f
II I
I ;
i . DARKEST RUSSIA
i ' \ . I DY II. RATTAN DONNELLY.
1 ) . COpyrIght , 1890. by Strcc .t Smith , All rights rescryed
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II II II u -II -II-A
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CHAPTER IV.-Contlnued.
, Once more Ivan carelessly turned
. . .
, 4 . . . . the leaves , and then without looking
_ ; 'I\ l.lp asked , in a matter . of . fact way :
1t 1 \ 'You desire to sell the book-what Is
. t
. ' "
\ . 'ti the price ?
.
I t "I preferred to leave that to the
: I' '
I J , , _ . r , jUdgment of one who is better able
to form an opinion of Its value than
f I am m 'self. "
\ 1 Ivan bowed.
t I "You will pardon me If I say that
the book Is not of sufficient value to
I , find a place , as a rare volume , among
the Baroness von Rhlneberg's collec
t tlon ; but since you desire to dispose
of it , and under the circumstances , I
; may say that the value of this ' volume
: in St. Petersburg Is twelve roubles. "
I Radaloff arose.
"I shan not trouble you further. My
. . . . , . . . . impression was that It Is worth three
.
or four times as much or I should not
i have troubled the baroness to examine .
ine it. "
" 1 hope you do not think I under-
i 'alue It , " said Ivan.
Radaloff shrugged his shoulders
lIghtly. "My compliments to Mn-
' . dame the Baroness , " he said , with a
movement toward the door from the
library into the great hall , "and please !
say that Professor Kasovltch regrets
that ho should have trespassed on
her kindness with a book from the
learned Professor Muller worth only
twelve roubles.
Ivan rang the bell.
J ' A servant appeared.
"I shall convey your : words to the
. baroness. Meanwhile , in case you
. still doubt my judgment as to its
value , if you will turn to the page next
the last you will find the price in the
publishers' figures in Russian characters .
tel's , and judging by the freshness 01
.
\ ' the marks , written only a short time
b t' ago ! Good afternoon. Batof , show
. . . .
\7 \ wh.tho gentleman out. "
f
, r .
; : , ' . . ) J \ CHAPTER V. -
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" ' , \l The Fete In the Nazlmoff Palace.
t The grand fete in the Nazlmoff pal- I
nec given by Paul , Count Nazlmoff , .
In honor of the arrival home of his
only son , Calonel Alexis Nazlmoff ,
bad begun. Paul Nazlmoff , a tall , sol
dlerly-looldng man of some fifty-seven
or eight years . dressed in full uniform
I . of a general of cuirassiers , stood welcoming .
: coming his guests as they arrived.
The haughty expression on the face
of the old soldier , an expression of
lofty superiority , sat well upon him.
For perhaps there was not among the
fj
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,
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OBJA \
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: t ' , 40 1 ' Russian noblllty a family whose name
; , . was greater. Paul , Count Nazimoff
, I
, as he stood there ; bore right worthily
'
! ) , . the pride and dignity which came to
him by inheritance and the added
honors which a grateful sovereign
'I had hastened to bestow for gallantry
on many a field. For " himself the fete
' . nad no particular pleasure , except in
10 far as It emphasized the welcome
I
. .w - . - . . - - - - . . . - . . . . . . - - . . . . . _ . -
back from the sterile plains of Turke-
stan to his only son , who had won his
spurs aR became a Nazlmoff.
Mingling with his guests , with n
word to one , and a smile to another ,
and a gentle , almost tender sentence
or two to the beautiful Olga , the
count passed through the brilliant
throng and congratulated himself on
the fact that even royalty could hardly
have surpassed him In the magnificent
splendor of the entertainment.
The Countess Katherine : Karslcheff
was , next to the host and to her
daughter Olga , the most observed of
the hundreds in the brilliant throng.
Wearing a curious but exceedingly
picturesque and becoming Russian
costume of the XVII century , a coso
tame which rumor had It was a counterpart .
terp1rt of that In which a famous ancestress .
cestress of the countess had married
a younger son of the reigning royal
family , Countess Karslcheff moved
through the salon wIth an air of conscious .
sclous pride and evident triumph
which she took no pains to conceal.
The goal of her ambition was in sight. :
Within three weeks Olga would be the I
bride of Alexis Nazlmoff , and the
countess herself would see her child
reign in this magnificent Nazlnoff
palace os a very queen in the social
realm of the capital.
Olga Karsicheff presented a strikingly -
ingl beautiful picture , and the bum
of admiration which followed her appearance .
pearance showed that the assemblage
was fully appreciative of her surpassing .
ing charms. In striking contrast to
most of those present she wore no
jewelry save a diamond spray , which
glittered in her wealth of beautiful
hair ; and this absence of ornament
heightened and emphasized the beauty
of the patrician face. Her eyes were
of that rarely beautiful color , a deep
dark rown. The wistful expression
lent to them , large and lustrous as
they were , an additional charm. In a I
word , Olga Karslcheff was the perfect I
type of a beautiful and attractive girl.
The great clock had just rung out
the hour of eleven when Nicholas
Karsicheff , pushing his way as rapidly .
ly as possible through the throng , approached -
preached his father , and with a meaning .
Ing look indicated that he desired to
speak with him alone. The appearance .
ance of General Karslcheff fit this
moment Indicated that he was ill at
ease. Already he had sent three different .
ferent messengers in search of Rada
loft , only to receive the answer that
Radaloff had not returned.
"We11 , what is it , Nicholas ? " impatiently .
tiently asked the general , when a few
minutes later ho found himself alone
with his sou. Then , as his eye fell
again upon Nicholas and be noted
the expression of the face , he added ,
with an appearance of anxiety he
could no longer conceal : "What is it ?
Don't keep me In suspense. "
"There Is a rumor In the clubs tonight .
night that a change in the ministry I
Is immluent. "
'VeIl , there are always rumora. Is
that all ? That If nothing. "
Nicholas hesitated.
'VeIl , well , well ? "
"There was a rumor as I came here
that another proclamation of the Nihilists .
hilists has been found in the winter
palace. "
"My God. "
General Karsicheff as he uttered tile
words staggered with the force of the
low. If this news were true it meant
but one thing-his official end , his
social doom , his political death.
A moment more and ho recovered
himself.
His face was deathly pale and he
gave evidence of laboring under in-
tt'lse excitement.
"Who-who found it ? "
"I have not heard. "
"My God ! If this Is known to Gort-
scllalmtr I am undone. Have you
heard ? tell me the worst ! '
"I fear it is worse than even tl1at-
r kayo heard that the proclamation .
was . shown to the czar himself ! "
ar3lchelY : sank into a cha.lr. . His
head fell upon his hands as he bent
over , the figure of a broken man
Nicholas Karsichefl' , cold , bloodless ,
heartless , oven when his own family
was concerned , felt a touch of pity
for his father. Placing his hand on
the shoulder of the general , ho said ,
In a voice with a strain of concern :
"Is it as bad as this ? "
There was no answer.
And now Nicholas Karsicheff began
to realize that even more than his
father's position was at stale. The
peril to his own future ; the blow to
his mother's pride : the danger to his
sister's happiness ; all these flashed
through his rain. What could be
done ? Something must be Bono to
avert the threatening lightning bolt
which might strike nt any moment.
"His mother. "
That was it ! Her Influence , her
favor at court , the power of her fam-
m \ ' D' j' ' . ; f'
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( ( \ * : rw : I
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i
2'r
ily connections-all , all of these must
be invoked to avert the danger , to
p : event at least a change In General
Karslcheff's position until after the
marrIage of Olga.
"I will summon my mother , " began
Nicholas , leaning over the general.
Karslcheff raised his head , and
grasping Nicholas by the arm with a
grip of iron held him fast. "No , no ,
not that. To tell the countess now
were madness. It would drive nor
Insane. Wlllt , walt , let me think. "
With white lips and deeply marked
brow the minister of police , his hand
pressed hard against his fevered
rain , rose to his feet.
"If Radaloffhe thought.
Ay , "If Radaloff had but succeeded
then he could do something "
And if Hadaloft : failed !
Suddenly his face brightened a lit.
tle A feverish energy possesed him.
He would stake all on Radaloff. "Go ,
at once , take thoctirrlage and drive
to the Gortshakoff palace. Say that I
am now on the trail of the conspirators .
tors , that I have them In the hollow
of my hand , and that before daybreak
I will arrest every Nihilist in St.
Petersburg. " .
urg. . . . . . ' , , . " /1" , 'f ( : V
"But- " 1".1"- ; : , . : :
"Go , I tell you , and at once. I leave
two hundred suspects on my Hst-
110 evidence against them-but what
of that ? This latest outrage , this
proclamatIon wlll Justify extreme
measures. Tell Colonel Helfman to
have his men ready I will give him
the list to-night. Yes , I will strike a
blow. I will do something that will
at least give me a breathing spell
until I can find the fountain head of
this damnable stream of revolution
and stop the spring at its source. "
Five minutes later Nicholas Karsi
cheff was on his war , as fast as
horses could carry him , to the rest-
dence of the prime minister of the imperial .
pel'ial council , and General Karslcheff ,
havIng recovered In some degree his
composure , was once more mingling
with the guests. He had been in but
a moment when Count Nazlmoff approached .
preached him with a rather mused
expression on his face : lie held a'
letter . in I his hand
"I' say , Karslchoff , " sUlii' Uio' COl'nt ;
l
" you remember that extrnorltlnary
American we met at the dinner given
by rite American minister some three
rears ago ? "
"The man who had a scheme to
b uI1l1 elevated railroads In St. Peters
burg , to open telephone lines to 1\1os.
cow , to- "
'Exactly ; well , he is here again , and
what is more remarkable , has met
Alexis In Asia , and brings a number
of letters from him which ho writes
to me ho will do himself the honor to
present in person "
"Met Alexis-how ! "
"He has been in Turlte tan and has
been having all sorts of adventures.
Wo will have him hero to-night. "
"WI11 he not be rathor-that Is , out
of his element ? "
"Not at all. I have never found an
American gentleman who was not
quite at homo in any society , however
high. From what I have seen of
Americans they seem to have an easy ,
natural way of adapting themselves
to any circumstances in which they
may bo placed. Besides , In this case ,
I could hardly he discourteous enough
to receive letters kindly brought by
this gentleman from Alexis and then
Ignore the gentleman hlmsolf. 1- "
Before he could finish the sentence
the attention of Count Nazlmoff was
directed to the great hall. There was
some commotion and an expression of
curiosity among the guests grouped
at the entrance.
"Thanlt 'ou-that's all right : I can
find my war. I am a friend of the
family. "
These words , in choice English with
a. marked American accent , were uttered -
tered as he entered the " room by a
gentleman who had evidently just
arrived. He was a man of some forty.
five years of age , with a lloan.cut fig
tire , and a face which betrayed a singular .
gular mixture of earnest resolution
and good humor. The costume of the
newcomer was in marked contrast to
the brilliant uniforms which were the
rule , but there was something in the
easy , self.possessed air of the man ,
dressed In the . conventional . - . evening . .
suit , which bespoke the thorough -
gentleman and stamped him as the
peer of any In the room
Count Nazlmoff , who had advanced
toward the door when he heard the
voice , was ready with outstretched
hand. "General Cobb , is It not ? "
"Count Nazlmoff ! " and the stranger
grasped the hand held forth in kindly
welcome.
"I was not aware that your house
was the scene of such a rilllllnt part /
to.nlght , or I should have hesitated
about coming ; but as I leave St.
Petersburg to.morrow and was anxious .
Ious to meet the father of Colonel
Nnzlmoff as well as to deliver these
letters , 1- "
( To be cont.lnued. ) . I , .rll
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_ 'f
Czar Nicholas and the Press.
The present Czar is the first of his 1
race to recognize the legitimate
claims of the press. At the outbreak ;
of the present war ho granted an interview -
terview to Melville E. Stone , formerly
of this city , and now general manager ,
of the Associated Press. Soon thereafter .
after he received a deputation o ; St.
Petersburg newspaper men , and i u
.1yeek or ' p .o ItQ pa..y audience ! . to
nn } fnglfsh journalist , Henry Wititn ; '
1\1. P. The last named , by ) the way ,
did not find his majesty the mental is
and physical weakling he has been
described so often. Instead Nicholas
seemed to be In the best of health and
presented his views on Oriental questions .
tlons in clear and strong fashion.
/
W. K. Vanderbilt Is Hard Working.
William K. Vanderbilt , the only
member of the family who has shown
a special aptitude for business , is
gradually increasing the sum of his
dally labor in looking after the im-
mr.nse interests of the family. Chaun-
cey M. Depew , besides having duties
of n public nature , is getting along in
years and ho will soon expect to be relieved -
lie\'ed of the actual work In connection .
tion with the affairs of the Now York
Central railroad. It is understood that
he looks to W. K. Vanderbilt to equip
himself ! with a perfect knowledge of
tile' Dusfness before he retires
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