PRISONERS OF THE COUNCIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14692, 29 May 1911, Page 4

PRISONERS OF THE COUNCIL

PUBLISHED BT SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

BY LEWIS RAMSDEN,

Author of "The Word of a Somcrleigh,"' r i Red Car»lier," "My Comrade Frank," '! Under a kingly Mask,". Etc., Etc.

[COPI'SIGHT.]

CHAPTER XXXVI. Michael's vengeance.

"You speak as though you were doubtful how the Council will deal with you, I said to Michael. ' "Surely they will deal with us all in the same way? Wo have all acted together; wo must stand and fall together."

Latimer assented to theso words, and 60 did Mrs. Latimer.

" Thank you, my friends," said Michael, with grateful sincerity in his voice. But thcro was a strange sadness about his pleasant smile, and his look towards me was one I shall always remember with a melancholy pleasure, for it was one of real fraternal affection. *' I must not hide from you, however, that our cases are different. I have taken the oath of service to the Council, knowing tho penalty of breaking it. _ My own conscience acquits me of breaking it in the spirit, though their judgment may not. None of you have taken such an oath, not even • maaame; although she was a member of the society." . "Do you mean that they carry out their mock justico upon you? Because If they do — "My. friend, it will be out of your power to interfere. You must not imperil yourself by trying to do so. Remember tlio Countess Helen. Remember also that for years I have had no great desire to live save for one purpose. Perhaps I ought not to say this now I have found such good friends, nor to you, Travis; 'for towards you I have taken tho liking of a brother. Remember that." - " Heavens, man ! Why are you taking 60 gloomy a view of things? You did not do so a little while ago. Do you not remember how, as you were leaving the house, you said you felt we were near the end of our troubles?" He looked at me with his winning smile, from which tho touch of sadness had gone. " Your pardon, my friend. Have I been gloomy? I did not mean to be so. And indeed it is still with me that you, and the countess, and all of us are near the end of our troubles." "But you said " What I have said. ; And yet I have a hope. I cannot explain even to myself. Perhaps the Council will give it into my hand to execute their justice, and my own vengeance, which I have so long sought. However that may be, it seems to me the vengeance is —that Count Ivan will not long—" Did Michael guess how near this vengeance was? I cannot think he did; but •wo shall never know. My own belief is that the premonition was vague, and came to him as ho spoke. But he never finished his words, for as ho was speaking the 'door of the strong room was thrown open. I sprang forward, and, utterly unprepared for what I saw, could find no word ' |o speak. For it was Helen who hesitated for one instant on the threshold Helen, pale, '■ frightened, breathless, but beautiful. The next moment she had flown to my arms.' "Jack! Jack!" she cried, and the passionate sob in her voice sent a Htab of - remorse to my heart to think I had ever evert partially doubted her Ipve. "Jack! Jack!" She cried again. "Forgive me,", and she cast a terrified Backward glance as she spoke. "My darling! Forgive you for what?" '\ Because I cannotl cannot even "to save you. -, Let me die with you!" Then Helen saw her sister. "Marie!" she almost screamed. And again the cry of despair, " I cannot! I cannot!" Marie had joined us, and Helen em-

braced her sister. ( Helen continued to speak rapidly, though gasping between •in her breathlessness, her hysterical excitement. Yet her thoughts were clear* enough, for her . words vividly ' explained the situation. • " That man —Count Ivan ! I thought Tie was my friend. But he brought me vto the Council. They told meto —to " Marry, him ? " ' " Yes.

"Wo would each one of us die rather than you should marry Count Ivan," said Marie, and-1 thanked her by a look for Tier brave words. "They let him speak with me alone, after they had .told me, and I seemed to see him, not whit I had thought of him but—"

She shuddered, and without completing Ihe sentence hurried on. , - " He told me you were here, imprisoned in this house, and that your lives were at stake. But I could not. I escaped when he came near me. I was so quick that I shut him in the room. I thought you would, be in this place. I remembered the way," and I fled upstairs. But i, they must be following me. Jack ! Jack ! \You will not let them take me from you again." . " Hush, hush, darling ! They shall not while I have life." Her coming had been so unexpected, so bewildering, and the rapture of holding her in my arms so great that I had scarcely vet , thought of the chance of a struggle for liberty which the unfastened door gave us. But now I saw Michael go out, I think to reconnoitre. With a warning to Latimer to hold himself ready, and with a soothing word to Belen, I gave her into her sister's charge. Then I went to the door, which, being closed, shut out any sound. As I opened it I heard Michael's voico utter some shout of defiance or anger. The next instant two shots from a revolver rang out in. quick succession. Michael came staggering back into my very arms. From his right Band dropped an improvised weapon which he had grasped another leg of that table from which ho Lad wrenched ono before. "My God, Travis, he has done for me," Michael groaned. Towards the head of the stairs stood a group of men who were being ioined by others from below. In front of the group stood Count Ivan. In his hand ho held a smoking revolver. His face was pale with rage and terrorwith terror because, I believe, when he came up to seek Helen he had not thought to meet Michael. And Michael. As I bent over him, his painful gasping warned me that he had been wounded seriously, if not fatally. The words ho had uttered to mo must have been understood by Count Ivan, whose dark sinister face took on an expression of triumph, and he spoke some jesting words in Russian. At the sound of his voice I could feel Michael's great frame thrill in my arms. He must have been gathering strength for the effort, and before I could divine his purpose he had sprung towards Count Ivan. The count fired his revolver again, but though this shot also took effect it did not stop Michael, nor did a dozen hands which were stretched out to hold him. Full he flew at the count's throat and Elutched it in his powerful grip, held on to it in spite of the blows which fell upon him and the attempts which wero made to drag him off. It was a terrible sight, and I was glad that Latimer, when ho came out into the passage, shut the door of the strong room, so that Helen and her sister saw nothing of it. We were a confused crowd struggling at the stairs—tho men of the Council striving , to beat Michael from his victim; Latimer and I guarding our friend, fending off tho blows, though doing what we could to release his hold. But lie held on with vengeful purpose and bull-dog tenacity. And it all took so short a time. So fierce was Michael's grip that Count Ivan tittered no cry, only a brief, horrible gurgling. Then the once handsome face grew horrible to see; it blackened, the tongue and eyes protruded until its contortions and those of tho writhing body ceased. Only when Michael knew he was holding . a corpse did he release his terrible grip. Then ho stood up, quietly resigning i himself into -the .hands of the men of-the j

Council, and faced tKe president, who had arrived in time to take in. the meaning of the 6ceno. "I have executed my own vengeance and the justice of our Cause upon that man, M. le ''President," said Michael calmly, though with gasping breath. * " The justice of our Cause?' repeated the president, with surprise in his questioning. " I seized this document at the house of the Princess Sazonoff. .The cipher is familiar to you as to me. Read and see." The president took the paper which Michael handed to him, and though ordinarily his expression was sphinx-liko his brow grew dark as ho read, and lie cast a look of anger and contempt upon the lifeless body over whose distorted face somo considerate person had thrown a handkerchief.

(To be continued daily.)