Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-09-14

STA as an attaChe TO the British embassy
returned to him. He remembered the cm-
bassador's ball, at which he first met Olga
Dobrouloff. lie had fallen in love with
the surprisingly beautiful girl at first
sight-or at least he believed it was love
at that time
introduced 10 her father-her only liv-
ing relative-the young Englishman even
tually became the recipient of Paul Do
brouloff's views concerning his country,
but it was not until Austen had strongly
expressed his own opinion regarding the
Russian system of government, with all
its attendant evils that Olga's father bold
ly avowed himself nihilist. Austen APP
plauded the aims Of this society and IS
at length induced to become one of the
Brotherhood, taking the oath to aid them
in their secret war against tyranny.
Shortly after this, the death of near
relative called him homo, and he had been
in England but little time when the
conviction grew upon him that his love for
Olga which he had thought so all pervad-
ing, was dead. He wrote to her to this
effect, but received no reply Perhaps his
letter had miscarried. Having no desire
to return to Russia, he had resigned his
post there ami possessing a small COM
potency, devoted himself to literature, with
fair success. Indeed only two days pre-
vious to Olga DobrouloT's visit play of
his had been produced and we'll received
by the critics.
The silence of the room was broken only
by the ticking Of the clock and the sobs of
the kneeling woman. The latter grew
fainter after awhile, and Austen was
thinking hemight approach and offer some
words of comfort when, with a quick
movement, Olga rose to her feet. Her eyes
vcr3 svo'le1 With weeping but the ex-
preston q her f.co was calm.
Il accept my fate, she said, land will
ne, trouble you again. You refuse to ex-
ecutc the orders OF the nihilist chiefs;'
With head erect she passed out on to the
staircase and in "A moment was gone from
his sight. Austen waited until her foot
steps died away and then slowly, thought
fully, returned to his room.
The first thing his eyes rested on was
the order of the nihilist chiefs that he
Cecil Austen, should take the life Of Ivan
Bronski, the traitor IT was lying on the
floor, With the photograph Of Dora Pen
field, the girl he loved. With a shudder he
cast the obnoxious paper in the fire, whore
it was quickly consumed and kissing the
picture lovingly he replaced it on the
mantoipicco His mind was no longer &
erciscd as to where he should spend the
evening. Tn fire was out, the gray dawn
just creeping in at the windows, when he
at last threw himself on the bed and foil
into a troubled sleep.
1t was high noon when he awoke. The
frs, thing that arrested his attention vas
the shouting If newsboys in the street.
mysterious murder in 'Am'stid this
mo,nin!" was the burden of their cry. AS
a dramatist his instinct for the sensational
prompted him to send for paper
Turning to the column headed by the
words forming the ncwsboys' cry, his eyes
rested upon name that sent n sudden
agonizing thrill to his very heart center.
AT an early hour this morning" read
the account, p. c. Robson found the dead
body of man lying under the trees in
Beech Walk, Hampstead. Great reticence
is maintained by the local police regard
ing the affair, but cur inquiries have clio
tied the fact that the deceased was shot
through tho head, the course of the bullet
being from back to front. The weapon
/ has not been discovered. No one in tie
I neighborhCod seems to have been disturbed
during the night. but this may he account
ed for by Beech Walk being a somewhat
lonely thorou~hfHrc. The nearest house to
the scene Of the murder is 80 yards dis
tdut. From papers found on the body it
Is believed tAtt TIE murdered man is a
Russian named Ivan Bronsk.
a later report states that Bronski has
been identified lly woman as a man who
lodged in her house during the last few
months under the name of Peter Dumar-
off. Our representative is prosecuting fur
Their inquiries, the result Of which will be
published in oCr special edition"
The rattat Of the postman here resOund-
L IL
brought in Austen was conscious Of a
faint recollection of the writing on the
envelope. lie broke it open Yes, it was
from Olga Dubrouloff:
DEAR CECIL My LOST LOvE-You
were wrong to think lightly Of the power
of the nihiist chiefs to punish with death
those of the brethren who fail to stand by
their oath Had l taken back to them
your refusal to carry out their vengeance
on a traitor you would assuredly have
been doomed. But l will save you. When
you read this, Ivan Bronski will be dead
man, and my hand will have slain him,
this partly to avenge my father, but
chiefly to protect you l am sufficiently
acquainted with Bronskis movements To
know that the opportunity l require will
occur within few hours of my conclud-
ing this letter Escape for myself will be
easy, trust. shall return to Russia and
report to the chiefs simply that their or
ders have been obeyed, and ! advise you
at once to communicate with them Il in
close address,, asking for release from
your oath. My task accomplished, l need
say no more than that life will be to me a
burden unbearable, and l shall not hest
tate to free myself from the torture of re-
greet that is burning my poor heart away
Goodby, Cecil May you be happier in
your love than OLGA DOBROULoFF.
Little more of importance was ever pub
lished regarding the Hampstead affair
An open verdict was returned at the in
quest, and the mystery of Bronski's deatl
was never elucidated. London Tit Bits
Truth Is Mighty.
They didn't know for sure that the mar
they had had stolen the horse, but they
were guessing so near it that they had &
rope around his neck and were heading