The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-11-13
LOLA PULASKI;
The Victim of Circumstan.
tial Evidence.
4 Story Of RihiIistic Plottings and Crimes.
By LEON EDWARDS.
CHAPTER III

Dr1yaCe apartments, LULA "euG W tuoS'
on the same floor, occupied by MADAM
Berger and her family.
Madam Berger, was the widow of
Russian soldier who had been assas
sinated in Asia at the instigation of hi
chief officer, it was said.
The widow had a small pension
which she eked out by ornamental sew
ing, and in this way maintained hersel
and her zon and daughter.
The son, Ivan Berger, was now
young man of three and twenty, tall
fair, and strikingly handsome. He was
d student at the royal polytechnic col
Iege, and in America he would have
graduated and been at work for him
self long before; but it is the policy o!
Russia to place all possible obstacle:
in the way of the higher education o.
the poor.
Elizabeth Berger, the daughter, wa:
about eighteen years of age, and as fall
of feature and perfect in form as the
defendant of q Morse viking, which
without doubt, she was.
The quarters occupied by Madam
Berger and her family were much Like
those of Count Pulaski and his daugh-
ter.
Madam Berger, a noble-lookine
matronly lady Of five and forty, was
sewing near the stove with her fail
daughter, and Ivan, in the half-military
Uniform of royal student, was stand
ing near by, with troubled look on his
face, when the door opened and Lola
Pulaski entered.
Madam Berger and Elizabeth met the
beautiful girl with warmth of man.
ner that the best actors in the world
could not have assumed.
Ivan's face frightened up at once,
and as he took her hand and held it.
as if loath to let it go, he said:
II have been waiting for you, Lola.
II came as soon as I could" she re-
\ piled. @The others should have been
here by this time"
CDR. Mulek and Peter, the student,
called half an hour ago, and said they
would return about this time. Hark
there they are at the door now."
Ivan strobe to the door and admitted
two men; one stout, short, middle-aged
and with the heavy beard and eye
glasses that distinguish the German
professor; this was DR.. Mulek. a Nj
hilist and a plotter who had so far baf-
fed all the skill of the Government
detectives.
The other man was known as Peter
the student" He was tutor in the
college, and, so far as face and form
could be made out under his heavy
coat and fur. muller, he was thirty
years of age, tall, we'll built, and with
dark, restless, snake-like eyes.
cha, your majesty" said DR.. Mulek,
saluting Lola as if she were in truth
queen, "you have kept your subjects
anxiously waiting"
@But not Intentionally" she replied.
sand now that we have found our
queen" said Peter, his cleaning eyes
fastened on her face, "we'are ready te
obey"
queen" said Lola.
"But why not?" asked Peter.
"For many reasons, but one is sui
ficient; hate the name"
@Then your friends will not offend
by using it." said DR.. Mulek. "But
let US to the council; the chief is wait
ing for u.s."
Bidding Madam Berger and Eliza
beth goodnight. Lola took Ivan's
arm, to the evident disappointment o.
Peter the student, who made as if he
would act as her escort.
The four went out back door to
narrow back street, along which they
walked hurriedly.
Where the lane intersected wide
well-it streets they stopped and looked
about them, to see that they were
paitkeS followed nor observed.
At length they came to o basement
restaurant, through the ice-coveret
windows of which dull lights glowed
They went in and nodded to th'
few bearded men drinking at little
tables.
They passed through a door tina
opened on a dark stairway at the enc
of a room.
They made no inquiry Us to the way
but went lightly up the steps, and afte
traversing q labyrinth of cold, darl
halls, Peter, who with DR.. Mulek
was in the advance, stopped before
door, and, after coughing three times
gave three light little knocks on th
panel.
The door was opened b7 maske'
figure, dressed in long black gown
which was fastened at the waist with
red cord.
This figure held a drawn sword il
its right hand, and raising the blad
80 that the glittering point was aimee
straight at the heart of Peter, voic
deep and ma1ly demanded:
@Who comes here?"
"Your friends" replied DR.. MuleB
coming forward and acting as spokes
man.
"How shall I know you to be friends? :?
asked the sentinel.
"By virtue of certain tokens an
words"
"Have all present the words an
tokens"
1--WE have, answered the four visitor
in concert.
advance, one at q time, and Civ
me the grip, the password, and th
name received at the last meeting,
aaid the sentinel, transferring his swor