The Boy Nihilist | Page 9

Allan Arnold
as in this case, notably.
William Barnwell was hurried away to exile, for reasons the reader fully understands; but even then Prince Mastowix felt far from secure. The unaccountable absence of that correspondence haunted him day and night.
But not for long, however, for that treasonable document was in the hands of General Walisky, prefect of police, and by him presented to the Czar and his ministers, together with all the particulars in the case.
Action was at once taken and search made for the young American who had innocently acted as the messenger.
But the spirit of the fiend was soon shown, for Mastowix had destroyed every trace of the American's individuality, blending it with others who, like him, were simply known by numbers.
From the moment a political prisoner is thrown into prison in Russia, he loses his identity, although the authorities keep a secret roll containing the names and other particulars regarding the unfortunate wretches, but that roll is never seen by the outside world.
In the fortress-like Bastile over which Prince Mastowix held sway, he had charge of this fearful secret record; but the better to blot his existence out, should inquiries ever be made, he applied a false name to the "No. 20"; described him as a Russian, a Nihilist, who had been caught in holding correspondence with Paul Zobriskie, and who had also assaulted Prince Mastowix.
But he was arrested and taken before the tribunal, where in the most defiant manner, he demanded to know why a person of his distinguished title and record as a servant of the czar was now a prisoner.
"Prince Mastowix," said the president of the tribunal, "it ill becomes a traitor to the State to exhibit such arrogance."
"Who dare say I am a traitor--who dare say it lies in his throat!" hissed Mastowix, although he felt in his heart that something dreadful was impending.
"Silence! Here is a document addressed to you from New York, by Paul Zobriskie, in which he addresses you in unmistakable terms of fraternity, and refers to other correspondence, together with certain other information which he had received, and which could never have reached him save through you. What have you to say?"
It required all the nerve the traitor had to prevent him from falling to the floor. The members of the tribunal watched him narrowly, and saw that he grew very pale.
But finally he found strength to speak.
"It is false both in matter and spirit," he said; but the next uppermost question in his thoughts was--what spy could have obtained possession of the document?
"And you plead?"
"Not guilty!" he replied, aggressively.
"Call Tobasco," said the president, and a guard soon produced the police spy, and he was sworn.
"Do you recognize that document?" the president asked, handing him Zobriskie's letter?
"I do."
"Give us the history of it."
"I first saw it in New York, in the hands of Paul Zobriskie, on board the steamer Baltic, then about to sail. I was watching Zobriskie, and saw him approach a young man and ask him if he was going to St. Petersburg, and on being informed that he was, asked him if he would deliver this letter to Prince Mastowix, at the same time enjoining him to be very careful and not let it reach another's hands."
"It is false, vile spy!" roared the prince.
"Silence!" shouted the president. "Proceed!"
"The young American agreed to do as directed, and having had occasion to suspect that Prince Mastowix was a Nihilist leader in disguise, I resolved to follow the bearer of the letter, although I could not learn that he was a Nihilist. I did so, and watched him closely. I saw him visit the prince, and contrived to follow in the disguise of an attendant. I saw him give him the letter, and for doing so he was arrested. The boy struggled and finally escaped. During the confusion in the courtyard the prince ran out to learn what it was about, and I then contrived to steal the letter, which still lay upon his table, and to escape with it without detection. I took it to the prefect of police."
Mastowix was so completely staggered at this that he sat glaring wildly at the spy, unable to move or speak.
The members of the tribunal consulted for only a moment.
Finally the president spoke:
"Prince Mastowix that was, Peter Mastowix that is, this document and the evidence has been placed before our imperial master, the Czar, and by his orders you have been brought here for trial and condemnation. The tribunal adjudges you guilty of treason to the State, and sentences you to death. Remove the prisoner!"
Bowed and completely broken, the guilty wretch, the petty tyrant who had heaped wrong, misery and death upon so many others, was taken from the inquisition, crushed and broken.
Three days later he was led out into the yard of the
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