The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-08


Ing Vandine,s body, drew himself up and
s&ld. solemnly:
This man 10 deadp'
Dead said Lonise. "Oh! he shall DO
avenged. He was their cousin. He was
fich and his wealth excited their covetous-
ness. u WAS the count who brought him
Darine ~interposed:
WHO are you, mademoiselle?"
'Lonise dc S~chelmber9, daughter OF the
senator, Baron dc Scheltnberg, and a friend
from childhood Of Prince Vandine GromofI.
! loved him and expected to marry him."
"Loaise" emplored Alexandra.
ION! this IL no tim0 for concealment.
We're ne alive he would have told yon MIN
SELF. DID you love him, Alexandria You
Soy 10, do,you notY And yet they intended
yon should marry him. His recently ac-
ity. TO acquire greater wealth your father
mas not hesitated to use poison.'''
Vladimir, after having allowed Akoulina
to be arrested, the carpet to be
cut and the corpse to be examined, WAS
Louise.
"Enoughr' cried he. '~'enough Of this odd
! am ready to answeI."
Then turning to Darine:
4 am the eInperor's aide-de-camp, and
I'LL uusWcIdUlc OILY 10 ulA WHJohLy-- Gs
You are mistaken" interrupted Darine
ironically, such is no longer the case.
Every crime against the common law, even
II committed by n member OF the emper-
or,s family, is to be tried before the estab-
iished courts. l am a magistrate and you
are answerable to me-"
Vladimir folded his arms.
"You did not let me fnish.'' said he, with
dignity: y abandon my privileges, and |
say again i am ready to answer. Examine
me-"
Darine seated himself in an arm chair.
what il your manner" asked he.
ASoulina IyanOWna could not contain her
self.
o know very WE'LL said she. ''since
you are the emissary Of his foes"
"Silence that foolv' Darine commanded
the II policemen. "lf she will not obey gag
~s'Scoundrel. do you dare?"
A brutal hand fell upon the old woman's
mouth. 1t WAS. perhaps, the first time that
police officers had ever penetrated into an
imperial aide-de- camps house. Akoulina
tried to scream, but was gagged,
ana then Alexandra realized that the affair
Was more serious than she had at first
thought.
'Louise.' she said reproachfully to her
friend, what have you done?"
II have avenged the man I loved" the
girl replied with q heartrending sob.
4 ADuAA IN x06ukl1Gu tuo 6xHIulOHtlOus
What is your name?"
vladimir, Count Lanin. commander-in in
chief. His majesty's aide-de-camp.
Vladimir Lanin, you are accused by the
public voice of poisoning
Once before you made yourself the echo
imir Indignantly. II then disdained to
answer you; to-day. in the presence of this
corpse"
Darine sternly interposed:
death?" A'A
Eyes, it il a dreadful! misfortune"
Did not this man die after drinking a
potion that you gave him?"
NO." said Louise, lit was ! who made
him drink it; arrest me, too; but it was
Count Lanin who brought it to me after re-
tnaining quite a long time in the next room;
him take poison. Oh! it is horrible! There
would be no justice on earth, If this man.
on the pretext Of being the emperor's aide
de-camp, should remain unpublished"
mo crime has impunity when justice has
once taken hold Of it," replied Darine.
procurator at her fathers house--for we
have seen that Darine was admitted through
an outer door--believed this to be a spon-
taneous intervention of justice.
''Oh"' she said, "avenge my lover! Pun
ish me, too, if ! deserve punishment"
AlcAdIluTu, Ill WLuG-cycu AuaZGmont.
at Louise. whose excitement was
.frightful to behold.
Great heavens!' she said; ''she is insane,
p~rocurator--"
do you acknowledge" Darine asked
Vladimir. "ths correctness of this young
statement"
II admit that | gave her a potion prepared
by the doctor who attended the wounded
man, DIR. Dakouss."
YES" Darine broke in, whom YOU had
from the house. We know about
that. Your servants told us the moment
We camo in; This is n more charge
YOU"
"Sir, | dismissed that scoundrel because
he dared
But at this moment Count Lanin OBJ
served the servants looking with serious
eyes at him and paused.
Sir" faltered he: this public examina-
lion distresses me-"
He had seen Alexandra blushing confus-
edly and hiding her face with her hands.
Daughter, my servants are here-if YOU
consent"
b it so," said Darine. II consent to
O in secret session. and | offer
you two alternatives have no right to ar
rest you before applying to his majesty, but
.r aae P foace 10 y g1ara escape voal y Sna h pl%s9 han an
MS majesty, in his high equity, will confirm
your arrest. Will you await his decision
lere or will you follow me Immediately?
Take your choice. l shall proceed with
vonr examination. and if the facts alleged
against you are found TO be false l shall
restore you to liberty"
II will follow you. SIR"
Vladimir had seen his footman smiling
'arcastically. and the thought of this ex-
in his own house, for he knew
hat the arrest would be- maintained, be-
u~nbearable.
II follow YOU" he repeated, ''but YOU
will have to give an account of your I'M
varrantable conduct
II shall answer for what l am doing"
$50 be it. Blu come, sir; this scene has
asted too long"
He stepped up to his daughter.
when your mother returns, bid her not
o be uneasy. l shall be back tonight,
Now. .good-bs, or rather. till we meet
Are you going, father?'
II must" !,
Why! this charge is nbsurdr' I
w must be tho first to show our eager
less to obey the emperor's DEGREES. But J
AVE no fears. No harm can come to me-
parine smiled sarcastically, but no one
this except Akoulina lvanowna. q
Sy a sudden movement, she succeeded in
emoving the gag and cried:
beware, count! this procurator is your
Darine gave a signal and the gag was re-
laced in the old woman's mouth. |
Vladimir stepped deliberately to the
kneeled and crossed himself. J
Poe Vandine," he murmured, may
Tod receive your soul!'