Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-01-05

traordnary valor while he himself kept
out OF harms way. she grew sick with the
fear that after all the purpose of her long
journey would be unnccomplished and all
she had endured would go unavenced.
The suspense was fearful. the strain upon
the mind all hut endurabe. But suddenly
voice exclaimed in Der ears
Rachel, my beloved!'
And the next moment she was ciasped in
the arms OF Ivan AleXietf
CHAPTER xxx.
OUT OF TRIBULA1ioN
Although Ivan had not been kept close
prisoner by his iather---in fact, hardly a
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 30 werless to
resist in st. Petersburg.
He was perfectly we'll aware, however,
that, unless by stratngem, there was little
chance of his being able to hold commune
cation with her. But he made desperate
resolve that when she had taken her de-
parture he would make break Tor his
freedom and follow her again at the peril
OF his life.
The outbreak Of the revolt opened up a
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 berett, and push
ing him from her she cried:-
ing in this. Now shall you render me the
sacrifice that you swore so solemnly to rem
der when 1 should call upon you to do
So"
what mean your" he asked, with
alarm showing itself in his face and tone.
You are Ivan Alexieff, son of Peter
AleXieff, who has pursued me and mine ia
our ruin with the unrelentiug cruelty OF a
fend. Now the moment has come when l
demand from you the sacrifice. You shall
be the instrument of my vengeance; yours
shall be the hand that shall revenge me.
Ivan Alexietf, i'll virtue of your oath, l de-
mand from you the sacrifice of your
father"
He rerled from her, and sre:chel out
both his hands before him us if he would
ward her off.
Are you mad?" he gasped. hoarselv.
perhaps l 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, F." he pleaded,
as he now stretched his hands towards
her.
mo-" she answered. sternly.
Are you litileSs?"
"Yes. as ptiless as your father
Rachel, Rachel spare me. l have loved
you, do love you, and will die tor you it
you demand it, but save me from this sac
ritice you now ask
"Why 81 ould ?"
because love YOU"
"rhink ofall lave suffered at the hands
oiyour father
II orgct nothing. Would to Heaven
could. But let us fly from here. Escape
may be impossible, but at least we can die
together"
She laughed again like one be-clt of
reason, AID said pas>ionately:
Think you l can forget my father 3
wrongs my fathers suilerngs and his cruel
death? When you volunteered to accom-
pany me across Siberia, saw in you an in
srunlrnt Of ven- eanCe and | extracted
from you solemn oath that you would
render me a service Now, after long
weary months Of waiting and painful sus-
pense and i'll this supreme moment when
the lives ofSo many Of those wretch. d eX-
lies are at stake, 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" he !altered. mot if you will not re-
lease me-"
Il will not release you. I demand the
sacrifice"
For some moments he seemed to endure
terrible struggle with himself; then a
change came over him. all unnatural cal m
ness; and approaching her. he said
so be it. You are pitiless in your hour
Of triumph. l cannot blame you. My
father has intl ,ted upon you
and yours irreparable wrong; and, though
serves death. But I, at leas who have
loved YOU who have endured hard hip
and made sacrifices for your sake, am -ufe-
ly worthy of a better late than that you re-
serve fur The.
'Bul like moth that filters around the
fame. dazz ed and bewildered by its bril-
liuncy, SO have been dazzlei and bewil-
ed by your beauty. and. now like the burnt
moth | can only writhe and die. Farewell,
Rachel Arama we shall meet no more. but
so Ion. as you draw he breath lie 'hnl1
of me with some pity. some kindly thought,
for have been true to you to dra'n.'
He could say no more. Emnt on chok-
ed him, and turning from her he hurried
away. She made Il movement US il she
would lOlloW ana recall nm. Dut cnecklnS
her elf she murmured: 'No it is Fate"
On he Went ,ut in,o the darkness ofthe
night. and made his way to where the sruy-
gle still ragged, and where the heap of slain
and wound d. r.nd and foe mi gled to
gether-Sl,owed how fierce aud pit less the
Slrug lie had b'rn. Heou cKened his pace
until with ruth he came belw he cross
fire of the cnniending par les. and fell rid
died with ,ul cts. The phantom, that had
lu ed him 81 far and SO long had COM
plctrd Is work. and Ivan AleXietf, rather
than become q parrrid". courtet and
found death. But even he had attempt
ell to ma 4 he sacrifice Rae ell demanded
OF hun he would have been too IN e. iur a
little VIII 10 .'-lore Peter Alexiett had been
smttel, 20 lie, |, nv Paul 'ernvna.
Peters TALL Il i, art ned his followers,
although they st II endeavorrd 10 owe :.
com" the rebels. But so lar Perovna had
ACCOMPLISHED his .utnpse. and he. made