. "How did Count Ivan becomo known to Michael, and what is tho cause of his deadly enmity?" I asked Latimer, as wo sped along. "It is a tragic story. Michael is noble; was formerly a wealthy Russian landowner. As youths lie and Count Ivan were closest friends, and they came to Petersburg together. There Michael fell in love with a beautiful girl named Sonia, and would havo married her, although sho was not of his rank, being the daughter of a professor at the university. But Ivan, also, had secretly conceived a passion for the girl. Michael was suddenly siezed on a charge of plotting against the life of the Tsar. Proof was found ut his lodgings, and he was sent to Siberia, not as a political exile, but as a convict. After some years of that terrible life ho escaped, overcoming incredible danger and hardships, and reached France. Meanwhile Count Ivan had tried ©very device to win Sonia; but she had rejected, all advances. Ho brought her to poverty, and, finally, to prison, where she would havo been at his mercy had she not found refuge in death by her own hand. Michael, by turning his hand to " any _ work, saved enough to make a secret visit to Petersburg. Hero he discovered proof that the friend he had trusted, had manufactured and planted the evidence at the trial. Michael also found that tho girl ho had believed forgetful of him had died rather than bo unfaithful. An attempt to avenge these wrongs led to his discovory in Russia, and ho was obliged to fly. Then it was ho joined tho revolutionary party on the understanding that they would reward his services, when the timo came, by delivering into his hands Count Ivan."

" And this is how they keep their promise !" I said indignantly. "No wonder Michael has turned upon them." " I may add that, some few years ago, a sympathising kinsman realised In $ estates before dying, sent the proceeds out of Russia so that tho government should not confiscate them, and left tho money to Michael, so that ho is now again a rich man."

By this time wo had entered Fore-street and were in sight of the yellow door when Michael turned to us. "Look!" ho exclaimed.

I saw what ho meant. Two men wore on the stops leading to tho front door of the house, and one of them was in the act. of inserting a key in t-lio lock. " They are the men who followed me to-day. Are we in time?" I cried. " If wo can get there before they see us'," replied Michael, and the car suddenly leaped forward with accelerated speed.

CHAPTER XXXII. Michael's plan.

Luckily for Michael's plan of holding possession of the house, the man with tho key fumbled like ono unaccustomed to the lock. The other took it from him impatiently. Just as we shot by the two men entered, and without appearing to take any notice of us. The next instant we stopped dead before the big yellow door, and Michael leaped from tho car.

" Monsieur Latimer, please attend to madnme. Keep her out of danger for a few minutes," said Michael hastily as he w«t to the door. " TraviSi have your revolver ready." As he -unlocked the door I was beside him.

"Even now," ho said, "'if they are quick enough they could so secure the place that no force of ours would bo sufficient to enter it." . We stepped quickly to the door leading from tho warehouse into the house, and even as Michael was unlocking it we heard the two men at tho other side. Some-, thing had .made them know or suspect what was happening, and they were now! making an attempt to securo the door. But Michael had unlocked it too quickly for them. He pushed at it, and they tried to hold it against him while they still attempted to manipulate some special fastenings which would have secured it. Michael exerted his great strength, howev.er,. sending the door open with such fore© that the men went staggering backward across tho hall. Tho next moment we wero covering them with our revolvers.

The men gazed at us with a thoroughly scared expression. Whatever might have been the alarm which had made them hasten to secure the door, they had not expected to see lis in that house. " I must trouble you, comrades, to lay upon that table any arms you may bo carrying," said Michael suavely. "Then to join two other comrades you will find in the strong room upstairs; "What if we refuse?" on© of tho men had spirit enough to say. " We aro on the service of the Council, and you dare not shoot us'."

" I don't know about daring," laughed Michael; "but we are not going to bo so foolish. ' Wo arc covering you only in case you attempt to open lire. If you refuse to lay down your arms I shall simply call in one of" those plain-clothes police I saw outside, and who, I observed, seem to bo taking considerable interest in this house, a.nd shall givo you in charge for entering it with an unlawful purpose." "That would bo false. You could not prove it." "It would be repaying the trick you played on my friend M. Travis here." said Michael quietly. "You contrived to have him arrested upon a false charge this morning, though fortunately lie was ablo to immediately prove his innocence. But you would havo great difficulty in. doing the same. Remember this house is mine. For what lawful purpose could you claim to have entered it just now?" "There is no help for it," said tho man to his colleague. "He has the advantage—just for tho present, at any rate." Each of the men put down a revolver upon tho hall table; then the spokesman turned again to Michael in angry defiance.

" Now make us prisoners hero if you will, Michael Kamensky; ' but remember the doom which inevitably overtakes all those who attempt to betray tho Cause. No traitor to tho Council has ever yet escaped it." " No act of mine will betray the Cause, I still respect my oath, and it is tho Council who are traitors to me," declared Michael calmly. "Neither need you nor your comrades upstairs fear your imprisonment will be long enough to bo irksome. In a very short time, as soon as I have consulted with my friends here, you will bo sot free on tho simple condition that you will bear a message from us to the Council. Now will you kindly precede me up the stairs?"

Surprised, yet still with somewhat sullen air, the two men obeyed, and Michael spoko to mo as he followed them. * "I shall bo with you again in a few minutes. Will you bo good enough to bring monsieur and madame in and to do tho honours of tho house?"'

Mr. and Mrs. Latimer had alighted from the car and were waiting beside it. Latimer helped mo take the mnchino into the covered yard, and I closed the yellow door, for oil looking up and down the street I saw Michael had only mentioned a fact when ho spoke of tTio police taking an interest in tho house. Two men who were, with little doubt, plain-clothes officers, wore sauntering near with a casual air which was somewhat overdone, and I felt pretty sure these were a couplo of Fox well's men. (To ho continued daily.)