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DARKEST RUSSI
11Y K. OH ATT AN DONNELLY.
Copyright, 1890, by Strcot & Smith. AH rtchts reserved.
ljtWV1 ' iW'IVvvfl'VU
CHAPTER XV Continued.
"Ay!" shouted Karslchoff, "ay! so
they do, Katherine: but not such con
victs as these not such convicts ns
Alexis Nazlmoff and Ivan Barosky!"
Katherlno sprang to hor husband's
side and grasped the paper, Nicholas,
as she did so, looked at It over her
shoulder.
On tho very top of tho list ot the
convicts were tho namo3 Alexis Nazl
moff and Ivan Barosky.
With a cry of fiendish Joy Katherlno
K'arslcheff grasped the hands of her
husband and, looking htm straight in
tho face, exclaimed: "Here hero In
our power. What will you do?"
Constantino answered: "Walt and
see."
In a few minutes tho sharp com
mand "Stoy!" (halt) rang out on tho
frosty air, and tho ring of tho lances
of the Cossack guard was heard as
they nested on tho ground.
Another knock on tho door.
"Enter!"
Tho Nachallnk entered and saluted.
"The convoy is here!"
"All present."
"All present, your excellency."
"TMr'.ocn men and two women?"
"The number is correct, excellency. '
"March them in. I will issuo their
rntlon numbers hero nnd then they
can bo marched to tho kamera."
Tho command was given.
Through tho door there entered two
Cossacks. They took their places one
on each sldo of the entrance.
Tho convicts followed.
With faltering stops, their lronB
keeping a continuous clanking as
they moved, tho unhappy wretches,
two by two, entered tho room. With
downcast faces tho two In front took
the placo assigned to them by the
Nachalnik, tho others following me
chanically until all had entered.
With but two exceptions all were
Ironed tho exceptions were tho last
to appear.
They were Alexis and Ivan!
"Halt!"
It was Karslcheff gave the stern
command.
As ho uttered tho word Alexis and
Ivan raised their heads to meot tho
azo of deadly hatred In tho faces of
Constantino, Katherlno and Nicholas.
"Tho Infamous Karslckoffst" Alexis
muttered tho words between his com
pressed lips.
"Silence, dog!" said Karslcheff. Ho
had heard Alexis speak, although tho
exact words bad not reached him.
VSilonce! Guard, why are those
men," and Karslcheff waved his hand,
Indicating Ivan and Alexis, "not
ironed like tho other convicts?"
"By order of tho commandant at
Chitka, to whom they gave their word
of honor not to attempt to escape,"
said the nachallnk.
"Their word of honor!" Karslcheff
laughed derisively.
Katherlno nnd Nicholas took tho
cuo instantly and laughed In chorus.
"Their word of honor," continued
Karslcheff; "thoro Is no such thing
as honor among such cutthroats as
these. Let them be Ironed Immediate
ly like tho other convicts."
"I only obeyed my orders, excel
lency," said tho guard apologetically,
"and"
"You are under my orders now," In
terrupted Karslcheff, "obey me!"
"Coward!" exclaimed Alexis, mak
ing a stop forward.
"Solzo him!"
"Down vlth the dog!"
The Karslcheffs, father, mother and
son, spoke simultaneously, and tho
soldiers, In their eager zeal to pleaso
the new superior, sprang upon Alexis
and bore blm to the ground.
"Oh, wretches that you are!" ex
rlalmed Ivan, who could no longer
control himself.
Nicholas sprang forward and struck
him, and at the same moment he was
also seized by the soldiers and thrown
to tho floor.
"Bring Irons double Irons," ex-
"IMT 7WE;fm72a-sU.fWK?.
7xvzr 77iz azimr"
claimed Karslcheff, wrought up to
uncontrollable oxcltoment.
A minute later the soldiers had com
pleted their work, and Ivan and Alexis,
pale and trembling, were assisted to
their feet, and Btood helpless with
their Bhackled hands.
Alexis was speechless. Ho could
scarcely breathe. His breast heaved
convulsively, nnd he tottered and
would have fallen, but for the grasp
of ttto guard who stood behind him.
Katherine stepped forward. "Look
upon those convicts," she said, In a
low voice, Intense In Us depth of
blUer hate. "Be not too harsh with
them, for they have suffered much
r rrz
nnd they aro destined to suffer more.
That young man," sho continued,
pointing to Alexis, "wns onco a bril
liant officer in tho service of tho
czar. Ho was betrothed to tho daugh
ter of a noble. But ho must needs
'fall In love," nnd sho laughed Ironi
cally, "with a street girl of St. Peters
burg. Her music charmed him,"
Katherlno laughed again.
Aloxls could only glaro at her In
helpless agony.
Katherlno fairly gloated over his
sufferings.
"Yes," she went on, "ho was
charmed by tho music of tho Byron,
and sho dragged him to her depths.
Sho was a street vagabond with half
a dozen lovers before his time, and
she Is now tho mistress of an officer
at the fortress of Aracn!"
"Liar false woman, you He!" shout
ed Alexis.
"Gag him gag him!" shouted Karsl
cheff. To hear the order was to obey, and
In two minutes Alexis was lying on
tho ground, shackled, gagged and help
less. Katherlno turned to Ivan.
"This other this ruffian with tho
marks of the convict upon him ho
was onco a Btudent who was lifted
out of obscurity by a lady of nobility.
Ho betrayed his benefactors by tak
ing advantage of a young girl who
visited her house and whom he, with
devilish art, persuaded Into a secret
marriage. She wns tho dnughter of a
noblo house. Onco freed from his
presence, she confessed that she hated
him; a decreo of divorce wns granted
her and she Is now tho wlfo of a noblo
In Russia, hating and despising the
low-born dog who made her forget her
duty to herself and her family!"
As Katherine began speaking a door
at tho top of tho stairs leading to tho
sleeping apartment of tho house soft
ly opened, and by degrees a pale,
agonized face appeared at the en
trance. As Katherine finished tho
door opened full and Olga appeared.
With a cry of mingled Joy and sor
row, of deepest anguish and of pas
sionate devotion, she screamed as sho
saw Ivan:
"No, no, my love, my love! I am
true, Ivan, true always, truo till death"
and before any one could prevent
her, Olga had flown down the steps
and cast her arms around the neck of
her husband!
Katherlno, with speechless rage,
sprang to her daughter, nnd grasping
hor, strove with desperate strength
to tear her from Ivan. Olga, with all
tho power she possessed, clung to
her helpless husband. "Trust me,
Ivan; trust me. I'll bo true. I love
you now as I loved you then. Ob,
God."
Sho ceased, for her mother's fingers
tightened around her throat till the
delicate skin wns bruised by tho cruel,
merciless grip of tho talons of Kath
erine. "Take her away!" shouted Karsl
cheff. Nicholas with a brutal wrench toro
his sister from Ivan, and whllo with
one hand ho nttempted to stop her
cries, with the other ho half carried,
half dragged her, aided by his mother,
to her room. Olga's frantic cry: "Ivan
trust me. I will oe true," rang out
oven after the door closed and then
there was silence, for the hapless Olga
had fainted.
"Merciless mother, Inhuman wolf!"
exclaimed Ivan. "Your cruel Ho could
not have deceived me. Oh, God!
Were I able, I would brain you with
thoso shackled hands!"
Ho could say no more.
One of tho soldiers with superserv
icablo zeal sprang up and knocked him
down.
"Bravo fellow," said tho countess,
pouring out a glass of vodka and hand
ing" It to tho cowardly soldier, "you
know your duty."
The soldier drank the liquor and
turned to hlB comrades with a smile.
They looked at him with contempt.
The act had been too much, even for
them.
But among the convicts there was
that painful agony with which a sym
pathetic heart sees suffering of what
ever kind whllo helpless to avert it or
allevlato it. They began to murmur.
"Silence, cutthroats! Wo will havo
no mutiny here!" shouted Nicholas,
who had returned to tho room.
Tho word "mutiny" caught the ear
of Katherine.
"What easier," she said. "Mutiny
a shot " and sho looked at Ivan and
Alexis.
"Hush! not before witnesses; we
will find tho time."
Just as Nicholas finished there came
across the air the sound of a bugle.
It was followed by a Bhot!
"Hark!"
All present recognized tho sound!
"It is tho signal of an imperial
courier!" said Nicholas; "we must
wait."
Some of tho guards got ready to
present arms.
Constantlne moved to tho door.
The sound of bells was heard, and
in another minute a sleigh drawn by
three horses reeking with foam and
with dilated nostrils, which sent forth
steaming streams on tho frosty air,
pulled up at the etape!
A tall, bearded man Jumped out, and
In another second he had entered the
house.
Tho imperial courier had arrived!
CHAPTER XVI.
The Imperial Courier.
"Who Is commandant here?"
The Imperial courier uttered the J
1 words In tho sharp, authorltatlvo voice
of one accustomed to command.
When ho heard tho words. Constan
tino Kaislcheff felt that ho was no
longer the autocrat of the etapo. BO
fore the courier's arrival his will had
been supromc and his word law. At
his commnnd any of tho Cossack sol
dlers would havo with unquestioning
obcdlenco sent a bullot crashing
through tho brain of any of the pris
oners Karslcheff might have Indicated.
But now ho felt that a stronger will
than his wns present that n powor
superior to his own had arrived, nnd
thnt ho was now subordlnnto to an
nuthorlty that could nnd would mako
Itself respected.
For tho corps of couriers Imperial
of Siberia possessed n rank and rights
nnd powers nnd privileges far exceed
ing Uiobo of an ordinary commandant
of an ctnpo. Tho requisitions ot an
Imperial courier for fresh horses, for
supplies, for accommodations, must
be flllad with promptness nnd his or
ders tako precedence of nil others. In
a word, under the codo of regulations,
from tho moment an Imperial courlor
arrived at any station on tho road his
powers were supromc, and ho super
seded tho commandant as authority
for the tlmo being.
"I am," said Karslcheff, in rcsponso
to the demand of tho courier.
A frown passed over the" face of tho
'imO 3 COrLUVn4V7-JEV?-
courier. Tho half sulky tone In which
Karslcheff had spoken, together with
tho fact that he had failed to salute,
produced a bad impression on tho
mind of the courier.
HIb volco assumed a harder tone,
and his air of command wns Intensi
fied. "A sleigh with some travelers has
broken down on tho edge of tho pine
forest yonder. They are surrounded
by wolves. Tho pack Is growing
larger hark!"
Tho howling of hundreds of wolves
was borne across tho night In a blood
curdling chorus.
"Wo must to tho rescue," hurriedly
resumed the courier. "Lot your sol
diers follow me." And as he steppod
to tko door ho turned an Instant, and
wnlted for Karslcheff to give tho com
mand. "I hnve no soldiers to spare."
As Karslchoff uttered tho words he
turned half way from the courier.
(To bo continued.)
WANTED NO WHISTLING GIRL.
Might Be the "Thing," but Escort Had
No Use For It.
When Mr. Dolby and the girl In bluo
struck tho stretch of pavement oppo
site the vacant lot Dolby wns amazel
to hear some ono close .beside him
begin to whistle a merry tune. Ho
stopped and looked nbout.
"Who wns that." he asked.
"Me," eald tho girl In blue. "I for
got thero was anybody with me."
"Thnnks." said Dolby. Presently he
added, "Even K you thought you were
nlone, I don't seo why you should go
nlong the street whistling."
"Don't you?" asked tho girl In bluo
Innocently. "Why, lots of women do
It. Haven't you noticed them? It Is
really quite tho thing. Possibly few
women whlstlo as loud as I did Just
then, but they walk along with their
lips puckered up all ready for tho ex
ercise, and every llttlo whllo they
break out Into sound. Sometimes tho
whistle Is a mere omission of breath,
again It swells into a piping tune. If
you will listen you can hear them.
Their repertoire ranges all the way
from snatches of grand opera to tho
merry roundelays of their childhood.
Personally, I Incline to trills and tra-la-las.
When I whistle I generally dc
this"
"Oh, for heaven's sake, dont," In
terrupted Dolby. "It may bo tho prop
er thing for a girl to whlstlo In the
street, but I'll bo blessed If I want to
walk with her whllo sho Is doing It."
Now York Times.
The Right One.
"You know," said the man on the
car, "wo have two telephones In the
office, and whoever answers tho
'phone Is expected to say at which one
you are wanted.
"Well, we've got a new office boy,
and the bell rang the other day. He
answered It, and went to tho man
ager. 'You'ro wanted at tho tele
phone. ho said, 'by the lady.'
"'Which one?' asked tho boss,
thinking of the 'phones, of course.
" 'Please, sir,' stammered the boy,
I-M think It's your wife.' "Philadel
phia Bulletin.
A Real Hero,
don't bolleve In
"You
then?"
divorce.
"No. sir; I've got too much sportlo
blood."
"What has that to do with It?"
"I bollevo In a fight to tho flnlsk."
Harmony.
Frlond And supposo thero Is n mat
rimonial deadlock?
Tho Bride Why, matrimonial dead
locks nro unconstitutional. In case of
a tlo I cast tho deciding vote, nud
George Just makes It unanimous.
Attractive.
Tom And Is Bho pretty?
Jack Yes, figuratively spenklng.
Tom What do you mean by that?
Jack Sho has n bank account that
Is rather prepossessing.
VERY EARLY
Tho Boss I need a boy about your
Tho Boy Will I havo a cbanco to
Tho Boss Sure. You'll havo to
No Wonder.
"How does breakfast food affect
you? Mako you fatter?"
"Nope."
"Thinner?"
"Nope."
"Does It keep you at exactly the
samo weight?"
"Nopo."
"Now, see here, It must havo some
effect on you."
"Nope. I don't cat It." Cloveland
Plain Dealer.
A Money-Making Scheme.
"I was talking with ono of your reg
ular cuto Yankees tho other day,"
stated one of tho trainers at Highland
Park.
"Had a Bchome, of course"
"Yes. Ho's trying to form a syndi
cate to buy running horses nnd tflko
them to Russia. Says he can get his
own prices from tho military officers."
Detroit Free Press.
Keyed Up to the Mark.
"Goo whiz! Ethel!" exclaimed tho
young lady's beau, "this toothacho Is
simply frightful!"
"Oh! George, It's too bad," said tho
dear girl. "Of course you won't speak
to papa tonight."
"Won't I, though? I'm Just In shapo
for It. Bring on your old man! I don't
caro what happens to me!"
Romeo and Juliet Up to Date.
"Romeo! Romeo!" sobbed the swar
thy Juliet. "They will notta letta us
lovo-a ana more. My pcoplo tella mo
I muB' notta marry you."
"What I care?" roplied Romeo, Bav
agoly. "I will t'rowa deesa bomb on
da fron' porch. I will blown youra
pcoplo all over deesa ward." Newark
News.
She Had Been on the Same Car.
"No, I never saw him offer a seat
in a street car to a lady, nnd I ride
homo on tho same car with him near
ly every day. Now, you wouldn't think
to look at him that ho was that kind
of a fellow, would you?"
"Pshaw!" sho roplied, "I know the
answer. Ho nover gets a seat to of
fer." His Disposition.
"Yes," said tho benevolent man, "I
thank heaven for my happy disposi
tion. I am satisfied with what tho
day brings forth, and quickly forget
the pain and trouble that has passed."
"Ah!" exclaimed tho physician,
"that explains your overlooking my llt
tlo bill."
Rare Forethought.
"Think of having a bicycle, do you?"
remarked his father. "Come, now,
that's not a bad Idea. I supposo you've
got something towards it, of course?"
Tho youth looked hopeful. "Oh,
fes," ho said, "I bought tho trouser
clips two wecliB ago."
Slightly Mixed.
Friend An' y-your young yohngesh
girl, sho (hlc!) sho married, too?
(Hlc!)
Brown n-no or n-not 'shackly.
(Hlc!) Fac fact Ish, my my young
esh girl, sho (hlc-) shesh a boy.
Unanswerable.
Mr. Steele Why Is It that with
such a name you aro so awfully wick
ed? Mr. Goode Why is It with such a
name you aro so awfully soft?
His Artistic Temperament ,
"Now, then!" cried Mrs. Luschmnn,
lotting him In at G a. in., "what havo
you to say for yourself, you bruto?"
"Bruto?" protostcd LuBchman, "why,
m' dear, I'm a poet; been 'mtrln'
Hhunrlso benu'ful shunrlsc. Shtaycd
up all night f Bhco It."
Criticism.
Joe What do you think of Miss
Gnbbleton? Fine Intellect, eh?
Fred Yes; but her Intellect Isn't
In It with her conversational abilities.
EVERY MORNING.
ago. I'll glvo you $2 a week.
rise?
bo hero ovory morning at G o'clock.
Thla Is Awful,
"I discovered n peculiar thing In my
room last night," romarked tho cheer
ful Idiot at tho breakfast table. "It
had four legs and only ono foot."
"My goodness!" exclaimed tho land
lady, excitedly. "What was It?"
"A bed," answered tho c. I. as ho
winked at tho pretty waitress.
More In It.
"Of courso," Bald tho legislator,
"tho arguments offerod by tho bill's
opponents woro good, but thoso of Its
supporters were better."
"How much hotter?" asked tho plain
cltlzem
"Well, at least a thousand dollars."
How Little Willie Died.
Llttlo Wllllo, from tho mirror, licked
tho mercury all off, thinking in his
childish error, It would euro tho
whooping cough. At tho funeral
Willie's mother smartly said to Mrs.
Brown, " Twas a chilly day for Wllllo
when tho mercury went down."
What Did She Mean.
Plodder My wife told mo to-day
sho wished I took after my brother.
Nowitt Oh, yes; your brother bo
camo rich. That's what sho meant,
oh?
Plodder Well, she's got mo guess
ing. Ho died rich, you know.
OF
She I suppose you rcmomber
turned to salt.
He That's nothing. When you
threo men turn to rubber.
At the Country Club.
Ernlo Miss Passy doesn't seem
strong enough to drive a golf ball nny
more. Sho Is almost old enough to
play tennis.
Ida Tennis? Why, she's getting
old enough to play croquet.
They are Strangers Now.
Edyth Jack proposed last night,
and after I accepted him I thought ho
would never stop kissing mo.
Mayrae How nico of him! But
then that's the way ho always does.
Real Thing.
Native Seo thoso two men stand
ing over thoro on tho corner?
Rtrnngor Yes. What of thom7
Native They aro professional high
waymen. Stranger What aro you giving mo?
Natlvo Facts. Ono Js n lawyer nnd
tho other Is a doctor, so It's a case of
your money or your life.
A Little Encouragement.
Young Sorroltop Then you utterly
cast mo off, Esmeralda?
Miss Esmeralda, (with great gentle
ncfls) Why, no, 8lvestor; but but It
would bo so silly for a girl to say yes
tho first time. If If you nro of tho
samo mind you might ask mo again
some day, you know.
Real Genius.
JIgsmlth That follow Piker Is cer
tainly n clover, Ingenious chap, Isn't
ho?
Browning Why, I nover heard of
hla doing nnythlng remnrkablo.
JIgsmlth That's Just It. Ho man
ages In Bomo way to get along with
out doing anything.
Ease.
"You nppcar to tako llfo pretty
easy," said tho housowlfo, as sho
mixed Eonio sawdust with milk and
palmed It off as breakfast food.
"Yes, Indeed, mum," grinned Sandy
Pikes, Btrotchlng out In tho wheel
barrow. "Do wholo world Is r. 'cozy
cornor' wld mo."
Some Omissions.
"Does ho ndvortlso nil tho comforts
of homo?" Inquired Mr. Tlredout.
"No," replied Mrs. Tlredout, "tho
advertisement simply says, 'No mothers-in-law,
cross cooks, or crying ba
bies." "We'll go," assorted Mr. Tlredout,
emphatically.
Could Make Use of That Dog.
"SImkins' dog Is a nuisance"
"Is thnt so?"
"Yes. I wish I owned him."
"I thought you said ho was a nui
sance" "Ho is. But I would like to get him
to Ijother SImkins tho way ho bothers
mo.
At Niagara Falls.
"Ah!" exclnlmed tho lady oxcur
slonlst from Boston, "what a stupen
dous wnsto of water!"
"Yes," rojolnod Col. Peppers of
Kentucky, "but think, madam, how
much more tcrrlblo It would bo it It
was corn Juice?"
Too Costly Aspiration.
Godfrey I nm sorry to hear that
Squallop Is In a bnd way financially.
What Is tho causo of It?
Scorjol As nearly as I can learn,
he has beon trying to maintain an
automobile position In socioty on a bi
cycle Income.
She'll Get Him Yet.
"Miss Chollus married Mr. Gayman,
I understand."
"Oh, yes, some time ago."
"So sho caught him at last, eh?"
'No, sho hasn't caught him yot, but
sho has her suspicions." Quincy
Herald.
COURSE.
that Lot's wlfo turned around and was
were on tho beach yestorday I saw
Overheard on the Road.
Friend So you havo named your
now racing automobile 'Kuropatkln'T
Chauffeur Yes; and I feel like Port
Arthur.
Friend How so?
Chauffour I've had so many falls.
Counting the Cost
"Isn't your wife's gown cut too
low?" asked a friend at the recep
tion. "It may be," replied tho host, "but
it comes high, Just the same.