The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-04

Petersburg. We had been students together.
he offered me much money to engage in o
plot against you. / WIS coward enough,
vile enough, TO take his money and sell my
self TO him-but was so cold. 90 hungry.
so friendless. And then did not know
yon and | did not know your wife, Countess
lana
As he uttered that name his voice became
very gentle and subdued. He seemed to be
speaking Of his guardian saint.
The conspiracy was successful. You
guilty. And IL got my reward"
Schelm trembled Ms he shrank crouching
on the ground.
"Have mercy, Muller" he mosned. +,
The man in red turned from him in con
tempt aRt ,,.,.r,.a t.,., ,,,..o.. .o.;,.. no
ns he has against you. As chief of police
he WAS all powerful. /, too, was exiled."
Have mercy, Muller! / am old. quite
old. ] will give you money" Schelm
whined and ciutched Mt the brigand's coat.
Then ! was desperate. My crime had
ruined me also. | lived but for two things,
to revenge myself on him-on this man
and to aid you and-and the countess"
Again his voice dropped. again he spoke
gently and reverently, then continued:
II escaped. ! surrounded myself with
other escaped exiles. To-day | am an out
law and q brigand. True. but to-day ] am
stAbO lICC, l. hIu YOWcIluIs J. dul bAO pOS6cobOI
OF millions of roubles and the leader of
a thousand men. How can 1 aid your
I'm NO way, friend Muller said Viadi-
mir firmly. II am an exile. but ] am still
loyal. The emperor will some day right
me. Even now my wife is III st. Peters
II have other information. The countess
is on her wey to you."
Viadimir's eyes lighted up with joy ane
he seized the others hand.
"She has good news? She has seen tn
emperor! You know! Tell me-"
II do not know what news she bears, but
! do know she would have been too late, if
| had not rescued you from the soldiers. No,
count, do not trust to the emperor's mercy:
You have powerful enemies. They will
speak against You and intrigue against you.
Let me prove my penitence for the wrong I
did you once. Como with me and what l
have shall be yours. ], the leader of all
eternal freedom and infinite power before
you. Come"
But Vladimir shook his head sternly.
"Never! My sword was my fathers and
my grandfather's. They drew it only in
defense Of the car. / shall not draw it in
and mine a great wrong. but you haye suf-
fered bitterly for it. send n of your men
to lead me back to the fort and I forgive
you."
u the fOrt-to death"
ITO the justice of the emperorAand to
my Wife"
Muller bowed his head and murmured:
And she-can she forgiven 80
"She has forgiven"
May all good spirits above and around
Us guard and protect her and you."
He called aloud in a barbarous tongue
and a brigand rode up, leading another
saddled horse. Vladimir mounted.
hfDHna mora 6aar pnrnf-Oorn0t5 nrin1
9he man in red, but Vladimir only waved
his hand as he rode off into the darkness.
The expression on Muller's face instantly
changed. He turned fiercely to the wretch
who groveled on the ground and, grasping
him by the coat collar, dragged him to his
feet.
"Look.' he cried. and waved his hand to-
wards the surrounding blackness Of the
desert. "Do you not hear them cursing
You? Can you not see them pointing at
you, mockine you. waiting. eager to draw
you into eternal torment?"
"Muller-friend Muller-dear Muller!'
"They are all here-the ghosts of the un-
happy. the ghosts of the dead exiles. Listen
to them. dog! They axe rejoicing, for they
know they are about TO be revenged. You
arrested them by the hundred-the inno-
cent with the guilty, the young with the old
and crippled. the orphan with the widow,
the shivering pauper and the noble, your
private foe along with the oppressed of the
car! You sent them to the mines to labor
and to be beaten, to starve and to die!s Lis
ten again, traitor to man and to Godl You
have come to join them. They know it!
How they rejOice.!'
MULLER. l Am rich! Take my money. I
have a million roubles!"
You bought me once. miserable one. and
you dare to think you can do it again.
He threw him to the ground and kicked
him away as he might have done a Cd
snake. Then he called again and again a
man approached from the camp fires, lead
Schelm's hands n feet with cords. Null
er mounted in silence and the exile lifted
the inert body of tho chief of police to the
saddle in front of Muller. Then Muller,
without a word. rode his horse, s~norting
and flashing, into the river. Schelm. faint
ing and terror-stricken, could only moan.
They reached the middle of the stream,
All around was darkness and silence save
for the plash of the horses feet and the
ripple of the water against its sides. The
cold river, in which his legs and hands
were plunged on either side of the horse,
revived Schelm. He opened his eye and
looked around him and struggled and
MULLER. A million roublcs! Have
Mercy
He was tied by the wrists to the saddle
straps. For all answer Muller threw him
into the stream. Schelm hung by the cords
which tied his hands.
The wretch sank half into the water and
felt mt the same time n terrible pain in his
hands, which now alone supported the
whole weight of his body. He cried out:
Help! / am drowning! Dear Muller,
have mercy"
Muller laughed grimly.
II will be your s6ryant-your slave. /
shall work hard for you. Take my money
take all ! have, but save my life" Schelm
gasped.
The other bank of the river became in
distinctly visible through the gloom. The
river WAS rushing swiftly past. The horse
snorted and struggled. Muller stopped
and drew his knife across the cords. He
cried aloud triumphantly:
"At last / am quits with you, tyrant and
traitor. Go to the devils who are calling
for you"
Scheim. with an noonized veil. sank in
the waves and Muller spurTed his horse on
wards.
In q room within the fort Vladimir Lanip
pressed his countess so his heart. The of
iicers of the command stood around and
waited to press his hand and congratulate
him.
And to you, lana. faithful wife and de-
voted friend. ! this pardon. How YOU
must have worked for me.s'
lana smiled through her tears.
"The emperor afforded ms every facility.
Onc he was convinced that he had been
deceived. he ordered that his own couriers
and his own relays of horses should be at
my disposal. A place on his staff awaits
your coming. Al last. dear Vladimir, we
may be happy. l think, and Schelm Is