Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-07-22

fathers with honor enough in their
hearts to kill the vipers they have
nourished in their bOsom?" he used to
exclaim when the. papers brought to
him the name of some new ariStOcratic
criminal" And then he added in an
undertone: ''Thank God! thank God!"
thinking of his son. and what a bless
ing it was that he had turned out such
serious, Woodworking, brave soldier.
without any nonsense about him"
Then came the eliminating point Of
the revolutionary horror-the Winter
Palace explosion. The old Generals
Indignation knew no bounds. At the
same time strange, apparently
groundless feeling of anxiety for his
son, from whom he had not received
any letters for some time. seized on
him. Il am growing DID, he wrote
to Andre, land would like to see you.
perhaps for the last time. Try to get
leave of absence and spend couple of
months with me-"
The son had obeyed tho fathers
wishes. And this night. the 10th of
May, he had arrived at DubrOrka-this
was the name of the Savelieff estate.
The same position who had brought
him from the nearest railway station
was also the bearer of letter for the
General. The latter. however, more
touched and agitated by the meeting
with ''his child" Gas he still called the
bearded ColoncD than he cared to
show, put the letter mechanically into
his pocket without looking ut it. and
then forgot all about it. Long after
midnight, father and son having emp
tied couple of bottles of champagne.
of which the old General had always
small supply in his cellar, both retired
to rest. On entering his bedroom,
where his old orderly Matveitch await
ed him. the General remembered the
letter, and, drawing the lamp nearer
to where he stood. broke the seal. He
first read the signature: canton Pod
bielsky." His brOws contracted as if a
painful recollection had cast shadow
over them.
What business has that man to
write to me?' he muttered. Podbiel-
sky was a Polish nobleman, who had
mate. AS very young man he had
been implicated in the great Polish in
surrectiOn of 1880, and had purchased
his pardon from the Russian Govern
ment by betraying some of his asso-
ciates. Since that time General Save
lief. who hated all traitors, even if
they had rendered service to the good
cause, had broken Off all relations with
Podbielsky. while the latter, rising rap
idly, soon reached prominent and in
tiucntial position in the pewly-formed
''Third Section" or secret police. Now
he was chief of the chancery of that
dreaded institution, anil. moreover,
specially intrusted with the investiga-
ton of the Winter Palace explosion.
That man wrote as follows:
"pEAR Observation-Disclosures our for
mer relations allow me to address q word Of
earnest warning to you. Your son has been |
found to be implicated in the case of the |
dyls>nite explosion l am now inyestigat-
ing
The old man read no further. With
a terrible oath, his face purple with in
he sprang up and threw the !
letter to the ground.
"A lie, an infamous lie" he ex-
claimed.
''Your Excellency," whispered the
terrified Matveiteh, "what is the mat
ter?''
Nothing. Leave met
The old servant went out, shaking |
his head sorrowfully.
On remaining alone the Generals
first impulse was to burn the letter
without reading it. On considering,
however, the position Podbielsky oc-
cupied and the responsibility he in
Cured by writing such a communica-
ton, Savelieff soon convinced himself
that the letter contained moro than an
empty threat or an utterly groundless
calumny. He picked up the paper
with trembling hand and read on:
"There is, alas! no possible doubt as to his
guilt All can do for you and for HIM is to
warn you few hours before his arrest In
letter he shall! be arrested ut your house. il
hill then he has not in some manner disap-
peared. know it is breach of duty am
committing. l want, however. to show you
that even gendarme is capable.Of remember
ANTON PoDB1ELskr."
Painting for breath, his broad chest
heaving with an uncomfortable agita-
ion. the General read these lines to
heir bitter end. The close air of the
room suffocated him. He threw open
he folding doors of the terrace and
stepped out into the garden. And
here he is now. pacing to and fro the
gravel walk and crumching the paper
re holds in his hand with nervous
rip.
"A few hours" he mutters, "every
these people may come and
axe him away. l must, l must speak
% him, hear of him that he is i-ao-
cent"
Having formed this resolution the
General raised his head and walked
pack into the house with a firm step. +;
There was still light in his sons room
when he knocked at the door. The .
-oung Colonel opened at once and on ,
eeing his fathers troubled counte-
lance exclaimed:
''What is the matter, father?"
''Read that" the latter answered,
living him the letter. II
Andre became as pale as death, but /.
lis eyes stunned not his fathers pierre
mo- gaze when on reading tho letter |