San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-17

The first sin ofttimes paves a smooth
pathway for the second.
What was the welfare Of his ward
compared to his own interests, his for
tune, his position, his reputation?
In January Maurice Hammond came
east with his friend and himself pro-
posed a six months continental tour.
The two boys having finished col
lege, what was more natural than that
they should wish to see the world?
Colonel Hoffman gladly acquiesced.
With infinite finesse he pictured Uncle
Vladimir as sorrowful. repentant. anx-
ious to see his nephew for his sisters
sake.
He cabled to ST. Petersburg.
Three weeks later letter came to
Maurice Hammond, a warm invitation
to visit the Russian capital before the
approach Of summer made it unpleas.
ant.
The tempting prospects that the let
ter held out proved irresistible.
The two boys sailed from New York
late in February and, contenting them
selves with brief stay in London and
Paris, trave led by easy stages across the
continent.
Vladimir Saradoff, at the time this
story opens, had reached the age of 40
years.
The last member of an old and re-
nowned Russian family, his brilliant
birth, his political influence, and above
all the favor of the car, gave him
prestige at court and in st. Petersburg
society that was surpassed by few. His
education, acquired partly at home. part
ly in German universities, was lacking
in nothing, and he possessed a fluent
knowledge of English language and
customs, the result Of diplomatic term
of service at the Russian legation at
London. In disposition he was crafty
and revengeful
His sisters marriage had been Sc
we're shock to his pride.
He was absent in the Caucasus at the
time it occurred. When he returned, she
had already left Russia, and the venge-
ance which he meditated ON the dar-
ing American was beyond his reach.
The events of the past 90 years-the
death of his sister and her husband and
the fortune left to their child-had on
ly added fuel to the fame of his wrath.
Today he hated Maurice Hammond
as implacably as he had hated Freder-
lex Hammond 20 years before.
Let us add one more fact
Vladimir Saradoff had been all his
life addicted to that especially Russian
vice, gaming.
He was supposed to be wealthy.
He owned a palace on the Nevskoi
Prospekt, a country seat in the north.
His expenses were enormous, but his
income was reported to be fabulous. The
truth was not even suspected. Slowly,
but surely, Vladimir Saradoff's wealth
had been slipping away over the gam
ing tables. A crisis was at hand. He
realized that he must acquire large
sum of money or lose all that he held
most dear-his prestige at court, his
position in society and his ancestral
heritage. He concentrated his thoughts
on two objects, the attainment of long
deferred vengeance and the acquisition
of the badly needed wealth.
At the vast frontier station of Wir-
ballen, which they reached at midnight,
cold and hungry, the boys obtained
their first view of Russian life. Pass
ports and baggage were overhauled, and
then they were turned into the dreary
waiting room with many other passen-
gers.
There was little time for scrutiny or
observation.
The Russian train ratified into the
station, and almost before they knew
it their passports, properly stamped, had
been pressed into their hands, and the
train was rafting noisily ON into the
night.
They were speeding over Russian soil
now. Before them stretched the domin-
ions of the, car, an empire that reached
thousands and thousands of miles across
Siberian wastes and deserts to the far
away Pacific coast.
Hour after hour the train rushed
through the gloomy snow clad country,
stopping at intervals at huge barnlike
stations, and at last, late on the fol-
lowing evening, they knew that the end
of the journey was near.
81 wonder what sort of a reception
this aristocratic uncle of yours will give
me, Maurice?" said Phil Danvers as
he pulled a cap over his curly black
hair and unfolded his big fur trimmed
coat preparatory to putting it on.
"Don't you think it was rather
cheeky performance to invite a guest on
your own responsibility"
Don't talk nonsense, Phil" replied
his companion. HE will be only too
glad to receive friend of mine. He
had plenty of notice wrote to him
from London, and then you know we
telegraphed him from Berlin yesterday
morning"
"Petersburgw shouts the smartly
uniformed conductor, and in an instant
all is hustle and commotion as the train
rolls into the vast station.
Maurice draws long breath as he