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; DARKEST RUSSIA
BY n GRATTAN DONNELLY.
CoP7right , 1896. by Street A Smith AU rIghts rCllcncd.
h . . . - -II -It. . . - - - 11M"II. . . . . . -11----1 --II -
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CHAPTER XVII-Continued .
. . . Cobb started. He well knew that I
the Karslcheffs would run any risk to
prevent the pardons reaching their
destination and urged the courier to
obtain them again. "I will tale them
to Chltka myself as fast as horses
can carry me. "
The courier shook his head. "The
regulation of the corps of couriers
Imperial of Siberia , " he said , "arc
very strict and the slightest violation
of the rules Is visited with the sever-
est punishment. Once delivered and
signed for the pardons may not be I
1
recalled. Even If I had the pardons
I dare not give them In your lteeplng "
"Cannot you go to Chitka yourself ? "
asked Cobb , eagerly
"It Is Impossible. I must obey my
Instructions to the Ietler. The rules
give me no option. "
The courier walked a few paces
away from his companion and stood
1
4 silently In a deep study.
Cobb was no less Intently occupied
1V1lh his thoughts for the moment.
The courier had a pardon for Ilda
Baroslt !
He was about to start for Strnlenslt
with that pardon and would find that
Ilda Baroslty was not. there !
For Ilda Barosky had escaped !
Cobb was In a stale of terrible tinS I
certainty 113 to the best course to pur.
sue. Ho knew that the courier was
a man devoted to his duty and he
felt that lC he Informed the courier
that Ilda Barosky was no longer In
Stralensk that. the pardon might ba
annulled. Besides , it would give the
courier knowledge of an escaping
prisoner and It would bo Ills duty to
arrest her at any point. .
While he was thus deliberating as
. , to the best course to pursue the courier .
riel' rejoined him and , leading him
still further away from the house , he
placed his hand on Cobb's arm with
u cautionary pressure , and said : "I
have not told you all-thero Is one
ray of hope that we may get the par.
dons again. "
Cobb's heart beat faster.
The courier went on , speaking
qulcltly. "Some time ago charges of
robbery or the government were preferred .
ferred against Karslcheff and his son.
lt Is alleged that they made false re
turns of the amount of food consumed.
Their uncalled-for cruelty to the exiles
iramu
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Is another charge. These charges
"j _ have been considered IJr the governor
of the province. If found guilty Kar-
slcheff will be deposed at once and I
must return all government papers In
his possession. The decision of the
governor was to have been forwarded
to me at the last otape , hut as It did
not arrive I came on to Investigate
the charges myself , without waiting
j for the governor's decree. I had an
idea that Karslcheff was commandant
r . . . : ot Etape No. 8 . Instead of No. 7 . and
" 1cnot \ Itugtne ' that t was doling
. . . . . . - - - - . . . . . - - . - - - . . . . .
. . . . . , -.v-- . . . , - -
with him until his wife mentioned
her name. I was surprised. I have
been enough to.nlght to convince mo
that ho should be dismissed , lt 1 can
not act on account of the absence of
the governor's decree. 1 Instructed
my secretary to walt at the etapo
where I passed last night until the
governor's dispatches for me arrived ,
and then to follow me with all i ossi-
hlo speed. lIe 10 on his way now
and must be on the road between
hero and the pooloo } . etape. Now , If
that decree were In my hands , I could
depose Karsicheff on the spot , and if ,
as I believe Is the case , he Is to be
sent to exile as a common prisoner }
for hie offense against the government .
mont , that fact wlll free his daughter
Olga from his control and leave her I
mistress of herself. She can not ho I
kept In restraint by anyone convicted
of crhne. "
Cobb listened with breathless anx-
lety. .
"What can I do ? " he asked eagerl
. "Dare you attempt to reach my secretary .
retary you would meet him on the
road , and I wlll give you an order to
bring on the dispatches without delay .
lay ! "
"Dare I-dare I ! " exclaimed Cobb j
"hy the soul of Hlclwry Jackson , there
Is nothing In the world I couldn't or
wouldn't dare just. now ! "
"Brave fellow , " said the courier. " .
knew that would he your answer. '
He gave a low whistle. Ills Cossack
driver appeared from the shed where
ho had been awaiting his master's orders .
ders with patient docllity. The courier
whispered I\ few words to him. The
driver disappeared.
"But we forget the wolves ! " said
lie courier.
"All the wolves this side of Hades
would not scare me to'nlght , " exclaimed .
claimed Cobb. "But I must have
arms. "
"You will find them In the slalgh-
two repeating rifles and a l'avolver. "
"And a pocket pistol ? " asked Cobb.
The courier looked puzzled.
Cobb laughed and in an Instant the
courier smiled also. "You wlll find
supplies In the sleigh , " ho said. At
the Slme moment the sleigh came up
noiselessly , the driver walking by the
side of the spirited horses , and keeping '
Ing his hand on the bells to prevent
any sound.
Cobb sprang Into the sleigh.
The courier lifted a robe and drew
forth two bottles of brandy. Both of
the men tool a long pull.
"All ready ? " asked the courier.
"Read ! " said Cobb.
The driver slipped away from the
head of the impatient , fiery horses.
"Go ! "
One touch of the long whip In the
hand of Cobb and the horses bounded
forward. The sleigh bells jingled a
merry tune. The driver , dismissed hy
a nod from the courier , disappeared
and III another ten seconds Cobb had
reached a turn In the road that skirted
the ( lark forest , and he was out of
sight on his adventurous journey.
The doors of the house 01)Oned.
Karslcheff , Nicholas and Katherine
stood revealed In the strong light.
'Vhat was the noise ? " they asked
In one voice.
"Gen. Cobb has gone for a pleasure
ride In my sleigh , " was the reply , and
the courier entered the house.
"I do not understand you , " said Kar-
slcheff.
"No ? " said the courier. "That Is
unfortunate ! This If ! my room ? A
lamp ? Thanks ! I am going to bed-
good-night ! " And ho was gone.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Out of the Depths.
Katherine gazed after the courier
with an expression of the bitterest
hate. That man is I our enemy , " she
said ; "and even now he Is plotting
a'J.I : qt his \ , Cobb gone - wli@ro i
.
What does It mean ? Heavens ! " she
exclaimed , as the thought occurred to
her. "Can ho have sent Cobb to 8tm.
lenslt with the pardon at Ilda lln1'O
sky ? " .
Father and son looked at each other
-then at Katherlno.
"I have formed my plan , " she said
"but I must think of my hlftrumollt. ! "
Even as she spoke the door or the
room leading lo time chamber occupied
by the baroness opened.
Katharine , KarslcheIY and Nicholas
turned qulcltlr.
A woman appeared , hesltatod a rno
mont , and was about to retire again
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# < . . FtXhP D 77fE' L/QtxJR LJOI'YH
2"H. LWRR.Zi Q ° 7Uff G/IX5 "
when Katherine in her sanest voice
said : "Pray como In. "
The stranger hesitated moment .
and then entered.
"You have quito recovered ? " anlted
Katherine with apparent solicitude. II
There was no answer.
Perhaps the question had not been I
understood.
Katherine repeated It.
In a low voice and with n pro.
flounced English accent , the stranger
-she was apllllrentl young-said
that she did not speak Russian fluently .
ly and at times had some difficulty
In understanding the languago.
"You are with the wife of Oen.
Cobb ? " asked Katlierlna.
The stranger must have misunler-
stood the question , for she evidently
thought tllllt her passport had bOl'n
asked for , as she handed that 1m.
portant document to Katherine.
The latter glanced at the document ,
Karslcheff and Nicholas gazing over
her shoulder as she did so.
"Carollne Cobb , " exclaimed the
countess-"a relative ? "
With some difficulty Caroline Cobb
explained that she was a poor 1'Ola'
tion.
"Won't you be seated ? " saId the
countess , "you must be tired. "
Caroline sat down.
"A glass of vodka ? " suggested Nich-
olaB.
Caroline shool her head. .
"A cup of tea Is better , " said Katli
erlne , drawing the beverage from a
steaming samovar that stood on a
table near. As she handed the tea to
the girl , she made a signal to Karsi
cheIT and Nicholas to leave them
alone.
"I wlll go and see that time prisoners .
ers are all right , " said Karslchoff.
"Come , Nicholas ! " and both men left
the room.
Katherine and the companion of
Cobb and his wife were alone.
"Prisoners did he say , madame , "
said Caroline In her broken Russian ,
and with that pronounced English ac.I I I
cent that Katherine had noted before.
"Prlslners did he sa-and Is this ,
then , R. prison ? "
Katherine explained that the prison
"as on the other sldo and that the
house was the residence of the com.
mandant of the etape.
"Do the prisoners remain here ? " inquired .
qulred Carollne.
"Oh , nOj ; they only arrived tonight ;
they came from ChlUm , and arc on
their way to time minef ; "
"They are exlles-po11tleal oxllcs-
.
then ? "
" Como of ; them are , but others pf
, -
,
thom are thieves and robbers and nm\
dorors of time host desperate ! cba1'l1C'
tor. It Is that which makes the com-
mandant my husband so cl1reCul. He
Is fearful that they may break out and
massacre us all. "
"nut there are soldiers to protect
, you ? . ! -
"The guard Is small and might oasl.
Iy bo overpowered by those wretches
Ir they hnrt the slightest knowledge
that 80 little stood between them and
11horty. "
Katherine Bat in thought a moment
as If revolving some ] ) lan.
"You have not aslwrI for your prOo
server " steno said , nt longth.
"Pr.l' Oll me , madame , " was the reply -
ply , "I have been thinking of him j ho
risked his life to save mlno. I Ions
to see him and to thanlc him from the
bottom of my heart for saving my
Ufe. What Is his name ? "
"I do not know it . hut ho Is one of
the unfortunate political convicts son.
toncerl for lire to hard labor In time
mines ! "
"Ob , madame !
"Poor fellow , " Katherine resumed ,
speaking In a voice of sympathetic tenderness -
derness j "he Is BO young , HO hnnd'
some , II Is such n pit i , that he 18 des.
tined to such a fato. He will die before -
fore he Is twelve months In the mlne8.
T pity him from the bottom or my
heart " " and she sighed doolly. ,
Katherine , as wo know , hnrI an exceedingly .
ceedlngly sympathetic uature.
"Is there no hope for him ( ? " at
length said Cill'O II no.
_ "Thoro Is no hope , " said Katherine
In a low voice "unle8s- "
"YetJ ! yes ! "
"Thero Is no hope for him unless ho !
cOllld eSCnlJO. Poor fellow ! If ho had
n chance he might ho able to secure
his f1'eedom. " She thought a moment
and then went on : 'l'hOl'o Is hut one
way , " she continued , "If It could ho
done. It seine ana wore to go to
Alcxl - "
"Aloxls-Is that his name. You reo
call it I , then-you harl forgotten It. "
Katherine saw that silo had made a
slip. But she recovered herself and
with apparent frankness ) went on.
"Yes , his name Is Alexis Nnzlmoff. "
Caroline started.
Katherine noticed time start.
"You have heard of him ? " she
lalted.
"I suITer-one at the brutes got iris
fangs In my shoulder and it makes me
wince at times. Pray go on , madame -
ame ! "
"Aloxls Nar.ltnoff and his companion ,
a young student named Barosy ) , are
two of these exiles. There II ono plan
hy which NazlmolY can escapo-but
only one , and that plan , If carried out.
would enable you lo effect the rescue
of time man who saved your life , and
also enable my husband to quell the
mutiny oC the desperate convicts If 11
should arise. 'rho plan Is this'con .
tinned Kathorlne. \Vo will admit you
. .
- - - -
to the lmmera. ! Yom' ' ( deslro to thank
the man who saved ydu will bo an ox'
cure that will disarm all suspicion.
That wlll bring you In contact with
Nnzlmoff. You will ho sUPlllled with n
mo to remove his Irons and that of
his companion. You must tell thorn
to pass time word to all the others that
a simultaneous rush will he II1ndo to
overpower the guards. My husband
wlll have the soldiers ready to fire
on the others amid In the confusion
your preserver and his companion can
escape. What do you say ? "
( To bo continued. )
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. . .
Things for Breakfast.
This morning about 7 o'clock I waR
In a grocery store near my house and
there were a number of people there
waiting anxiously to be waited upon.
In rushed a little fallow and he pushed
himself up to the counter and called
out :
"Say , mister , hurry up and walt on
me , will yel' . 'cmso mo mudder wants
, de t'lugB fur brcald'Rt ? "
'VeIl , my little man . " asked the
kindly storekeeper , "what do you
want ? "
"A hrir of soap , a wooden pall and
a broom " re1\ed \ the btn.-Atll1utl\
Journal.
