A Girl Among the Anarchists

1 A.M., undecided whether to weep or t

t I from the first recognised as inevitable, but I could not see that this affected the Anarchist principles or rendered it less necessary for those believing in them to advocate and spread them. Dr. Armitage accompanied me part of my way home and we talked the matter over en route. "Why trouble ourselves," he exclaimed, "about a few unprincipled men in such a wide, such a universal movement? Our

Cause, and scenes like the one we have just witnessed would, if k

nswered the doctor with conviction. "Moreover it is our duty to bring fresh blood an

to bring my quota of time and strength to the propagation of the Anarchist ideals. "I have only seen a very limited and narrow circle,"

e them. A famous Russian writer has described a strange phase through which the Russian youth passed not many years since, the "V. Narod" ("To the People!") movement, when young men and girls by the thousands, some belonging to the highest classes in society, fled from their families, tore themselves free fro

ature. Thus it was also that I resolutely hardened myself against any instinctive sentiments of repulsion which the unclean and squalid surroundings of the people might raise in me. I remember reading an article by Tolstoi which appeared in the English press, dealing with the conditions of the Russian moujik, in which he clearly and uncompromis

efore I had taken many steps farther, I heard him suddenly

you a young Scotchman, I forget his name, who has just tramped up from the North; a most interesting fellow, rather taciturn, but with doubtless a good deal in him. He had nowhere to pass the night, poor chap, and no money, so I told

right, of course;" for I felt that any hesitation

rcely opened his mouth to say "Good-evening," and indeed during the three days of his residence with me he hardly ever articulated a sound. As I was getting ou

quested my unknown comrade to enter. I can still see in my mi

pigeon-pie and other viands, and finally installing him on the study sofa,

t-tat at the front door and, the servants not being up at such an hour, and suspecting that this early

embers of the previous night's meeting,

came to let you know that last night, after you had

nused to such incidents; "why, wh

ith the Myers business. They are charged with manufacturing explosives, or something of the sort. The fact is, the police

it down and talk the matter over together;" and we entered, Carter casting a

ers is a police emissary there can no longer be any reasonable doubt, and the death of his brother is clear proof that he has not been wasting his time lately.

e!" I exclaime

in such matters," returned Carter. "It is merely encouraging mouchards and police plo

st," I answered; "only te

efend them, witnesses must be found, money procured (and here he cast a side-glance at my plate),

best in all these matters,"

presumably to his double bed again, for I saw no more of him till long after the trial was over. He had handed the

ch was to blow up the West End of London, and leaders were devoted to the denunciation of the Anarchists and their infamous teachings. Explosives, it was alleged, had been fo

lloway Jail, the Old Jewry, and the Middle Temple. Holloway Prison was my first destination, for before any other steps could

r language was not very choice when addressing the jailers, but sympathetic enough when talking among themselves and inquiring of one another, "What's your man up for?" or, "How did your mate get

he'd been copped:" which latter incident she seemed to consider an unpardonable infringement of the privileg

usician-had succumbed in the struggle for an honest life, and the cares of a large family had driven him to desperation. As I gazed at the poor girl with her tear-swollen eyes and noted her extreme thinness

s passages and apartments into a kind of dark cage, separated by a narrow passage from a still darker one, in the depths of which I perceived my Anarchist, O'Flynn, as soon as my eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness. I had several questions to

ho in its eyes are consequently innocent, like convicted criminals. Nothing could be more uncomfortable and unattractive than the conditions under which the detained men are allowed to see their relatives; no privacy of any sort is allowed them,

te on a similar errand, and was struck by the same incongruity in the sy

shment. A constant sense of gloom is settled like a pall over the whole building, blacker even than the soot and grime which encrust it. Inside, the dreary atmosphere is ominous of the const

and out of omnibuses and other vehicles, and prison interviews,

counsellor in this matter, but only to be promptly diverted into other channels. That worthy gentleman's feelings would certainly not have withstood so rude a shock. I could picture him, in my mind's eye, slowly removing his gold pince-nez an

ended the stairs of a house in Fig Tree Court in the hope that J.

plunged headfirst. His eyebrows gradually ascended higher and higher into the regions of his hair, and his face grew ster

licitor," I replied,

ent, madam, that Mr. Armstrong would not c

e through him with the barrister, is it? Well, a solicitor can't be afforded here and we must do without him." The Anarchist in me revolted at such red-tapeism. "Well, here'

d scarcely contain his outraged feelings when it came to the question of the solicitor. "I can hav

ise the difficulties of the situation and to scent failure in the very air. Mr. Frazer requested me to be seated and eyed me curiously, as though I were some queer zoological specimen recently escaped from captivity, and listened wit

ends as to where next to go, when, turning the corner into another court, I became aware of rapid footsteps in m

unt say that I recommended you to him, or you will get me into trouble. But you try Mr. Curtis in Brick Court. He u

ion, I thought it best to try my luck in this new direction, and, having at length discovered the h

ing as R?ntgen rays. His hair was weedy, and his clothes snuffy and ill-fitting; but spite of this there was something uncommonly brisk and

promising common sense. "Five guineas down and another three next Tuesday, miss, and I make no inquiry where the money comes from," he said,

, and sitting down opposite me himself, he asked me for full particulars

d his remarks on the money question. "Witnesses to character and so forth must be found," he said, "the

could for the mom

doctors and professional men among your people, are there not? The evidence of such a man would carry weight. The court's belief in a witness's veracity is, generally speaking, proportionate to his means. Doubtless you will be able to think of a desirable man ... who knows the prisoners," he added, rapidly turn

let you know the result

s at least, and men of position and e

ded clothes, and produced for Curtis's inspection the following day, they really made a respectable couple, and I felt proud of them-one a physician of superior accomplishments and aristocratic appearance, the other a master-tailor, of prosperous if no

ith such errands. Indeed, remarkable as the fact may appear, pract

r part of valour, A thought it well to suddenly recollect his duties towards his family; B discovered that he had a capacious stomach, which required feeding; C, that the Anarchist policy was in discord with his

it of foreign climes, the British public had regarded the Anarchists with tolerance and equanimity. But the mysteri

Neither of them was any better capable of making a bomb than of constructing a flying-machine, and they were less capable of throwing it than of flying. But political detectives would have a slow time of it in this countr

ves in the dock with twelve serious-minded tradesmen

with imperturbable gravity, brought ginger-beer bottles into court which had been found in O'Flynn's apartment, and which, they averred, could be converted into very formidable weapons of offence. Many gaseous

y with the extreme gravity of the case and to alar

in a state of painful excitement. "Guilty or not guilty," was on all their lips, "release or penal servitude, life or death, which was it to be?" Friends were constantly running in and out of the court giving the women news of the progress of the trials. "It is looking black for the prisoners!" "There is more hope!" "There is no hope!" and finally "guilty" in all the cases wa