The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-01-29
LOLA PULASKI;
The Victim of CircumStan-
tial Evidence.
4 Story of AihlIlstle Plottings and Crimes.
By LION EDWARDS.
CHAPTER XIII.

Ivan AH$ S1eSA~ SSS-~ ~"
Paul before.
This was the first time they had ever
come face to face.
The first time Ivan had ever heard
the sound of his voice.
They were rivals for the hand of the
beautiful girl in whose presence they
stood, but only one of them knew it.
The handsome soldier in his brilliant
undress uniform and the assumed cr1p-
pied soldier in his rags formed strik-
ing illustration of opposites.
General Paul had not been playing
eavesdropper. -,
He had come to talk with Lola, and
as the door leading to his private Office
was open, he would have walked IN,
as he had done before that day, had
hs not been arrested by hearing a
strsnge voice.
He stood in the door for an instant,
but long enough to hear Ivan's voice,
and to weigh his words, and to come
to the conclusion that the man was dis
guised, for his conversation and dress
were not in keeping ,
Ivan certainly would have assumed
another voice if he had had the least
suspicion that they would be over
heard.
There was something in General
Paul's tones that gave Ivan confidence.
"Whoever you are, have no fear"
On hearing these words Ivan released
his hold on the knob of the door. and
turning, faced the man whose life he
had so recently sworn to take.
General Paul." said Lola, now the
calmest person in the room, "this man
is my friend"
She walked over as she spoke and
laid her hand on Ivan's arm.
"Then," said the General, "he is my
friend, though I should infer that from
his uniform; I know that I feel only
as friend towards all who bore the
brunt of battle, and carry scars to re-
mind them of it.
"As you have been so frank, sir"
said Ivan, in his natural voice, and
with q courtly bow that was not in
character with his costume, 81 will
prove I am not unworthy your candor,
by saying, that have no right to wear
this uniform"
"No right to the uniform" repeated
the General, waving Ivan into q chair,
and sitting down himself.
"No, sir"
"Then why do you wear it?"
"As Disguise" said Ivan, frankly.
@Why should you, who seem to be
gentleman, masquerade in this guise in
the streets of st. Petersburg?"
"Why," replied Ivan, with flash o1
the eye, "does the stag start at the
sound of the hunters horn, and seek
the forest cover at the bayipg of the
hounds?"
"The love of life moves the stag
replied the General.
"Ay, your excellency, and it moves
me-"
3You are then fugitive?"
II am, sir"
II promised you protection while in
this place, and you have, therefore,
nothing to fear from me-" said the
General, glancing from Lola to Ivan.
I Iregret, however, that one who seems
to be gentleman, at least by educa.
ton, should be breaker of the law. I"
General Paul." said Ivan, leaping
to his feet, "do not take advantage Of
your position to charge me with being
breaker of the law, when you can
know nothing about my antecedents. !"
"Pardon me, but did you not say you
were fugitive?" said the General,
quietly.
II did"
"You are wanted by the authorities ?"
II am"
"Then the authorities believe you
have violated the law"
"Sir, there are no laws in Russia.
In free lands the laws are the express
sion of the peoples will; here we are
governed, or rather misgoverned, by
,rules-harsh, arbitrary, and cruel
that emanate from one man, often at
the bidding of some unprincipled ia
.yorite."
II am loyal soldier of the crown" !"
said General Paul, with show of
anger, "and therefore cannot listen to
treason"
IT thought from your manner that
you gave me liberty to speak. But,
sir, as to treason, is it any greater
crime to think and act it than it is to
speak IT,"
People may think what they please;
thoughts are matters that lie between
the thinker and his God; but talking
OF acting treason make the crime in the
eyes of the law" replied the General.
At this juncture Lola placed her
chair between the two men.
She had more power over both than
any woman in the world, and she
seemed to know it.
She understood Ivan Berger even
better than his own mother did.
She knew that either one of these
men would risk his life, if need be, to
save her.
For Ivan she had an intense admira'
ton. She admired his splendid &C
quirements and appreciated his fine In
tellect.
She had no brother-never had had
one, but from her first acquaintance
with Ivan Berger he took the place O
o brother III her heart.
Lola's feelings toward General Pau
need not be described.
She loved him in spite of her will,
What has the will to do with love?
He was the son of man who hat
cursed the life of q father whom sh,
loved, and who had sent her mother tc
grave among strangers, yet she lovet
him.
She had pledged herself to slay hin
yet she loved him.