The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-15
THE CAR OF THE NIHILISTS
A RUSSIAN MONTE CRIsTo.


lana drew back, her look became stern
and severe.
sOhp' she exclaimed, you cannot; then
He made an effort to speak, but she inter
posed:
II went to your house, sir, because i rec
ognized you n hoped that repentance of
your treachery Of years ago had bound you
Irrevocably TO- my husband. You make me
repent that step. Very we'll, sir, shall
"Ob, madame, do not condemn ma with
Vladimir, TO watch over him, 10 confound
his enemies. / do not dream OF renouncing
this task. but l. Likewise said: Wait forty
eight hours and l will bring you undeniabIe
proof OF his innocence. l thought could
do IT,. Now l see that this is for me impos.
sible."
"Wby so7 Why has your confidence been
lana" he replied, "Iiwould not confde
| what am about to tell you to my most
intimate friend. wouldDnot confide it ito
q paper locked in my portfolio with triple
locks. But l am going TO confide it to you,
the wife OF al imperial aide-de-camp. |
only Demand, inasmuch as this disclosure
compromises other lives than mine, an oath
to- keep the secret for me
Sh0 gaZed fixedly at him.
What oath do you require?"
"Yonr word viii! suffice. for that il worth
as much as any oath. I demand OF you a
secrecy that is absolute. Even il the dis
closure of this secret might save Vladimir
AZ the decisive moment, bind yourself, /
confidence in 0 is immense. as / shall
soon show You. But-possibiy, in what
am hbout to tell you, your mind may dis
cover some means Of safety that mine does
not see. Now l ask of you not to make use
Of my confidence in such a case"
1 lana hAdIfofn6 mn rrpuk~rA mud khAr anil,
I'm this moment of distress distrustful
thoughts enter my mind. Nevertheless, it
shall not be said that l suspected you. /
understand what you require of me, Muller.
and pledge myself to obey you. You know
what yonr duty is, do YOU not?"
very well, ] pledge you my word. What
you tell me will remain buried in my heart,
Even If saw that. by divulging the secret
you are about to confde in me, ] could ad-
vert death from the head of my husband or
daughter, swear to you to let them die. Is
that enoughY'
He responded:
Thank you, lana, you understand me-"
Nov speak,.
Muller collected himself.
II am proud said he. ''and ! nave a
right to be. have made q whole CONT
nent tremble; have changed the face Of
things in ten empires; my authority is rec.
oRniZed by millions of men. l obtained in
ten years immense wealth. Il d 1 always
loved my country and the sombre sky OF
~. Petersburg appears fairer to me thar
the dazzling sky Of India. My dream. amid
tropicsl vegetation, was of the ~leafiess for
ests Of Courland. At Cawnpore, in th.
summer paiace the nabob had given me
while kneeiing slaves attended me, I Otter
found myself reRretting the times when
trembied with cold and hunger as l crossed
some suburban square of my native towr
with my feet in the mire. Moreover dowr
there on the steppes and in India I knew NJ
one, loyed no one. But, as you know
Muller IN Russia is a convict. a gale,
slave. came here under a loyal disguise
put TINS was repugnant to my pride.
What: said !, have l conquered
the right to carry my head high in a score
OF foreign countries only to hang it with
shame when l return to my own?' Then !
resolved TO begin the struggle. longed to
Ter, Muller the bandit, the convict, whom
yonr society excluded from its midst. You
society ID unjust, for it has rejected one oil
its noblest members 1t gave me no salts
faction to have them cringe before the
wealth and power of the Nabob Of Gavin
pore. They must cringe befo. Muller.
Not to secure this, what was necessary?
Simply to change the order of things"
Muller paused. lana continued listening,
l~nvoluntarilv Interested, and being remind
cd OF his former existence AZ q student by
his flashing eyes. his high forehead and his
ragged clothes, she could not help admirinQ
him. After a slight pause Muller went on:
II had always made u study of Russia
and Russia appeared to be ripe for my
plans. 1t is Il country that has as vet
passed through no social revolutions n
that is unconscious of the instability of the
present order"
lana suddenly interrupted him; her face
was thoughtful.
what do you mean to do?'
W change the order of things"
you mean to overthrow the en-
psror?'