Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-04

confess your crime; your accomplices nave
confessed al"
Il beseech you be kind enough to lister
to me-"
mot word more. Day after tomorrow
YOU start Tor Siberia. And you," he added
turning to Schlem. ''you have nothing more
to do here. Follow me-"
"Uucle, as God is my judge"
But the torches had already disappeared
the door groaned and Vladimir was once
more alone in his cell.
The sun had set. Instead of the greenist
simmer which had been reflected from the
waters of the Neva, night had come, and
darkness had covered all. The poor, de-
spairing prisoner, unable to bear all this al
once, threw himself on the damp floor and
wept.
Schelm had in the meantime left the pris.
on. In the passage the General, leaning on
the arm of the commandant of the fortress,
had curtly dismissed him. The head OF
division remained standing in the dark
| passage.
His thirst for revenge was not conp npletely
satisfied; he had hoped to see vladimir
hanged or at least sent into the mines; the
| Cars mercy made him furious. The jailor
interrupted his dark medirations by asking
humbly:
Does your Excellency 60 up?"
"No!" replied ScheIm. "Open No. II
once more and remain at hand as long as l
am speaking with the prison.rp'
Miller had become more quiet and was
eating piece of the dry black prison bread
when the door opened a second time and
| Schelm appeared on the threshold. His
| face looked so ominous that Miller sprang
up, seized with sudden apprehension.
mot one OF you is to be triedl The Cars
pardon includes every one OF you. I no
longer need your evidence and you will
never see me again. The money you may
keepw
"Aud my liberation?" asked Miller trem-
bling.
"Ha! ha! hal A conspirator wants to be
set free! wish you farewell, Miller; in
Siberia remember mei''
Miller was about to fall upon Schelm.
He would have killed him upon the spot
He hurled himself against the iron-bound
door, which the jailer had closed at the right
moment. When Schelm saw himself safe
he rubbed his hands with joy.
In the meantime Miller shouted so loud
that the words were heard through the thick
stout door:
"You do not know me yet! And it. were
buried in the mines Of Siberia you should
not escape my revenge"
"W hat powerful lungs the man has, ="
missed his vocation. The Gar likes to have
men in his army who can give loud orders
he might have become General"
The jailer opened his eyes wide. Schelm
patted him on the shoulder affectionately.
"Well, in Siberia they will have enough
to tell each other. That will be nicer still, %
he added with his Satanic smile.
AS the search in Lanin's house was fruit
less, Palkin had withdrawn his gendarmes
and left Jana perfectly free.
Ii was not 10 o'clock yet. and the clerks
had not yet begun work in the offices, al
though it was Monday when Wernin and
his daughter entered the Ministry of the In
terror and sent their cards to the head of the
| division. Schelm sent word that he was en-
gagged with the Minister and could not see
| them before in the evening. The whole
! dav was to pass in this fearful anxiety. No,
| Jana resolved to call on the Minister him
| self. Popoff, however, showed her how
dangerous such step would be, as all
chance of bribing Schelm would thus be
lost.
"The Minister knows the whole affair
from Scbelm's report only. He would send
us straight back to him."
"What can be done? I cannot live in
this uncertainty. 1 am dying of apprehen-
sion."
"We must be patient till o'clock. 1
shall 60 with you, Countess, and wait for
you in the carriage. If you do not succeed
nv turn will come. We shall have time
enough before the BALL.
In the meantime Nine. de Dugar:y had
come in. "What news? she asked.
"Alas! no news as yet Have you heard
anything?"
"Yes indeed. 1 know that your husband
left the theater in search OF you. He had
heard conversation between two men in the
pit, who asserted they had seen you come
out of a gambling hell which I had
made a meeting place for mysterious pur-
poses. He had run out of the theater like
a madman in company with your friend
Miller, whom I have never trusted in spite
OF your friendship for him. Since then no
one has seen him.
"What?" cried Jana, excited. "Vladimir
could doubt meP'
"What could you expect. dearest? Think
of his great love, his jealousy, the eccentrici-
ties for which people are kind enough to
blame me. and especially your not coming.
1t was evidently preconcerted plan.
Prince Max, who told me all this, said a
few moments ago: L do not understand
it at all. Eaniu is accused of belonging
to a conspiracy, and was arrested in
an unknown house. Then he whis-
pered into my ear: This is secret
OF State; they have used your name
and mine Your husband, you must know,
had asked the Prince to challenge that man
in the pit. This is all 1 have been able to
learn, but it is enough. They have made
use of my name also and I am determined
to clear up the whole affair. 1 mean to sup
port you with all my power, but it will be a
difficult task. Everybody trembles at the
mere mention of your name"
Dear Rita, how vulgar the world is, how
wicked at the same timel For myself, how
ever, feel that / love my husband thou
sand times more since his unhappiness.
"What a rascal and what formidable
adversary that man Schelm is" said the
French woman.
Chow cunningly he has devised the whole
plau," replied Jana. For now doubt no
longer that he is the author of all our mis-
fortunes. saw him. He came here on the
pretense of having the house searched. He
knew beforehand that he would find moth
ing and showed it by the haste with which
he went through it. But the question is:
What can we do?''
Popoff said: Madame, this evening at
Count Wernin and our dear Countess here
will call on Schelm. shall wait for the re-
suit of their interview in the carriage You,
madame, will have the kindness to appear at
the masked ball and to tell the Countess how
she may recognize you. If Schelm should
refuse to listen to our offers I'll go and see
him and will warrant that he will not refuse
me- The Countess will then accompany the
Count, her Iather, to the ball and will nave
the kindness to wait for me at the foot of the
staircase. shall be there at 10 at the latest.
Then the Countess shall tell you what is
next to be DONE
"I shall appear tonight in black
domino. You shall recognize me bv the
camellia shall wear, but 1 shall, of course,