Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-11-14

hof."
"Where is your wife,"
He regarded me as one does a troub-
lesome child, then lifted his eyes with
look above.
"In heaven
"Good gracious Do you mean to say
that did not drive up here with your
wife half-hour ago and that she did
1 not show you case containing the thou
sand rubles' worth of diamonds for YOUR
decision9"
'Ah, diamonds" said he indulgently.
eyes, yes-so you did. But you must
have patience. She's gone now to show
them to the Cham of Tartary, whose
daughter Is to wed tomorrow the Bashi
BazoOk of Shiraz, and she will wear
yourjewels on her neck. Ha, ha! Mash
ouka, you must have help. This is no
mild case, as the lady represented
saw the whole plot at glance. My
imbecile fancy had led me straight into
it. I cursed my own folly and began to
tell the doctor the truth as rapidly as
possibly; but l saw it had no effect. 1
begged him to send at once to Carnreis
Is Shoveloff's tor confirmation. I knew
Alexis had not the least idea of my where
abouts.
I The doctor listened patiently, blandly
and assented to all. But I felt horri-
BILE certainty that he would do nothing.
Why should he trouble himself with the
vagarles of a lunatic2
"If monsieur will be patient, it shall
all be done-to-morrow, I dare say"
"Good God!" cried, sudden horror
striking terror to my heart. IL am to
be married tomorrow
The doctor evidently regarded this as
fresh outburst of insanity.
| ITO be sure, to be sure,' he said, sooth
inglY; "but 1t Will all come right. It
would have to be put off any way, for
Madame Snippski has not finished the
wedding dress"
"Oh, for heavens sake!'' cried, in the
most abject terror, ''do not talk to me IN
that style, or you will drive me mad in
earnest! Can you not see that this wom-
an was an adventuress-that this Is a
clever trick to rob us of ten thsusand ru-
bles' worth of dlamonds?'
cit reminds me of the case we had
last fall-squint- party-who had
been robbed OF the Robinson" murmur-
ed the doctor to the nurse.
And then lost all command of my
self, and made mad effort to escape: I
flung myself suddenly against the doctor
and doubled him up, but the old woman
flew on me like tigress, and fought
tooth and nail. She was a powerful
creature, as were all the employees of the
place; and beneath the vast cushions of
fat were muscles of steel and frame of
iron. Then she never ceased yelling fol-
help, and, Of course, [ was overpowered
IN three moments, while the doctor, re
covering for his temporary collapse, glared
at me rather vindictively, his face the
color of raspberry-jam from rage and
pain.
There was no hope of his listening to
anything after that, and I felt that my
chance was gone. So [ allowed myself
to be led to bare cell and locked in.
Then I had a chance for reflection
The sun was going down. l knew that
I must spend the night there, and per-
haps many a night. How was 1 ever to
be found? Carnries 6 Shoveloff might
publish the loss of the diamonds. There
was slight hope in that; but it would
take day or two to give the matter
publicity, and my wedding was to be to.
morrow! Then it was more likely they
would 60 to work in secret way, which
is more popular in Russia, and not
breathe word openly of the loss, and
what would become Of me in the mean
time9 They might even think was in
league with the handsome adventures,
and had gone off with her to ENJOY the
| 1ll-gotten gains!
All these things burned and seethed
in my brain, till 1t seemed as if I, too,
must break out into impotent rawlings,
or blood curdllng oaths. or passionate
prayers, such as re-echoed through the
long corridors about me; for I was in
that department of the institution mark
ed Violent and could hear all night
long the wails-the groans, the gibber-
ings, the mad outbreaks of violence, the
sudden shrieks and crashes that seemed
to torture the very echoes.
Morning at last-through a barred
window that ''slurred the sunshine halt
a mile;'' yet I knew by even that pale
beam that the sun had risen upon my
wedding day.
Ny wedding day! Lisa was kneeling
perhaps at that moment breathing a
prayer for our future happiness. She
was a pious little thing, I knew. pic
tured her lifted, soft brown eyes, full of
fears and hopes; her pretty, folded hands
I had never loved her enough, but
now-now that she seemed slipping
away from me, now that horrible chance
had severed us-she grew suddenly dear
and precious.
"Lisa,'' I groaned, ooh, my darling,
pray-pray as you have never done be-
fore, for my destiny hangs on that
prayer
Oh, how slowly the hours crept on |!
The little bar of dusty gold that lay up
on the floor of my cell grew broader fee
bly,. It seemed thinner as it broadened.
1 thought of its fading with horror.
Good heavens! Is there no help for 1t
-nonea Must sit here, the sport of
circumstances-an innocent victim, while
my poor girl breaks her heart over the
strange delay? I grow frantic. I cal
out. I implore- 1 beg the keepers to
come to me. I adjure them by the mem
ory of their mothers-of their sweet
hearts and wives to listen to me-to be-