The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-12-07

Ormankoff has not refused to join
you in your dangerous adventure
with thestudeRts at the ballto-night?
Why everything is ready, the plans
work WE'LL
"What did you tell Serge Orman-
koff when you detained him at the
door this evening"" she asked.
"Only what you bade me" he an
swered, "that the American you ad-
mired last evening, had paid you a
visit"
"Did you tell him that was play
ing q practical joke-that was teas
ing him because of his jealousy that
will yet wreck us and our plans?"
81 left that for you to tell him.
Has he been here?"
"You know that he has. Look
herel:' She raised her hand and
pointed to the red mark upon her
face.
''Wellp' he asked.
"Serge Ormankoff's seal Of refusal
to be of us any more. He struck
me-"
"Struck you!" he cried, struck you!
'Struck the woman he took from
me-the woman he has asked to be
his wife! have long vowed to do
him harm, and now"
''Hushr' she interrupted, "and
heed me. Do you still love me as
you used to boast that you did,"
The man seems overcome by her
questions.
"Boastp' he cried 30 Auna! Annus-
chkal'
Serge Ormankoff, through your
failure to be more explicit with him
at the door, has left me and my
plans forever" she went coldly on.
"Do you still love me?"
Love you! Love you'll" he cried, a
light seeming to break in upon him.
''Do you mean that you would re-
venge yourself upon him?-that you
would become my wife in order to
punish him who cannot live without
you-Serge Ormankof? o, my Yb<e
dove, my angel? Love you'll wor-
'" and ndi It was your love that caused
you to tell Serge seriously, what L
told you to tell HMM jest? | refer to
the visit of the American. And do
you know that his refusal to assist
me keeps Russia still under the sway
of tyrants"
"Ah Anna," he cried abjectly, could
I help It'll who adore, | whom you
have promised to marry before ever
Serge OrmankOff offered to aid Rus
STA in exchange for your hand? Anna,
my star, duschingka moja, have as
keen an intellect as his. l will free
Russia for you-an, with this shall
the red mark on the face of my wife
call forth a redder stain above the
heart of the Count Serge Ormankoff."
He tore d glittering knife from his
pocket.
She looked sharply at him.
Gossip Dostoyevsky," she said,
"you have taken Serge Ormankoff
from me as youhave long threatened
to do. In exchange for him whom
you insist l care nothing for, and
only used for his power to perfect
my plans for the amelioration OF the
condition of my native land, do you
give yourself to me?"
envy life, all that | have and am, or
can do is thine, 0 beautiful one," he
cried, rapturously.
"Your life!" she said, and some
thing of her old gay manners re-
turned. "Your life! Boaster!'
He walked to her. He put the dirk
into her hand.
"Anna," he said, "Serge Orman-
koff will denounce you tomorrow.
Tonight that knife shall findits way
to his heart. swear it! But l am
yours-if you doubt that my life, my
soul belongs to you, drive the steel
into my own heart that has so long
been tortured by it's want of you"
every pretty. And yet you must
own that you would kill Serge Or
mankoff because he struck me. not
because of the fear that he will be-
tray my plot in which he had a
share?"
ut is so"
because | read you. Ossip, and |
know that it would have been you
who would betray me, had not Serge
left me tonight and forever eh? Do
| not know your heart and that you
would have sent me to Siberia rather
than that | should become Countess
Ormankoff?"
His face was crimson.
81 love you," he answered logged
ly. "And | swear that l will this
night have the life of the. man who
raised his hand against you-Iswear
it by the Obrass, the picture of the
Virgin! Besides, does not your safety
demand the eternal silence of that
mani"
She laughed her beautiful laugh.
"Too true" said she. II know
that should Serge live until to-mor-
row l shall not be safe. Come a lit
tie nearer, Ossip Dostoyevsky, lit
tie nearer"
ITO embrace you," he cried.
His arms out, he sprang at her.
She raised the dirk. His eyes were
on hers. 81 do not fear, Annusch-
ka," he said, "my dove"
"Nor |" she shrilled.
There was slash, a plunge, and
without a groan he fell at her feet,
the knife buried to the hilt in his
breast. Serge fell lifeless to the floor
without a movement or Il tremor, land
the crimson stream that poured from
his breast attested the fatal accuracy
of the fair murderess' aim. Her aim
had been sure, for the knife had found
his heart. She looked at the dead
body in all the perfect composure of
her complete,self-control She did not
change color she did not faint or
scream, and an observer could
not tell, from her countanance, that
any thing unusual had happened.
And Wallace, the spectator of all
this? He ran from the little
room, down the length of the splen-
did salon, past the dead man, past
the resplendant creature in pink vel
vet. She did not look up, she did