The morning call., 1890-05-11

had gone into The forest 10 fetch wood 10 warm
his hut Tired, half frozen. sadder than ever, he
was low returning.
He stopped before one Of the huts, and threw
the load, which had nearly overcome him, into
the snow; theuh lie opened the door and entered.
The cOlOnists do not even own their huts as
property they may not lock them, hence the
doors are only fastened with hooks 10 facilitate
Inspection. Thus Vladimir was not at all sur
prised TO lind C0ssaek within, one of the SOL
ders who guarded tie village.
" Where have you been so lOng?" asked the
man very roughly. L have waited half an hour
II had to get wood from the forest. and as
am not used 10 such work il goes little slowly"
- All right" growled the COssack. Follow
me. The inspector wants you"
" What can he want again?" asked Vladimir
angrily
brutally. "Nou have 10 obey me blindly."
Lann's eyes flashed fire, but lie checked him
self aud bowed his head submIssively.
" Follow me :" said the Cossack ouce more and
turned TO The door,
vladimir followed bet looked sadly at the
wood he nad brought home with so much trouble.
Ihey were soon standing before i house that
was much larger and looked much better than
the others. Ii was lie inspectors house.
They found there another colonist who said to
Vladimir:
- You will surely join US tonight, Vladimir, in
our expedition to our fur-store We must make
an end TO these constant tnevinCs. The in
speetor has permitted US to 90 into ambush be-
lore night, aud there Can never be too many OF
US
THE inspector has sent for me-" answered
Vladimir. / do not now that lie will dismiss
me In time. I'll ask him, however, 10 let me join
you've must as you say, make an end 10 this
The Inspector was former officer, a drunk.
ard and man without culture. He was not ex-
Tor nothing. He did no harm for harms SAKE,
but 1t never occurred to him TO DO a kindness.
When drunk he was wicked and brutal: when
sober, simply an Indifferent egOtst. Such man
need only to be subject to bad influences and he
becomes terrible, aud for the misery OF the COL
onists such influences were at work here.
When the man was still in active service, and
Ia garrison IN one of The frontier towns. he had
married foreign woman, by name Caroline. No
one knew her past; her youth had probably not
Deen edlylng IL appeared, however, that she
had once been beautiful, and her fortune was
traced back to various, all, very strange sources.
she might nave been about Sc years old when
The inspector fell In with her; lie had married
her partly from affection aud partly from inter-
est, not lnquiriug into her past. Now she
was IeThaps 40. and her beauty had entirely
vanished Kind hearted she had never been,
and when The mirror began TO tell her that her
pretty face was gone she became bitter, mallg-
nant and cruel woman Her husband obeyed
her blindly; In Tact, he trembled before heT,
and this power she used to rule the colOlIsts
With an iron rod. CatOline had light hair, regu-
uiar features, sharply marked, thin, compressed
lips and an expression In her eyes which was
truly dlabolical
low, smoke-blaekened room 10 which the officer
received visitors. Caroline was sitting on sofa
reading novel, while her husband was walking
up and down the room.
He had no sooner entered than she raised her
eyes, aud, though she pretended TO read on, she
continued 10 observe closely every movement of
The exile. The inspector came up 10 Vladimir,
ana, famlildry yatllDg him on The shoulder, lie
said:
''At last have caught YOU 1 sent for you to
give you Il new kind ol work. You an edu-
Gated man. and In your former position YOU
learned to MAKE phrases, such as an unlearned
man does not know. The matter is this: | have
received orders from lrkusk 10 report TO the
Governor General OF Siberia Tie condition of my
district, and at once. Write me, therefore, such
report as well as you can"
Very willingly" said Vladimir. What is 10
be the lepOft?"
The Inspector laughed aloud
Anything you choose Nobody will ever
think OF looking at it seeing how FAR the reality
corresponds with The report. No higher officer
ever slrays INTO his accursed region. II is quite
enough II the Governor sees IL Is we'll written
and In good form. Wife, therefore, whatever
you fancy, only you must have pretty phrases
ana nice terms. God Is on high and the Gar far
away here are pens and paper and everything
you need, Begin at once. | am going into
town and shall not be back TIL night. hope by
tnat time you VIII neatly have done your work.
AS you commaDd! I" said Vladimir But
perhaps you VIII remember that you permitted
us 10 make an expedition against the Tungnses,
who steal our furs at night. 1t is TO be iinder.
taken Tonight and my comrades are anxious 10
have me join them"
Well, II l CONF back in time you may 60 at
IL O'clock"
But"
mot another word What have said have
said"
Tie Inspector took his cap and went away.
Vladimir remained alone with Caroline. He sat
down at The little table pointed OUT by The officer
and began to write, paying no attention TO the
lady OF the house, who pretended 10 be i'm
mersed In her book.
Thus passed several minutes. Caroline watched
vladimir, and In her eyes sh0ne an unusual soft
ness. The col0nst made hts pen travel rapidly
over the paper and did not look up. Suddenly
and said:
Count, DO you know this district so well that
you can write so fiuently and so weli?n
Ianin tremDled as lie heard himself called by
Ms 1tle which he had not heard for long long.
glo9, goes hunting and fishing. 1t is no wonder,
hiaoall, II lie nnaly leans TO know the land"
After ms short interruption he continued his
work Carollnes face looked ili.content.
"C0unt!' she began once more, you are not