The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1892-12-22
THE REVOLT.

umph; but like all men of his stamp and
TEMPERAMENT, he seemed to forget that cum
ming could be met with cunning; and that
forces might be arranged against him that
not all his cunning, not all his caution, not
all his watchfulness would enable him to
avert But now he chuckled and chuckled
again, as he thought of the letter which he
had received from his patron, Count Suvor-
of, wherein the Count said-'In Sakhalln
you have absolute power. A man who has
absolute power should know how to deal
with an insolent Jewess. Humility she
knows mott you must teach it to her; Graft
tude she is stranger to; make her ac-
quainted with it."
For months Alexieff had kept that letter
in his mind, and he looked forward to
Rachel's coming with a sort of teroclous
joy. He had done the father to death with
unrelenting cruelty, and his thirst for ven
geance would not be satisfied until he had
tortured and slain the daughter as he tor
tured and slew the father. But when he
heard, to his amazement, that his son was
actually travelling through Siberia with
Rachel, his plan had to be changed and
his giving her a passport to take her to
Viadivostock was only part of the changed
plan. Presently he sent for his creature
Pavloff, who was still with him, and thus
addressed HIM
"Pavloff, you are aware that Rachel Ara
ma is here?"
II am, your nobleness."
And you are aware that my son has fol-
lowed her across Siberia?"
II am aware of that also"
You are invaluable, Pavlot. Now,
hearken. I have given to her passport to
frank her to Vladivostock, and have coun-
selled her to take ship there for England or
France"
"In Gods name your mightiness, you
have surely never done this thing?" cried
Pavloff, in the profoundest amazement.
II have done this thing, Pavlotf, my
faith I'll one"
Then are you changed indeed. Having
have fiayed her instead Of giving her life
and liberty"
Alexieff smiled.
You are growing dull-witted, Pavloff,
he remarked. The air ofSakhalin evident
ly does not tend to brighten you. Do you
forget that have my son to reckon with
here? While he is detained Rachel will go
truest friend, you will take care that she
does not live to reach Vladivostock. Do
make myself clear?"
Pavloff was silent for some moments, as
if overcome by this exhibition of his chiefs
superior cunning. Then he answered, and
there was world ct meaning in his an
swer.
You make yourself quite clear"
''And l can depend upon you in the
matter"
You cam" and as the creature said this
there came into his eyes light that told
all too clearly the wickedness that was in
his heart, Pavloff was a human demon,
and aiming at power and the riches that
power would bring, he would stick at moth =
ing. Such men as he seem imbued with
an idea that they are immortal, and that
tor them there is no reckoning. But
in the present instance both he
and his master were dealing with
unknown quantities. They forgot per-
haps they had never remembered it, that a
woman driven to desperation by wrong
and cruelty cannot be looked upon with
indifference.
In Nikolaevsk was Catherine Petrovna,
and in Sakhalin were Rachel Arama and
Paul Petrovna. The Governor had told
Rachel that she would have to leave in two
or three days, but in order to gain time she
feigned illness, and the journey to the
coast was postponed,
evsk there was an exceedingly small garri-
son, altogether not more than twenty
soldiers; and the garrison of Sakhalin was
much below even in its winter strength,
while the convicts numbered nearly three
thousand. Amongst these the artel
brought its influence to bear, and with
such success that the plot gathered
strength, and men bound themselves by
solemn oaths not to betray each other,
and to make bold fight for liberty when
the hour came.
Paul, having money, managed by means
of bribe to get a message, which he wrote
in pre-arranged cipher. conveyed to his
wife that at given hour on given day
the inhabitants OF Nikolavesk, or such OF
them as could be trusted, were to RISE and
seizing the steamer proceed to the island
andwait events there. 1t was desperate VEN
ture, but what will people not do when stu
ated as the unhappy convicts OF Sakhalln
were2 To utter the word Freedom" to
them was to at once arouse in them the
fierce desire for it, and that being
done, nothing, would seem i'm possibie.
Furious as Catherine was at being sepa-
rated from her husband, and at the treat
ment he had been subjected to, she was a
host in herselt and she inspired others with
her feeling. Silently, steadily, and secret
~ she matured her plans and one evening
she and number of other women whose
relatives pinned and labored on Sskhalin
lured large proportion of the garrison to
Nikoiaevsk to the one drinklng-place
there was in the town, and when these
men were more or less dazed with vodka,
and utterly without any suspicion OF dan
ger, they were suddenly set upon by the
women and their male friends, and being
deprived of their arms, some were slain
| and others were bound hand and foot, and
thus rendered helpless.
Then the whole town was reused by the
| roiters. and the excitement spreading, q
| rush was made for the barracks which
readily fell into their hands before any de-
fence could be made though some of them
| paid for their temerity with their lives.
| But in the course of an hour from the ont
| break the little place was entirely in the
hands of The mob, and at the head of them
| was Catherine, who having whetted hel
fangs so to speak, was notlikely to be easily
| restrained. The armory was forced, and
q quantity of arms and ammunition was
seized, and then the desperate venturer:
| rushed on board the steamer and steered
her for the island.
So far then the revolt had been success,
full. But this was only the initial stage
and there was yet much to be done, and
that was to be made on the island, the
rising would collapse and terrible would BIZ
| the penalty that would be exacted.
| At the station on the island most of the
| convicts were employed at some coal
mines, though what the coal was extracted
for no one seemed to know. 1t could no.
be shipped away, it could not be used; but
| if the exiles had not done this they could
not have done anything else, for coal-anC
very inferior quality it isis the only
mineral the island produces. The coal il
largely got out by blasting, and for some
time The miners had been secreting small
quantities OF the .hlasting powder until thu
amount beelme formidable. We ~ "a
At nighttime very little watch and ware
was kept over the prisoners, for the author
tiles never dreamed of revolt, and escape
seemed out of the question. Isolated
escapes were, comparatively speaking, fire.
quent, but the convict was general!
brought back, or killed by tn
to by rewards. And so it cam
to pass THAT night was chosen that cor
responded with the rising in Nikolaevsk
and little band of desperate men carriet
the powder they had saved, and aggregat
ing it. they filled large empty oil can, t.
which they attached fuse. and then
lighting the fuse, they placed the cal
against the barracks occupied by some o
the garrison, and in such position tina
the explosion could not fail to work meal
culable mischief.
The explosion was terrific. The buildin,
was shattered and wreck ed, and nearly al
who We're occupying it at the time wer
killed or MANNED. Theuin the panic tina
ensued the successful rebels possessed
/ themselves of arms and those who coulC
| not get firearms got stones, sticks irol
y - r. ~ II