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Records MICHAEL a-,a MICHAEL. DANE VITCH True Tales d' Russian Secret Service Edited by GEORGE T. PARDY (Copyright by W. G. Chapman) The Tracking of Peter Treskin The period was the reign of the sec ond Alexander; the time, the after noon of a day In early summer; the place, an office in the building in St. Petersburg known as the palace of the admiralty. The office in question was a large room, officially described as department H, second floor, imperial yachts. It was under the control of a much trusted government servant named Samuel Snell The latter was of English birth, but left his native country when a youth, and went to Rasta, on the advice of a Russian friend in London, who had taught him to speak the Russian language. After a while, Snell became a naturalized subject of the czar, married a Russian lady, the daughter of an official in the naval construction department, and obtained an appointment himself in the admiralty palace. He was rapidly promoted, and at last placed at the head of the department responsible for the building and repairs of the Im pealal achts. On this particular aft ernom two young women were the sDle oeeupants of the room designated as department H. One was najned Catere, the daughter of Snell, a girl of about twenty, with fair hair and delilate complexion. She was unmis takably of an English type, though bana In Russia. Her companion was as nmistakably Russian; a good-look In brunette called Anna Plevaki. Catherine was a confidential clerk to her ethe. Anna belonged in another department altogether, being what is termed " imndexer." The two girls were close friends, and Anna had taken advantage of a little relaxation to sllp into room 12 to chat with Cath mine, for she knew that Mr. Snell was away. " hear that our little father, the usar, is to go on a yachting cruise remmd the coast of Finland next month, and that his yacht, the North tar, i. to be entirely overhauled and reftted," sld Anna. "I would like to see that bkt, they say she Is beauti tfL You have the plans of the North Star in this department, Cath rine. Let me have a look at them, fean't you?'" Vmerine hesitated, but failing to me that she could do any harm by -complylng with her friend's request, she went to a safe and produced a large roll of cartridge paper, which she spread out- on the desk before them. It was a scale drawing, show mft the hull, the sections, the ground plan and general design of the im peral vesseL The North Star was then in the hands of the admiralty for ret and overhaul, and was ordered to beat Krcustadt on the twentieth of the following month, to receive the reyal party, including the esar, for a trip. Anna looked at the plan critical ly. Raving a. excellent memory, the tpal at her training as an indexer, e*. was able to carry its salient parts her mind. *'The sar's quarters are to be recon strUdtB 4 and removed from the after a. t. o the ship, where they are now," i Catherine. "A large deckhouse is 9 bes bulit amidships, and fitted up sar hin." "'hes I suppose his rooms will be out there," queried Anna, placing a ,eMgo ea the center of the plan. Cath ta oadded assent, and replaced the aper the safe, and her companion Stuthae to her own department A ieas later three men sat at work h theattlc ot an old house in what is : as the St. Petersburg quarter, tl ....t. s ide of the River Neva. evidently skilled me a Alh class, were ftting ce. s le of mar ia sM oblong tin E third, a tall, thin old a nesa remtet an a table in which S- A nsomething from .mml os varpor o aro arose., It and the trio ullne, which was ad rby the sound of a light ~ tPoer. 'the +ld man arose, - hy ant the door swung tiita hag fellow wrapped r-halled hiM as "Pre med nodded cheerful Weaooupants of the apart was Petea Trsaina *0 "a palm at : four o'clock when he left the attic and hurried home to his lodgings. Two weeks had passed when a young man and woman arrived at the port of Kronstadt and sought a tavern near the entrance to the harbor. The man was Peter Treskin and his com panion was a good-looking brunette, whose features bore a somewhat nerv ous expression. Treskin carried a leather handbag, which he deposited on a chair beside him as he and the woman seated themselves at a table outside of the tavern and ordered re freshments, which were served by the tavern keeper himselt Treskin got into conversation with the landlord and asked him several questions. "Where is the little father's yacht, the North Star?" he demanded. "Out there, moored to that big buoy, You see, she has the imperial flag fly ing." The landlord pointed to the out side of the harbor, where a large steam yacht, painted white, lay at anchor. "At what hour will the imperial party arrive tomorrow?" "They are due here at nine o'clock," responded the landlord. "So;" commented Treskin. "Well I am going on board the yacht in a lit tie while," he added boastfully. "I have official business to transact." The landlord bowed respectfully, his guest having taken on new Importance in his eyes. When he had gone the girl said fretfully: "You are too careless, Peter. Why do you talk about your intentions in that way?" "Perhaps you are right," conceded the man. "It was a little bit of vanity on my part. However, all will be well. Our plans are too nicely laid to mis carry. I must leave you now. Don't stir from here till I return." Taking up his bag, he went to the quay, hired a boat, and instructed the boatman to row him to the imperial yacht. On reaching the vessel, he was challenged by the sentry on duty at the gangway, and stated that he had come on official business. He pro duced a government document, stamped with the official seal, and set ting forth that his name was Ivan Or loff, that he was one of the naval clockmakers, and had been sent down to adjust all the clocks on the North Star preparatory to the czar's arrival. He was admitted on board, and an arned sailor told off to accompany him about the ship, and show him where tle various clocks were situ ated. Thle man came at last to the czar's suite of apartments in the newly con structed deckhouse. The sailor paused for an instant to cross 'himself before a sacred picture that hung on the bulk head, but his companion pushed on, and passing beneath costly curtains, reached the czar's sleeping cabin. Quickly he took from his bag an ob long box, turned a handle on an in dex dial, and placed the box-beneath the royal bed. He had scarcely time to assume an erect position, and turn to a clock on a table near by, when the sailor entered. Half an hour later the supposed clock maker completed his task, and rejoined the girl who was waiting for him at the tavern. "I have succeeded," he said, in re sponse to her anxious inquiry, "and the machine is set for thirty-three hours. It will go off tomorrow night when the czar has retired. Now let us go for a walk while dinner Is being prepared." About an hour had gone by when suddenly a terrfle explosion occurred in the harbor, and the cry went up that something had happened on board the imperial yacht. From all parts of the harbor boats hurriedly made their way to the North Star, as it was thought that she wrs foun derng. When the explosoan took place Treskin and the girl were stroll ing along one of the quays which commanded a full view of the harbor. The girs staggered and reeled lagtast her eompanion. and he exclaimed, in horrled aceoents: "My 0God The machine has sono of before its time., I must have set the Index wrong" He ganced areound him andously; then seeing a boat containing a soll tart boatman, abset to put oR from the quay, he said to -his. companion: "Step where you are for a litte while, I will return mordtly. She was wo dazed that she madsae protest. as hurrying to th edge of the ,t a hatiled the boatman, apranMr on beard the ittle 'ft, and -they **wlr ot toward the yCt. The girt valte to iseier -t as tirne,. Tiitght steollnwed by the *ades atmighi7' -be t Sl; Tb 41 di t re Site0.t* the he-r 6e see t rhat th ik ~B~.~dt · -iF Wlli't~ in~ei* b ern bill, took the leather bag with her, hurried to the station and went back' to town. She was almost mad with brooding over her companion's strange disappearance, not knowing whether he had been arrested, or had deserted her, but could do nothing but suffer in silence. When the news of the disaster to the imperial yacht reached St. Pe tersburg, a special train filled with government officials, including Michael Danevitch, was rushed 'at once to Kronstadt. Investigations soon proved that the destruction was not due to the bursting of a boiler. The cause of the disaster was, therefore, a mys tery until the visit of the government clock-mender was remembered. A messenger was dispatched to St. Pe tersburg on a special engine, furnished with a description of the supposed Or loff. Then Danevitch began inquiries in Kronstadt. From the survivors on the yacht he ascertained at what time Orloff went on board; an hour and a half before he presented himself, a train had arrived from St. Peters burg. He had probably arrived on that train. The boatman who took him off to the yacht was found." He said the supposed clock-mender carried a black bag with him, both going and coming. Soon after six in the morning the en gine that had been sent to the capital returned and brought some more of ficials. They stated that no one had been sent down to regulate the clocks on the czar's yacht. It was not long before Danevitch discovered that the man calling him self Orloff, and a female companion, had put up at a tavern near the quay, and the landlord gave all the informa tion he could. It was established that the woman did go up by the last train, but not Orloff. What had be v 'I 'I ýI+ Iý I B Q~ Y, . l II _I I ~ Ta /1/C ra aeedYA'L A/ff come of him? The detective took measures to have every outlet from Kronstadt watched, although he real ised that Orlof had lad several hours' start in which to make his escape. Then he set out for St. Petersburg. The oficial document that Orloff carried was written on government paper, and bore the government seal. SBch being the case, and the order having been written on admiralty pa W, it followed that it must have been stolen fon the admiralty oaice. It - strmaek- vitch that the thief was pdobably a female employee i the admiralty office, and that it was she who sesompanied Orloff to Kroa. stadt. Whoever she was, she had left Sher hasate a glove at the tavern. It was a black al.4hread glove, eras eated at th. back with sprigs weIed t white slk With this i hIs ueinseedme anevoitc proceeded totb. anralt N lac. But: atos seon a- he aku t hl . learsed that Miss aitiea dRlln had malnde a statement a~pbatq Am N hav vi ited mom n U. f esods to look it r the ata. e lwthe eS son named Orloff? No, she did not. She had looked at the plans of the yacht merely out of curiosity. She was next asked if she had worn gloves the day previous. She replied that she had. What sort were they? Kid gloves, she answered. Had she these gloves with her? No, she had left them at home, and had come to the office that morning without gloves. After a few more inquiries she was allowed to return to her duties, but was kept under close surveillance, while Catherine Snell was suspended for neglect of duty. In the meantime, Danevitch pro ceeded to Anna's lodgings, and a search there brought to light the fel low to the glove left in the tavern. This was damning evidence that Anna had accompanied Orloff to Kronstadt the day before, and that established, it was a logical deduction that she had stolen the stamped paper on which the order was forged that gained him admission on board the yacht Searching further, Danevitch turned up a bundle of letters. They were apparently innocent love mis sives, a few of them signed "Peter Treskin," the remainder simply bear ing the initial "P." -There was noth ing to cause suspicion, except the fol lowing somewhat obscure passage in a letter written a few days before the explosion: "The time is at hand when your faith and love will be put to the test. The serious business we have in hand is reaching a critical stage. We love each other, and must unite our des tinies in a bond that can only be severed by deatVl" Having learned so much, Danevitch again confronted Anna. She con fessed that she had a lover named Peter Treskin, with whom she had quarreled and he had gone away. She did not know where he had gone to. "Perhaps you will be able to re member things better in a dungeon," suggested 3Dnevitch, as he arrested Anna and handed her over to the care of a gendarme. SDanevitch next proceeded to Tree kin's lodgnlags. He found that gentle man had been absent for three days. A search for compromising letters re realed several from Anna Plevski, couched in most affectionate language. But there were other love letters, written by a woman who signed her self Lydia Zagrin. This person not only betrayed iy her writing that she was madly in love with Treskin also but from her statements it was ob. vtoes that he was much attached to her'. he wrote from a place cagled Worr, in the Baltib provinces. DIane .itah took pases.io t all these de rments, and cetaitmi hai search., cam* aross. a slip at gaper wahic bore the prated head . "itb. Techi a-ept School of emmslery, St. Pfetes bwg.'r On it was - . It;in .kii latter met the blow with the fatalistic bravery of a misguided fanatic. He frankly admitted that he had been concerned in an attempt to bring about a better form of government; but steadfastly refused to denounce his accomplices. Smolski. in com mon with most men, neglected the safe rule that letters should be de stroyed when they are likely to com promise one's honor, or betray one's friends. And thus it came about that when the professor's papers were ex amined, not only were Isaac and Ja cob Eisenmann brought into the po lice net, but many other conspirators. Piece by piece the whole story was put together, and the plot laid bare; but though many were brought under the iron grip of the law, the arch conspirator was still at large. In the meantime, while Danevitch was trying to get a clew to Treskin's whereabouts, Smolski, the Eisenmanns and four others were tried, found guilty, and executed. Anna Plevski had been sentenced to Siberia, but a circumstance arose which altered her fate. Danevitch had traced Lydia Zagarin of Werro. She was the daughter of a retired shipmaster, who was a widower. Lydia was his only daughter, and at her father's death would succeed to a snug little fortune. Treskin had borrowed money from her, and it was probable that he had singled her out from the rest of his female acquaintances as one to whom he could adhere on account of her financial circumstances. Four months after the fateful day when the czar's yacht was partially destroyed Tres kin wrote to this young woman, ask ing her to send him money, and to join him with a view to his marrying her. He gave his address as Point de Galle, Ceylon. He stated that, though he had taken no part in the destrue tian of the North Star, he happened to be in Kronstadt on the night of the explosion, and as he knew that he was suspected of being concerned in revolutionary movements, he deemed it wise to go abroad. Con sequently he had bribed a boatman to carry him to a Swedish schooner which was on the point of leaving the harbor, and paid the captain to take m to Sweden. From Sweden he went to England, from England to Ceylon, where he had a cousin en gaged on a cofee plantation. Through the work of his govern meat spies Danevitch gained possee aion of this letter Instead of the per son to whom it was addressed. He was aware tiht as a political rea. gee, taking Isactmary under the Britr ish fag, Treaskh ould not be extra dited, but he had recourse to strata aeI. He visited Ann Piev~al, wo was sail in jatl awaiting her traaspr tation to Siberia. The detective pre seaded to work on the girIs jealouso. He toe her that Treles i k ·aur a s thse I [the bem' : The result was all that he could have wished. Anna burst into a fury, declared that she had been victimized by Treskin, who had promised her on the day after he had planted the in fernal machine they would quit St. Petersburg and go to Austria. Dane vitch then informed her that if she allowed herself to be used as an in strument of justice to assist in the capture of her false lover, she would be set free on sufferance and per mitted to go to Ceylon. If she suc ceeded in her task she would receive a full pardon and be supplied with a considerable sum of money to en able her to live abroad. In setting her free, however, the government in tebded to retain a hold upon her. To that end her youngest and favorite brother, who was an invalid, and to whom she was devoted, was arrested on suspicion of being mixed up In rev olutionary matters. If Ajna did not return within a fixed time, the brother would be sent to the Siberian quick silver mines. While she was away he would be well treated, and on her re turn set at liberty. In two days she gave her decision. She would go to Ceylon and do as she was requested. To prepare the way she wrote a letter to dictation. In it she stated that she had been tried and found not guilty. But on her re lease she had been visited by a wom an named Lydia Zagarin, who abused her fearfully for having corresponded with Treskin, whom she claimed as her lover. In her anger Lydia had betrayed Treskin's whereabouts, vow ing she hated him, as she now knew that all he wanted was her money. But Anna asserted that she still loved Treskin to distraction, and could not live without him. She intended, therefore, to go to Ceylon, and she had managed to secure some money, which she would take to him. This epistle was duly dispatched to Treskin, and a fortnight later Anna set forth on her mission of vengeance. She arrived safely at Point de Galle, and was received by Treskin. As a matter of fact, the gentleman in ques tion would have preferred to greet Lydia Zagarin, but Anna was not a bad substitute, anl he inquired eager ly how much money she, had brought with her. She told him that she had not a great deal, but that a remittance would arrive in a few weeks. In the meantime there was enough to keep them going. She thus won his con fldence, and Treskin began to con gratulate himself on his good fortune. Nearly two months passed, when Anna complained that Point de Galle did not agree with her. She wanted a change; she had been told that Co lombo was a pretty place, and she would like to see it. As she had just received a remittance of £30 they could well afford the trip. To this Treskin consented, and they traveled to Colombo by gharry. It was the first step toward his doom. With the remittance came another letter to Anna, giving her secret instructions. Colombo was duly reached. The third night after their arrival Anna expressed a desire to go out on the water in a native boat. The boatmen pulled away from the land, while Treskin lay back in the stern and smoked. Anna sat beside him, and sang softly snatches of plaintive Russian airs. When about four miles from shore they sighted a small steamer sailing slowly along. She came close to the boat, and a voice hailed her, asking if any one on the boat spoke English. Treskin replied in the affirmative. The voice then in quired if the occupants of the boat would kindly take some letters on shore, as the captain did not wish to go into the port. Treskin consented. and the boat was pulled alongside the steamer, which turned out to be a pleasure yacht. Treskin was politely requested to step aboard, a ladder being lowered for that purpose. He turned to Anna and asked if she would go too. The girl was willing, and she preceded him up the ladder. As soon as he was on deck the gangway was closed, and a man in uniform invited him into the little saloon, where some wine and biscuits stood on the table. The engines of the yacht were started and in a few seconds a stern, de termined looking man entered the cabin. He wore the uniform of a lieutenant of the Russian navy, and he gazed grimly at the guest. "Peter Treskin," he said in Ruse sian, "you have been cleverly lured on board this boat, which is owned by a Russian gentleman, and flies the Russian flag. You are going back to Russia to answer to justice for your dastardly crime." Treskin turned ghastly pale He sprang to the door, but found his exit barred by armed men. In another in stant he was seised and heavily hironed. Steaming at full speed, the yacht rounded Point de Galle, and when 15 miles due east of Ceylon she suddenly hove to. A Russian gunboat was lying in wait. To her the pris oner was transferred, but Anna re mained on the yacht. The gunboat s~eamed away atonce, and shaped her course for Manila, where she coaled; and that done, pro, ceeded for the sea at Japan and Vladi vostock. The yacht went In the other direction, maklin for the gulf of Aden and the Red sea, and after a pleasant voyage she sailed by the wayr o the Bospheras to the Crimes. As Anna Ple.ski entered Ransa in the west her recreant lover entered it in the hr east, and thence, uder a strong gCsed, e was cosdoeted through the whole length of Siberia to St. Peters hbur a distance of something like ,00 mles,; sewsa meots later Peter Tre.a. paid h penalty of his rsge, being hased In the presence aas Immense wn&ew n the sesfeld an se pae ins eestMe r St Petesaur whem S -pe 1 = -