The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1892-12-08
/ = nuDpocn.

supported ner through all her difnCultt0S,
it had given her strength when she would
have broken down, and it seemed at times
that but Tor that purpose she must have
gone mad. What that purpose was she
had carefully kept from Ivan Alexieff, and
she also kept from him the knowledge of
her connection with it.
And now we must explain here that
Nikolaevsk is desolate and isolated
station at the mouth of the River Amoor,
which flows into the Gulf OF Tartary, and
| separates the mainland from the remark
able Island of Sakhalin. The nearest point
| ofthe island from Nike aevsk is little
| under six miles, and in winter that part of
| the strait is frozen over, and from this may
| be gathered how severe the climate Is In
| the summer communication is kept up
with the island from Nikolaevsk by means
| oil small steamer.
As the relatives of the convicts are not
| allowed 10 live on the island itself, they
| have to do the best they can in Nikolaevsk,
where the Government has erected bar
rack, in which they have to herd like cat
tle AT fixed intervals they are allowed to
cross over to the island and pay brief
visit to their friends, but this is always
| done under the strictest regulations, and
the utmostvigilance is exercised by those
| in command.
| Nikolaevsk itself is shut off from the
rest of the world, and the inhabitants
know nothing of what is going on else
| 1lIC OElRlIldl SSGGi6TS III the place
| are a low type of people, who during the
| summer, spend their time in fishing, and
| hibernate during the winter, when the
| climate is so severe and the snowStorms so
terrible that life is well-nigh insupport-
| able.
| On arriving at this place Rachel felt that
| her journey was practically ended, and
| teVerish anxiety to get news of her father
| took possession of her; but she could hear
nothing, and when she applied at the Bu-
reau Tor information she was told she must
wait The convicts who were destined for
transportation to the island were vigorously
| confined to the barracks provided or them,
| pending their embarkation on the little
| steamer that was to convey them across the
| strait; while the free exileS" were relegat-
Ell TO their quarters and warned that they
must strictly obey the regulations in force
'or the government, and well-orderlng of
| the colony
| In he free quarter Ivan Alexieff found
lodgings for the first few days, and he en-
| braced every opportunity to renew his
avowals of love for Rachel, and to solicit
| her to become his vile. But she babe him
wait; babe him be patient; babe him see
| what the future would bring forth. At the
end of the week, however, after their arri-
| val there came a sudden and startling
denouement which neither had anticipat-
ed. Ivan was made prisoner by order of
the Governor, his own father, and he was
| TO B6 conveyed at once 10 the island.
Ivan was furious when he heard this, but
he had to recognise how powerless he was
| to resist the order which was owing to the
letter sent by the Governor of Perm. Peter
| Alexieff had heard with amazement and
fierce anger that his son was actually
travelling through Siberia with Rachel
thesJewess. Long previous to that he had
received the letter ftom his patron, Count
Suvorof which informed him OF Rachel's
intention to journey to the east, and that
had caused him to rejoice; for he had
thought to himself II have the father in
my power, and soon l shall have the
daughter Her father deprived ME of an
eye and disfgured me for life. For that
l will crush both father aud daughter and
ere their unbelieving bodies are given to
the worms, they shall know how terrible
the revenge of a Christian can &C."
This determination was quite in keeping
with the mans character ana disposition.
He had neither charity nor mercy, and
with him it was a creed that a wrong
should never be forgiven; though how he
had suffered wrong at the hands of the I'M
fortunate people he had so shamefully per-
secuted it is difficult to say. The injury
which his victim Aaron Arama had in
t1icted upon him was we'll deserved
and considering how it had been
provoked, it could hardly be termed a
wrong except from his point of view.
When the Governor Iof Pern's letter
reached him it intensified his feelings of
hatred for the whole Jewish race and such
Jews as he had under his control on the
island were made to feel his hatred ny in
creased severity, increased harshness, in
creased brutality. AS soon as he heard
that the party had arrived from Kara and
that his son was amongst them, he at once
issued an order that the young man was to
be arrested and brought before him.
The carrying out of that order caused
Ivan to realize for the first time his true
position. He saw now that he had been
4 pursuing phantom, and that it had led
him into a trap from which apparently
there was not the faintest hope of escape.
Here in this wild region he was complete
ly in his fathers power; and he knew his
father too we'll to suppose that he would
either listen to his pleadings, even if he
had been disposed to plead, or show the
slightest mercy to Rachel 1t seemed now
that all was ended. All his sufferings and
the sacrifice he had made had been produc-
tive of nothing but this; and here, in the
desoldte and storm-beaten corner Of the
world, he was rudely awakened from his
dream oflove to learn that he had dreamed
of impossible things, and the fair fruit he
had hoped to pluck had turned to ashes
even before he had graSped it.
In a brief interview he had with Rachel
as soon as it was made known to him that
he was to consider himself q prisoner, he
said with emotion that almost choked
him.
"Rachel, my heart is torn out ofme, and
the wound will never heal. l go from you
now, perhaps never to see you again. He
whom | am ashamed to call my father
wills it SO. We seem to have been thesport
' of cruel destiny, and have been Knocked
and tortured by delusion. Your beauty
has beguiled me to my ruin. Had you been
less headstrong, less self-willed, all this
might have been avoided. But now what
your fate will be 1 shudder even to think
OF; as for my own, we'll, all 1 wish is to
die"
Rachel was much touched, and for the
first time she felt drawn towards him by a
feeling that she had not before experience
ed. 1t was not exactly love, but it was adj
miration for his courage and gratitude for
his staunchness to her.
Farewell" she answered, sadly. CAS-
regards yourself, you need have no fear.
You fathers severity will be but temper
airy. But what of me? Think you he will
show pity for me? No. He will blame me for
your being here, and therefore what have
to hope for?'' She paused for some mo-
ments. and then, fiercely, she added: Let
him beware, however, for the day Of ven
geance draws, nigh" She checked herself
and said with forced laugh: tut, how
foolish I talkl How can l. weak and
lonely woman, expect to revenge my
wrongs. against one so powerful as your
father"
"Who knoWs2" murmured Ivan, gloom
lily and thoughtfutly, as if some new BORN
idea was passing through his brain.
But he made no further remark, and he
was compelled to leave her. So they sep
arated mutterlng tarewelis, and he was
taken down, to the steamer, and conveyed
to the i>land.
A week passed. week of suspense and
misery to poor Rachel No news came to
her OF her father She could not get the
slightest information. Then the order was
issued that the convicts were to embark on
board the vessel for their destination, and
Ra hel was told that she must accompany
them, that it was the Governors command
She did not question why this should be SO,
for she thought that at last she would once
again behold her father.
, Catherine Petrovna was not allowed to
go, and The parting between her and her
husband was heartrending; but he whis-
pered in her ear
Courage, beloved; be strong. For your
sake | will watch and wait for the moment
when / can burst my shackles and reioin
you.
She tried to think that the moment