Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-12-29

under six miles and in winter that part of
the strait is ;roz"n over and from this may
he gatll red how severe the climate is. In
the >nnr>ner ronYunication is kept up
with ,helsland from Nikolaevsk by means
q small steamer.
As the relatives OF the cOnvlcts are not
allowed % 1--we on the island itself, they
have to do the be tthey can in Nikolaevsk,
rack, in which ey hAye to herd like cat
tie. AT fixed intervals they are allowed to
cross over to the Island and pny Il brief
visit to their friends but this is always
done I'M er the s,rctcst regulations, and
the ntmostvigiance is exercised by those
in command.
Nlkolaevsk itself is shut off from the
rest of the world, and the inhabitants
know nothing of what is going ON else
where the original >>otte in the place
are low tyne of people who, during the
sumner, spend their time III fishing, and
hibernate during the winter, when the
climate is SO severe and the snowstorms so
terrible that Lille is well.niSh insupport-
able.
On arriving at this place Rachel felt that
her journey was practically ended, and q
1cversh anxiety 10 get news of her father
took possession Of her; but she could hear
nothing apd when she applied at the Blu
reau for 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
strait; while the free eXiles" were relegat-
ed to their quarters and warned that they
must strictly obey the regulations in force
for the government, and well-orderlng of
/ the colony.
In he free quarter Ivan Alexietr found
lodgings or the first few days, and he en-
braced evc'y opportunity to renew his
avowals OF love for Rachel, and to solicit
her to become his wife. But sne babe him
wait; babe him be patient; babe linn see
what the future would brin. forth. AT the
end OF the week. however. after their arri-
val there came Il sudden and startling
denoucment which neither had antic,pat-
ed. Ivan was made a prisoner by order of
the Governor, his own father, and he was
to he conveyed at once 10 the island.
Ivan was furious when he heard this. but
he had 10 recognise how powerlcss he was
to resist the order, which was owing to the
letter sent by the Governor OF Perm. Peter
AlrNeff had heard with alnazcmcnt and
fierce anger that his son WAS actually
travelling through Siberia with Rachel
receiv' d the letter itom his patron, Count
Suvorot. which informed Inn OF Rachel's
intention to journey to the east and that
had caused i'm TO rejoice; lor he had
thought to himself, 81 hay. the father in
my power, and soon | shall have the
11Si Idticl Il'C VI All
eye and diSiigurrd me for Ii e. For that
will crush both father aud daughter, and
ere their unbclicving bodies are given to
the worms they shall know how terrible
| the revenge of q Christian can be-"
IN determination was quite in keeping
| with the man S character and disposition.
lie had neither charity nor mercy, and
with him it was cred that wrong
should never be forgiven; though how he
had suffered wrong ut the hands the I'M
fortunate people he had so >hamelully per-
secuted it is difficult to say. The injury
ilicted upon him was well deserved;
and considering how it had been
provoked. it could hardly be termed
wrong except from his point OF view.
When the Governor of Perm's letter
reached him it intensified his feelings of
Jews as he had under lis control on the
island were made to feel his haired Ivy in
| creased sew rity. increased harshneSs. IN
creased brutality. AS soon as he heard
that the rarty 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 Tor the first time his true
position. He saw now that he had been
pursuing phantom. and that 1t had led
him into trap from VIII Oh apparently
Here in this wild region he was complete
| ~ in his fathers power; and lie knew his
tather too well to suppose that he would
either listen TO his plcadings, even if he
had been disposed to plead, or show the
slightest mercy 10 Rachel: 1t seemed now
| that all was ended All his sutferings and
| the sacrifice he had made had been prohuc-
| tive of nothing but this; and here, in the
desolate and storm-beaten corner of the
world, he was rudely awakened from his
dream ofloye to learn that he had dreamed
! OF impossible things, and the lair fruit he
| had hoped TO pluck had turned to ashes
even be ore he had Sra ped it. :
In brief interview he had with Rachel
| as soon as it was made known to him that
he was to consider himself prisoner, he
| him
Rachel my heart is torn out ofme, and
the wound viii never heal. ] 20 from you
now, perhaps never to see you again. He
whom ! am ashamed to call my father
wills it so. W. seem to have been thesport
OF cruel destiny, and have been Knocked
and iortrrc': by delusion. Your beauty
has bcguled me to my ruin. Had you been
| less headstrong, less self-wiiled, ali this
might have been avoided. But now what
your fate will be sh,dder even to think
of; as Tor my own, well, all ! wish is to
die"
Rachel was much touched and for the
! first time she felt hra wn towards him by
feeling that she had not before experience
ed. 1t was not exactly love. but it was adj
mirat:on for his courage and gratitude for
| his staunchnesS to her.
FAREWELL" she answered, sadly. "As
regards yourself yon need have no fear.
You fathers severity will be but temper
arg. 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 tor" She paused for some mo-
ments. and then ticrcey, she added: Let
him beware. however ior the day of ven
geance draws nigh" She check ed herself
ana said Will, q forced laugh: Tut. how
foolish ! talk! How can l. weak and
lonely woman, expect to revenge my
wrongs against one so powerful as your
father"
who knows?" murmured Ivan, gloom
lily and thoughtfuly. as if some newborn
idea was passing through his brain.
But he made no further remark, and he
was compelled to leave her So they sep
arated muttering farcwelis. and he was
taken down to the steamer, and conveyed
to the Island.
A week passed a week Of suspense and
misery to poor Rachel No news came to