The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1892-12-22
CHAPTER Xxx,
OUT OF CIRCULATION

Although ivan nau not Deen Kept close
prisoner by his tather---in fact. hardly
prisoner at all he had been iealously
watched, and he was aware of that so that
he made no attempt to hold communica-
ton with the woman whose influence had
exerted such an extraordinary fascination
over him, and which he was as powerless
to resist then as he had been poWerless to
resist in St. Petersburg.
He was perfectly we'll aware however,
that, unless by stratagem, there was little
change Of his being able to hold communl-
cation with her. But he made desperate
resolve that when she had taken her de-
parture he would make a break for his
freedom and follow her again at the peril
OF his life.
The outbreak of the revolt opened I'D u
way for him that he had not dreamed Of
and, gaining his freedom, he rushed to her
and clasped her in his arms. She
uttered a laugh that was almost like
the laugh of one of sense bereft, and push.
ing him from her she cried
Surely the hand of Providence is work
ing in this. Now shall you render ME the
sacrifice that you sWoTe so solemnly to rem
der when should call upon you to do
So"
"What mean your" he asked, with
alarm showing itself in his face and tone,
You are Ivan Alexief, son of Peter
Alexieff, who has pursued me and mine to
our ruin with the unrelentipg cruelty of
tiend. Now the moment has come when I
demand from you the sacrifice You shall
be the instrument Of my vengeance; yours
shall be the hand that shall revenge me,
Ivan Alexieff in virtue of your oath, I de-
mand from you the sacrifice of your
father"
He reeled from her. and stretched out
both his hands before him as ifhe would
ward her off.
''Are you mad?" he gasped. hoarsely.
perhaps | am, but you dare not break
your oath. Remember how you swore it.
Remember how often you have vowed you
loved me-"
He covered his face now with his hands,
and shuddered.
"But this man is my father" he muir
INJURED.
And my deadly enemy" she answered.
Release me from my oath, " he pleaded,
as he now stretched his hands towards
her.
mo" she answered, sternly.
Are you pitiless?"
Eyes as pitiless as your father"
Rachel, Rachel, spare me. l have loved
you, do love you, and will die for you if
you demand it, but save me from this sac
rifice you now ask"
"Why should p"
because love you"
'Think of all l have suffered at the hands
of your father"
II forget nothing. Would to Heaven I
could. But let us fly from here. Escape
may be impossible but at least we can die
together"
She laughed again like one bereft of
reason and said passionately:-
"Think you l can forget my fathers
wrongs, my fathers sufferings and his cruel
death2 When you volunteered to accom-
| pany me across Siberia, saw in you an in
strument of vengeance, and l extracted
| from you a solemn oath that you would
render ME service. Now, after long,
weary months of waiting and painful sus-
pense, and in this supreme moment, when
| the lives Of so many of those wretched ex-
lies are at stake, l call upon you to fulfill
your VOW, sworn on the Ikon and sworn on
the Cross, the sacred emblem of your
| Church. Dare you break that VOW"
mo, Fl" he ialtered, mot if you will not re-
lease ME.
i will not release you. + demand the
sacrifice"
For some moments he seemed to endure
terrible struggle with himself; then a
change came over him, an unnatural calm
ness; and approaching her, he said
$50 be it, You are pitiless in your hour
of triumph. / cannot blame you. My
father has inflicted upon you
and yours irreparable wrong; and, though
he be father of mine, l confess that he de-
serves death. But l, at least. who have
| loved you, who have endured hardship
and made sacrifices for your sake, am sure
| ly worthy of a better fate than that you re-
serve for me.
but like moth that filters around the
| fame dazzled and bewildered by its bril-
liancy, so have been dazzled and bewil-
ed by your beauty ands now like the burnt
moth | can only writhe and die. Farewell
| Rachel Arama we shall meet no more. but
so long as you draw the breath Of lie think
of me with some pity, some kindly thought
| for have been true to you to death"
He could say no more. Emotion chok-
ed him, and turning from her he hurried
away. She made a movement as if she
would follow and recall him, but checking
herself she murmured: mo it is Fate.
On he went out into the darkness ofthe
night andmade his way to where the strug-
gle still ragged, and where the heap of slain
and wounded--friend and foe mingled to
gether-showed how fierce and pitIless the
struggle had been. quickened his pace
until with rush he came between the cross
fire of the contending parties, and fell rid
lured him so far and so long had COM
| pleted it's work, and Ivan Alexieff, rather
than become a parricide, courted and
found death. But even i he had attempt
ed to make the sacrifice Rachel demanded
OF him he would have been too late, for a
| llIlle Wnlle .DelOTe refer hleXlc1I naQ Deen
smitten TO death by Paul Petroyna.
Peters fall dsheart4t ed his followers,
although they still endeavored to over
come the rebels, But so far Petrovna had
accomplished his purpose, and he made
good his escape but not alone, for, as he
had promised his wife he would do lie
took Rachel with MIN. 1t seemed to her
that she had nothing further to live Tor,
but he encouraged her, persuaded her. and
she went with him. About two dozen
others got away at the same time, and
travelling with all speed they reached the
spot on the coast where it was arranged the
steamer should be in waiting, and there
they found her,
Catherine welcomed her husband with
delirious Joy. and when all were EN- bark
ed the frail craft headed for the open,
and, alter terribly stormy and rilous
passage, during which she was often in
DANCER OF laundering, she reached the coast
Of japan. There the escaped exiles dis
persed, but Catllarine Paul and Rachel
made their way to Yokohama, where
Rachel got financial assistance from one o.