Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-22
CHAPTER XVII.


Palkin returned home. He had succeede
in deceiving Schelm, and yet made him hi
ally. He had feared nothing so much as t
find this former chief bitter enemy. h
reflected on their relative position. Scheln
was now bis only superior, and he held hin
iu subsection by means of the document
that compromised him so grievously. Sud
denly Palkin remembered Helen. If sht
met the Revisor and told him all, the mos
disastrous consequences would follow. Sh
must be put out of the way. One momen
he thought of going down into the cellar
where he kept her imprisoned, and murder
ing her there. But, upon trying the strength
OF his arms, he found that he could no
overcome the resistance even of a woman
Should be take a pistol to shoot the girlt
But the explosion might be heard. Scheln
might send sor her-how could he explain
her disappearance? After long meditation
he came to the conclusion that there wal
only one way to prevent Schelm and Helen
from meeting, and that was to let her escape
This depended on him alone, as he had kept
the kew, and could easily visit his prisoner,
without exciting attention. he disliked
the idea of releading a prisoner who had
been the cause of so much suffering to him,
but Schelm was too dangerous!
Toward evening the gendarmes on duty
were very much surprised when they re-
ceived permission to 60 home. Palkin
quickly got the cellar key and went down
to Popofss betrothed. He found her curled
up in a corner like q wild beast As soon
as she saw Popotf's murderer her eyes began
to burn with irrepressible hatred, and her
generally very gentle features changed In a
fearful manner.
Poor child" said Palkin, with nypo-
critical compassion. "You must not judge
us from appearances. We have many things
to do from duty, over which we weep in our
hearts. L deeply deplore poor Popoff's
deathi 1reproach myself continually that
1 gave way to my wrath. mean to atone
for my wrong as far as can. therefore
give you your freedom, poor child?'
She looked at him scornfully and shook
her head. The colonel wanted to explain to
her his good intentions, and, seeing her mis-
trust, he went to the door, opened it wide
and said:
go with God, and forgive me!''
She understood perfectly that he meant
her to escape; why-that she could not d.
vine. She feared a trap. But the solitude
in the dark, damp cellar had been hard to
bear; she felt that she could better defend
herself in the open air, and thus she fed, as
q bird escapes from its cage. She was no
sooner out of reach than Palkin repented his
good deed.
why don't you say, at least, I thank
you?" he asked.
A loud, weird laugh was all that came
back to him. She disappeared at corner
OF the street. Then, to relieve himself of
every possible suspicion, he tore off the sta
pie of the lock, left the door standing open
and then went to rest.
Only on the following morning did
Helen's escape become generally known.
The gendarmes had returned late, and found
the lock broken. Schelm seolded and
blamed every body, Palkin pulled out his
hair, but as Helen could not be found the
matter was soon forgotten. Palkin's whole
wrath seemed now to be concentrated on
the nnlucky Captain. The proceedings
against him were hurried on, and fort
night after his arrest he appeared before
the eourt-martial. There was no escape
1or the poor man. He could, of
course, make many revelations of the
Colonel's secret proceedings, his orders to
watch Palkin, and other irregularities, but
ali was no avail. The court came to the
conclusion that he had long cherished
bloody hatred against his superior, and he
was sentenced 10 receive 1000 blows with
the knout-in O ther words, to death.
When the sentence was read to the un-
fortunate man he tainted away, and when
he recovered afterwards it appeared that he
had lost his senses. Caroline wished to
have one more interview with him, and re-
ceived the necessary permission. But the |
Captain knew nothing, he continually asked |
for mercy. He besought her to intercede |
for him with the Governor, even with the |
Countess Lanln, of whose departure he |
knew nothing. She promised to try, not
Tor his sake, but ior her own sake, to avoid |
being known as the widow of a man who
was knouted to death. Finally she went
away in great haste, without casting a /
glance at her husband or saying a word of
tenderness. She at once went to work TO pc
tition everybody, but she met with nothing
but deaf ears. The crime was too fearful.
When she saw that all was in vain she
swore a most horrible oath, full of hatred
against Count Lanin, the exlles all, but es-
peclaIly against Jana and Palkin.
Schelm was now the independent ruler of
Eastern Siberia. His first order had been
10 ARE st the Countess. As this could not be
done, Lima and two servants who were
found in her house were arrested. Thus be-
gan the new regime.
Ali the officials of Irkutsk had been. heart
aud soul, devoted to the Governor General,
and on that account already looked askant
at Schelm. The local eommandant, gray
haired general, brave in the field, but timid
in daily life, surrendered at once Others.
however, were not as submissive, nor as
patient. Matters, in fact, became daily
worse. Almost at the same time with the
arrival of the Revisor there appeared a we'll
ana well-armed band of men who
created regular panic in lew DAYS. The
leader OF this band had, in the short period
Of two months, known how to make himself
q legendary hero, second Proteus, who ap-
peared everywhere and ever in a different
form. Now people swore that he had
been seen at 20 places at the same
hour, and now that be was mere or
there, as he chose. They called him the
'Czar of the Exiles." He was without
mercy against the Government officials and
especially those who had shown themselves
arbitrary or cruel in their treatment of
sxiles. The band surprised one colony after
the other, always numbering the inspectors
with great cruelty. The robbers had soon
a regular terrorism in the whole
district, especially after they had actually
taken small town, killing all the garrison
aud securing a regimental safe with large
sums OF money. No one could travel with
put considerable escort. Even the Gov
messengers and couriers were
the official dispatches broken
,pen and examined, and then they were al
Owed to proceed on their way. These
'ouriers especially told such fearful, grue-
'ome stories that no one could sleep quietly
It night. Reports came actually in now |
hat several large tribes of Tunguses had
isen in rebellion, reinforcing these bands.
'chelm was utterly helpless; for this was in
April when the general thaw had cut off
learly all communication.