The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 101: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BY RIGHT OF SWORD. IOI about it; but the death of the chief of the Moscow police caused a much deeper sense of insecurity and spread a far greater dread of the secret power of Nihilism. Who had done it? ‘To me it was an inscrutable mystery ; unless it had been the man] had seen near the house. But what I had to consider was not whose hand had driven the dragger home, but rather what the effects would be to me and to her for whose safety I now felt more fear and concern than I had felt for myself in all my life. One incident in the interview I had just had impressed me greatly : the reference which the official had dropped as to the power behind Tueski in dealing with me. My questioner had seemed to know about it that morn- ing; and all this perplexed me. As soon as I reached my rooms I had to hurry off to the barracks in re- sponse to an urgent summons ; and I joined readily in the excited conversa- tion of my comrades about this latest Nihilist stroke. The news was only beginning to leak out, and it assumed the wildest shapes; nor did I feel at liberty to reduce the rumors to facts. Before the morning’s work was over orders came that the troops were to be paraded for duty in the streets ; and we were told off for patrol work in different parts of the city to protect the railway stations and other public buildings. All that day we were kept on duty; and as other troops kept pouring in from other centers the whole place seemed under arms like a beleaguered town. All day and all night the raids and surprise visits by the police were in progress, and hundreds, if not thousands, of men and women must have been arrested, until the jails were crowded to suffocation point, and every spot where prisoners could be packed was cramimed and choked with suspects. We were not relieved until late at night, having been all day without food ; and even then we were kept in the barracks in readiness for any dis- turbance. The next day’s program was much the same; and I fretted at not being able to either see or send to Olga. Knowing of her brother’s Nihilism she would surely think I had been arrested; while I on my side was afraid for her. In the afternoon of the third day we got leave from duty and from bar- racks for a few hours, and I went straight off to Olga. Meanwhile not a hint had been obtained as to the identity of the assassin. I found Olga white and wan and ill on my account ; and when we met I was, on my side, almost too moved for speech. At first I could do no more than glance into her eyes as we clasped each the other’s hand. ‘“ You are looking frightfully ill, Olga,’’ I said at length. She returned my look without speech and then her brow contracted, she breathed deeply as if in pain, and turning away wrung her hands with a gesture of despair. ‘“What is the matter? What has happened to you? ‘There must be something——’’ I stopped, or rather the sight of the white face all drawn and quivering with pain stopped ime. | Eomichook (©)