The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-02-05
LOLA PULASKI;
The Victim of Circumstan-
tial Evidence.
A Stay Of AlhlIstie PIattings and Grimes.
By LEON EDWARDS.
IN DISGRACE.

There is worse disgrace, your Maj
esty, than Siberia, ;" said General Paul,
with a ring of defiance in his voice.
The Gear looked at him with an e1-
preston of questioning wonder.
at is" he continued, "to lose my
own self-respect. So far, that has not
forsaken me-.
"There is no standard for self-respect.
1t depends on the moral nature OF the
!, man."
The Czar again waved his hand,
rose, and strobe out of the room with
an angry glitter in his bluish-gray
Aeyes, and General Paul was so astound-
ed st the abruptness of his masters
manner that he didn't even rise from
his chair.
The Czar passed through the ranks
of the guards formed about the sleigh,
every man standing at salute" and
staring straight before him, as if his
fate depended on his not moving an
.eye-lid.
..To the palace!"
This command the Gear gave as he
.entered the sleigh and drew the soft
fur robes about him.
At the approach of the outriders all
people on foot came to q standstlu,
sand, on hearing the clatter of the spurs
and scabbards, all the vehicles in front
sped into the side streets, to make
way for the imperial cortege, though
1T looked like the flight of doves to
their cotes at the cry of the swooping
hawk.
Here and there along the route,
sthere were groups of men in the alley
ways, or drawn back from the crowd In
.doorways, who gazed sullenly after
the imperial guards, and shook their
sheads and spoke in eager tones, like
smen who have desperate work on hand.
On reaching his apartments, the
Gear at once ordered the attendance OF
Count Linwold.
That obsequious and crafty courtier
at once obeyed the summons, and
sstrode with bowed head and abject
,mien, into the presence of his master.
ave have Just returned from the
.hotel of General Paul." began the
.Czar, "and we fear that rumor has not
|. .sslandered him"
"Would that T might be able to say
tisat Elmor has slandered him" said
. the Count, bowling, and speaking ID
the tones of q man whose heart Ia
~,deeply panied at the pertidy of the
man he was discussing.
S@He has permitted his unreasoning
love for this adventures to blind him
to the duty he owes US, and to make
him Indifferent to his standing among
the first mobiles of our empire. We
have deposed him from command, and
nominated to the Office Of the Chief oi
the Secret Service our trusty friend
Count George Orlof."
@Your Majesty could not have made
"a better selection" said Count Lin'
lwold, who, in his heart, hated Count
orlofI nearly as much as he did Gem
eral Paul.
ave have given General Paul five
DAYS, in which to decide whether he
shall follow his own lawless desires or
obey the imperial mandate"
Here the Gear took paper from the
table, on which his right hand had been
resting, and, unfolding it, as if to assist
his memory. he continued:
within forty-eight hours, the man
Pulaski and his daughter must leave
Russia. This day they shall learn of
our purpose, and should they refuse to
obey, then let him back to the mines Of
Siberia"
aAnd the LADY," suggested Count
Linwold.
"She goes away with him. As to
General Paul, we have here ordered
the forfeiture Of his estates and his ex-
lie. All that is necessary to carry this
into effect is our royal signature, which
:. In mercy we shall withhold for the time
named."
IF your Majesty's empire is weak in
ANY SPOT" whined Count Linwold, "it
. has been made so by your Majesty's ex.
cess of mercy. am we'll assured that
General Paul will not keep his mar
riage contract with my daughter, whose
fair young life must be henceforth
clouded. But that apart. I fear that
.associationlwithI these outcast Poles has
polluted the young mans mind with
the vile theories of the Socialists, who
aim at the disruption of the empire and
the destruction of the imperial house.
Pardon me, pardon me! your Maiesty!'
cried the Count, as he saw black
cloud gathering on the brow of the
Gear. "It is my devotion to your Maj
esty that forces me into this frankness.
"Ah, Count Llnwo1d," said the Gear,
as he folded up the paper and laid it
down with q sigh, 81 often wonder if
the crown, for which I never cease to
battle, and to protect which 1 hourly
rlsk my life, is worth all tho trouble.
Go! l would that all in our empire
were like you, then our days would
have less anguish and our nights fewer
dreams of torture"
The Gear waved his hand in token
of dismissal, and Count Linwold, bow
ing at every step, backed out of the
presence of his imperial master.
AMoug the many discontented little
groups that watched the Gar return.
ing to the palace there was one COM
posed of three men, whose dress and
general appearance showed they were
In the service of the government
These were Colonel Orlof-the lover
of the Countess Elvira Linwold-Dr.
Z Mulek and Peter the student.
~ The Colonel had just whispered:
s 1.-THE time is ripe for our work. His
Majesty will soon take his last drive
through the Neva Prospekt," when
Z George Nevski, the old theatrical cos.
!. tuner, appeared.