The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1892-09-29
CHAPTER XII.
THE HOUR OF RETALIATION.

THE HOUR OF RETALIATION.
Before Rachel reached Moscow the Chief
OF the Police had so far recovered as 10 be
able to resume his official duties. But he
was terribly disfigured, and over his sight
less eve he wore closely fitting dark green
shade. Although he did not know it then,
a cabal had formed against him during his
illness with view OF ousting him from of
flee. He was not considered successful
man, and in no country i'll the world is nom
success regarded with such contempt as It
is in Russia. But apart from this, as all
people know who have been i'll Russia,
every official, no matter what his position
is is bound to have host of enemies, Tor
the plums of office are so coveted, and
there is so much cliquism and lntriguln",
that jealousy is rampant, and the man VINO
is your sworn friend to-day Will become
your bitt crest foe to4morrowify ou are elect
ed to office.
Peter AIexieff, however, might have liv-
ed down all this had it not been Tor the
error he committed iii splitting in Aaron
Arama lace mn act that led TO the retalia-
ton which had deprived him OF the sight
of an eye and dishgured him for life THIS
fact, which; in the first heat of passion ana
anger, had been vigorously suppressed, had
leaked out; and the influential Jews got up
an agitation, and made the wrong Aaron
had suffered the subject OF petition to the
Car himself In it they craved that the
Unfortunate mans punishment might be
mitigatcd and Peter Alexietf deposed from
office.
Russias is nominaly an autocrat
and ruler of the land no more
pitiable puppet exists. He is gov
erned and ruled by his mobiles, whose
power he breads; for it is absolutely be-
yond doubt that by that power alone is the
Russian Emperor kept upon his throne:
When the petition reached him. which u
did in due course, he was advised, whlch
was tantamount to a command, TO ignore
it. Nevertheless, it had an effect, for there
were thnse about the Court who had rela-
tivCs and friends they were ANXIOUS to pro-
vide for, and they awaited themselves OF the
opportunity TO enlarge on Alexieff's short
comings, and to insist thai he was SO lack
ing i'll tact aad discretion that he was I'M
fitted Tor his office; and that he could serve
the State better by being appointed to The
governorship of a prison IN some far dIs-
tant province OF Siberia. This suggestion
was not lost upon the Cars advisers, VINO
saw in it means of getting out OF dliem-
ma; and the seed thus sown was destined
to iructiiy and bear fruit in the 1uliness OF
time But when that time would come 1t
would have been hard to say, Tor things
move slo ly in Russia. 1t is ponder
Gus country, and everything in connec-
ton with its working and administration
is ponderous, while hurry and speed,
especially in judicial matters, are not only
deprecated but unknown. Thus 1T comes
about that prisoners charged with offences
may languish for years In prison before
being brought to trial.
But matters were precipitated in Alex
icff's ca e by another act of folly and out
rage which he was guilty OF, and which
aIienated from him some OF his Warmest
supporters. And this very act, strangely
enough, by the keenest irony of late, was
the result of Rachel Arama's resolution
which she made in Moscow. That resolu-
ton was nothing more nor less than to
seek personal interview with the Chief of
Police and, throwing herself at his feet,
plead to him for her father.
1t is perhaps hardly necessary to say
that if she had had more worldly knowl-
edge, and had understood better what
AlexieH's true position was, she would
rather have suffered death than
have begged boon of him, and have
placed herself in his power. But in
her ignorance of all Safe matters, she
accredited the Chief ofthc Police with an
authority that was equal to the Chief OF the
Army, and only little less than that OF
the Gar himself, whom she would have
approached had she known hoy to have
done so. But no subject i'll Russia unless
he be of high rank and great influence, has
the slightest possible chance of reaching
His Maiesty's private ear. For he is guard
ed about Mitha triple Gordon, and the out
side world is to him almost q terra incog-
nita.
For one who had always been secluded
as Rachel had and who had scarcely ever
known what it was to be dependent upon
herself, it was great undertaking that OF
going to sec the Chief ofthe Police. She
had mentioned her project to her friend the
Chief Rabbi OF Moscow, who seemed dis
posed to discountenance it. but Rachel
was infexible. Beyond the Rab-
bi, hqweyeF' she , tod no one not
visit to her in Mosc6W.. During the inter
view he had renewed his prote,tations OF
love, but she had emphatieaily declared
that so long as he was the son of Peter
Aexieff she could not listen to him if he
sought her love- which was tantamount to
saying that his suit was absolutely hope
less for he would never be any body else
but sthe son OF Peter; and so he had gone
away somewhat dsheartened, but still
hopeful that by perseverance he would
prevail over her in the end. When she
arrived in st. Petersburg she went direct to
the bureau of the Chief OF the Police, and
then her first difficulty began. The Chief
was guarded ter the manner Of the
Gar himself, and no one who had not an
the inner sanctum where the Chief
welded his tyrannical power and re-
ccived the daily reports of his legion OF
spies.
When Rachel announced who she was,
the understrappers laughed at her, and
made coarse jokes and'rule remarks until
her face burned with the 'blushes OF shame.
But still she pressed her suit, for it was
her fathers lie she was going TO plead for;
and still she was rebuffed, while
with @ shameless cowardice the
menialss and sven the s9b-offi-
eials jeered at her and tauntcd her,
speaking mockingly Y OF hef as a
''Jewess" and asking her what value she
put upon her beauty SIR liking with
horror from these ribald rutfians she was
almost induced 10 abandon her Grand, but
she remembered that her dear father was
languishing in the dreadful Schlusselburg
Prison. about which she had heard the
most fear nj tales; SO she renewed her
pleadings with tears and means, though it
have pleaded to the stones. Bat il SO hap
pened that while she stood there beautiful
and beWtehipg even in her distress, the
Shiny. sleek and 'c}tnping Pavloff entered,
aid Feoognizihg Kacfel,T lie induiwd in
astonishment what SHE rcqq RCD. Then
when lie was informed o cur Gus smile
came over his saturnne features, and re-
qucstihg that she might be detained Tor
little while, he made his way to the cabinet
OF his Chief,
Peter Alexief was much occupied, for
he was dctatin. important dispatches TO
his shorthand clerks whom his privileged
creature entered lie did not see so well
now, Tor his 4 single eye was still
weak from the effects Of the iniuryi and,
ever fearful OF assassina ion, he turned
qucsly towards the intruder, txclain-
ing
"Who is THAR Then, ccognising him:
''Ah. Payloff, you bring news2 You
have something 70 communicate
Yes. your greatness and Pavlotf looks
cd at the clerks and then at the Chile. Tile
look was significant and the Chief under
stood it, for he led the way into a small
inner apartment, where there, we;c many
tel graphic ms rumett's and quite an arlil-
Org OF Neapons--two loaded revolvers w.
ing on the, dbsk within reach of Peters
hand.
What brings you, PaviofI7' lie ked,
Il have a surprise or you, little ather.n
.'Ihen it must be something wonderful,
for have ceased 10 be surprised ut any
thing"
1T is something wonderful
Speak it, then"
Rachel, the daughter of your enemy,
tire lev is without and Graves MI audienca