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. . , I D ARK EST R U S S I A
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' ; - . ' I1Y II. GUATTAN DONNELIY.
1 Copyright , 18g6 , by Street & Smith ' All rights reserved.
_ _ _ _ _ _ ct. . : : : : _ _ _ _
r - . " ' : - " ' 1 "
, er-vUII uwv. , , G"u'S'
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: : : . " ' "f CHAPTER I.-Continued. .
- . . ( . . He turned to Rndaloff and was
, : : .t. about to speak when a servant 1\11'
; iii " : ' reared. "An Imperial messenger
. : ' : seeks immediate audience with the
_ minister of police ! "
.
Karsicheff turned pale.
t ' Nicholas , deeply agitated , placed
, r . " his hand on his mother's arm.
, Katherine , with an undefined dread
Q. . . of something , breathed heavily in con
f' vulsive gasps.
, . ' . Another second and the imperial
. :
messenger entered the rOOI1l. Going
. . ' , I directly to General Karsicheff he
" ' handed him a large envelope of an
rF { . r ominously official appearance.
. The minister , taking the envelope ' ;
: - tore it open with feverish anxiety , and I
, , , : " ' ' : ' with sinking heart and burning eyes .
; !
I . : , ; read the following : _
, , ; ' . . "To Constantine Karslchefr , Minis-
' Ii" ' " .
. n tel' of Pollee.
'F , "Sir : His Imperial Majesty has
. , ' . been graciously pleased to make the
" 1- : ' following orders :
" . "I. Constantine ICarsichetT is he-
; ; : : r. > .
' - Minister of Police and
: W. : : : ' by removed as
. ' : l ' : ' deposed from all other authority heretofore .
, , ' ' : , . " . . , . . torore vested in him as such mnlstm'
: . $ : "II. Paul the Count Nazimoff is
t \ . hereby appointed Minister of Police to
. , f' succeed Knrsicheff , deposed and _ will
" ; , ' take possession of the official seal
'
. and assume all powers of such ministry .
istry at twelve o'cloclt this 'da ) ' , pre
; " " , - dsely.
, . ' f . - "III. Constantine KaralchelY will
; , , ' without delay proceed to Siberia
where he will act as civil and mill.
1 ! ' ' ! \ ' , 'i " : , - : " . . . tary governor of the province of To-
'tl"- I - ! ' . bolsk during his Imperial Majesty's
: . 4i : . ' pleasure
. . . " seal of the
"Given under the great
. . . . . . . . _ _ . . , " . . . _ , _ . U" . _ . . _
c ' , 'FJ ' 'Cbancellorle ; Gortschako/f / ,
"
" "
. . "Prime Minister.
' "
With a" deep groan , Karsichetf
; , ; : dropped the paper.
. , . , - "Good God It Is the blow I feared "
- ' ; : . : . r : . . . and he sank back In his chair.
; : ; " - Nicholas picked up the paper
J : . , 410ive it to me " said the countess as
. . she almost snatched the document
' ; , from his hand. A glance told her Its
. . contents. She looked at the clocl
. ' r ; " It wanted but ten minutes of the
. : time-of the hour of noon.
r' . "His excellency Paul Count Naztm-
1 _ - oil , " announced a servant. KatherIne
. . . . . . " " { stood erect in a moment. She would
- 've + .
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. , ' give no sign of her bitterness of :
, . . : : ; . ' 7 heart , . however deeply she felt the
' : . ' - blow.
.
- , : ; ; ; ' 1- " . Count Nazimoff entered the room.
' ' He was dressed In full uniform.
. . . .
i " Karlscheff half arose and then sat
. + . - back. '
' - , . , Count Nazimofr approached and ex.
extended
, . : . ' tended his hand. "Belie\'e me , my
' , , " ' , . dear Karsicheff , " he said , "I was not
, I
, , ' desirous of this position. But _ his
. " , majesty having sent for me and hav-
- lag proffered the honor , it was not to
' \ 1 be refused. "
, The suggestion of a smile passed
over the pale face of the drwosed min
'Vu---O"Vu----v1l" . . . . ,11' , x
Ister. "I am quite sure the position
cannot be in better hands , " ho said.
Katherine looked at the clocl. It
was within five minutes of noon.
She looked at her husband and be
understood the meaning.
"I have finished my work , " said
Karsicheff turning to Count Nazlmott
again , "ror , as you doubtless know , I
have succeeded In capturing the leaders .
ers of the Nihilistic conspiracy. His
majesty , I had hoped , would have recognized -
ognized my services in a different
way " he said with a bitter smile ,
but his majesty knows best. It is
my last duty to prove my loyalty by
sentencing the enemies of my sovereign - I
eign and I shall do it to the end " HeI I
paused.
Katherine was furious. She determined .
mined to take matters into her own
hand. "General Karsicheff " she said
tu the count , "is still minister. "
"Until twelve o'cloc1 , " replied the
count ; "it sOll wants a few minutes
of the hour. " ,
"Theu bring in the prisoners } and
let the general finish his work , " said
Katherine looking toward Radaloff.
The latter opened the door and
with a file of four soldiers guarding
him another : prisoner was brought In
and placed in position before the minister -
isler of police. Count NazimolY took
a seat by the side of KarsichelY and
gazed curiously at the s ene.
"This is another of the vile gang
of conspirators captured this morning .
ing , " said KarsichelY to the count and
then turning to the prisoner whose
face was concealed by the hood of
his greatcoat , he assumed a tone of
judicial severity and said : "Drop
I
your hood . prisoner. What is your
- - - - . . . .
11111111 : : :
The prisoner dropped the hood and
stood like a statue as he answered
-
"Alexis Nazimott ! "
"Alexis Nazimotr ! " was repeated by
all in the room-all save Ivan and
Ilda.
Ilda.With
With a cry of bitterest anguish
from his ' breaking heart Count Nazi-
molY staggered to his feet. For a moment .
ment he vainly essayed to speak but
his tongue refused to utter a sound.
"Oh my father ! " The cry was
wrung from the surcharged heart of
Alexis as he stretched out his shack-
led hands.
Paul Nazimoff , weak and trembling ,
found his voice at last-- "Alexis , my
son , my boy , " he cried In anguished
tones , "what does this mean ? Oh . my
God my God ! "
He pressed his hands first lo his
heart , then to his throbbing brain.
"Father ! " said Alexis.
"Speale , speak out ! Oh . God , speak
out ! " crIed the stricken count. "You
you . my boy here-here-charged
with crime-with plotting the assassination .
slnation of your sovereign ! Speak .
Alexis ; say that it is false ! Don't
you see my heart is breaking ? "
"I swear to you father , it Is not
true. I am innocent. "
"You hear " faltered Count Nazi-
motT , looking wildly around. "You
hear-Ill' is- ' "
"He Is guilty whoever he may be , "
spoke up the officer in command , "for
I myself found concealed on his person -
son , In his cigar case this sign-the
sign of the assassin chosen to kill. "
He held up his hand !
The Red Rouble !
"My God ! " Paul Nazlmoff fen
back and buried his face in his- hands.
The chock showed that it wanted
but 11. minute of the hour.
"Quick . " said Katherine , rushing to
her hushand' side. "You have um
pIe proof of his guill Sentence him
to SiberIa-it will bring him and Olga
together. "
Knrsicheff sat stunned !
The terrible disclosure ) of Alexis'
identity had shaken him.
"Q iIck . " urged Katherine "It ! Is
your l:1st ! : chance ! "
The iron will and relentless purpose -
pose cf his wife swayed Karslchetr
,
" . _ . . _ _ . _ , J _ . . _ _ _ - . . . . . . I. . . . . " ' !
, - "
.
now ns they had often swayed him
befot'e. It nerved him to n deoll that ,
left alone , be would rover have
dared
"AIQxls Nazimoff " he , said "there
can bo no doubt of your guilt with
this damning evidence of your unholy
purpose found in your ossesslon. )
You have forfeited your life , but my
last act shall be merciful. I spare
your lIro. I sentence you to twenty
years in the mines of Siberia ! "
Karsichect rose from his Ilesl The
clock began striking twelve and as
the strokes rang out they fell like t\
kn ll' on the ears of nearly all pres'
ent. .Turning to Paul , Count Nazi
'mott : < Karsichoff . taking a bunch of
keys'fromhis ; pocket said "My work .
Ig ftnished. Count Nazimotf , to you !
I resign my seal my keys , my pow-
ers. I have done my duty to the end
-lhe rest Is yours I" !
Radnlott approached Count Nazi-
molT-Count NRzimotT , the ne v minister .
ister of police-nnd as he passed the
iIjI 1 I a'l / ' 1z .
I' - /III /
i
' % : n ' .SCIA.YQ
countess he gave her one look that
repaid all tIle insult she had heaped
upon him less than an hour before.
"What Is your excellency's command
regarding the other prisoners ? " he
asked saluting Count Na7. mott.
"There is one more to be disposed or.
She says she is the wife of that man "
and he pointed to Ivan.
Katherine caught the word. His
wife I Ilda's brother's wife. She too
must suffer. None of thorn must
escape.
"Count NazimotT , " she said , "my
husband Inlll down his work while
engaged in meting out justice to this
gang of assassins. There is one more
-that man's wife. She too should be
punished' here and now. " .
Paul , Count Nazimoff looked up
slowly. He had aged ten years in
less than two minutes.
"Not now , " he said faintly ; "not
now. We have had enough of-
of - " He could say no more. '
Katherine spoke again.
"It ill becomes the minister of his
sovereign to show his weakness at
such a time as this , " she exclaimed.
"My husband , at the expense of his
feelings , nerved himself to do his
duty-now do yours. Russia needs an
example now ! "
Almost Involuntarily Count Nazi
mott raised his hand. It was to beg
Katherine to be silent
Radalof saw the motion and interpreted -
preted it to mean that he should pro'
duce the prisoner
In another moment he hall left the
room and a second later re.entered it
with a heavily draped figure clinging
to his arms. He had to support her
or she would have fallen.
Katherine' pointed to the trembling
figure : supported by Radalott.
"She is the wife of that man " exclaimed .
claimed the countess indicating Ivan.
'
"Thel'e can be no excuse for delay :
She was captured with the rest-is It
not so ? " . arid she turned fierce'ty to
the officer in command.
"It is so , madame , and she was arrested -
rested while standing by the printing
press upon which we found this pro '
lamatlon. "
As be spoke he displayed the placard -
card III red. .
,
'You SiJC-You ! nee CQunt' Naz1-
-
" . . . . . , " : 0'e " " , " . . J
.
. ' " q' - '
- .
r molt , " exclaimed tft.o , countess ! , . "thcrG
can be 110 douht. , Act-nnd a heavy
sentence , too. "
"POOl' gh'l. " The count glanced nt
the veiled and shrinking figure before
him "Silo may ho innocent Sho- "
"Sho cannot bo innocent with the
proof of her guilt in that treasonable
. ' proclamation " shouted lntherlno. .
"Sentence hOl ) ! "
"What Is your name ? " asked Paul . . ' ,
Nnzlmolt in a faint volco.
The girl said nothing She seemed
lo shrink still more. .
"Speal , glrl-yuur name ! You are -
that man's wife ; do not deny It , " said'
Katherine.
"My name is- "
The vail fell and the pale face WM
exposed to the gaze of all present
as Olga stood forth with trembling -
form and fainting heart I
"Olga ! " I
Above the exclamation of horror
surprise and nmazcmont 'with which
the name was spoken by all , there
rang out Ii wild shriek \ or anguish and
---un u _ _ _ , " " " un".u _ _ _ n n' _ " nn _
despair as Katherine Knrsichoct recognized - .
ognized her daughter
"Olga ! " a
Again the shriek echoed until It
struck terror to nil within hearing.
-
"Olga-m llaughter-his wlfo-
that man's wife-no ! not ! no ! Oh
God Count Nazinoff you do not bOo '
here this , you cannot believe this. .
My daughter the affianced wife of
your son-she here-with those-
that man's wife ! It Is not so-m1
God , my God , I swear it Is not so.- Do
not sentence tier ! Spare her ! Spare
her. Here on my knees at your foot
I beg I implore you . by Othe love you
bore your dead wife , have mercy on
her ; on me-on all-havo mercy , have .
mercy ! "
Count Nazirnotr raised his Itead .
"You have urged my duty well , madame . . '
dame I must perform it. " -
"Merc ) " , mercy , mercy ! " screamed
Katherine , fairly groveling at his
'A"
feel.'A"
"I sentence her , " . said i Count Nazi : , a .
moil , "to Siberia-with her parents ! " : ' , '
CHAPTER XIV. /
- ,
On the Road to the Mine. .
Three days after the events nar-
rated in the preceding chapter the
.iloors of the great prison of Petro.
pavlovsk in St. Petersburg swung -
open. The entrance was guarded by
a squadron of Cossacks , and a line
of prison vans stood near , ready to
move at the word of command with
-the first detachment of political prls
oners from among the hundreds arrested -
rested during the wholesale raids of
the police made by order of the min ,
ister.
Of the prisoners arrested In the
Nihilist rendezvous , four-Oramlnsky
and Horsy being two-were sen-
tenced to death ; the others , without
exception , to exile in Siberia for
terms ranging from ten years to lICe.
Klrshkin's fate alone was undecided -
He had made a full confession of all
he knew , and it was determined to
keep him In St. Petersburg In hopes
that he could furnish the authorities r'
with still fuller details of the great
conspiracy.
Two by two , Iieavlly shackled the
prisoners moved slowly from the prison .
on and took their places in the watt.
ins : vans. I
( To be conllmod. ) J
Submarine Experiments.
An Important series of experiments
with submarines is to bo carried out
at Portsmouth. One of the principal
tents will consist of "fishing" for submarines .
marines with a wire net. For the
-
purpose of the experiments a netting
206 ( feet long made or thin but strong 1
steel wire Is to be attached to three
steam pinnaces , and by then drawn
under water at the depth \V.llch it
fa known submarines usually ha\'el.
When one of the little craft becomes
entangled In the meshes the two out-
side boats will close in around ie. 'and
so force It to come to the surface or
slnk.-London Engineer. F
Woman Scl100i Dcctor.
Charlotienburg Is tilt first German
commune to appoint 1 woman school fi
doctor. 1
i
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