The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-11
COPYRIGHTED, 1897, L
CHAPTER XV-Continued.

CHAPTER XV-Continued.
Through my perturbed mind there
aurged vivid recollections of recent events
of Ella beauty, and of the lnscrutabe
mystery surrounding her. 1t was amaz-
ing, to say the least, that this handsome
girl, whose life had been SO romantic and
full of tragedy, should thus make yelled
allegations and denounce as vile and
worthless the woman [ so deeply loved.
That she had some Interior motive was
al course apparent, but although l debat-
ed within myself its probable cause, [ ut
tsrly failed to arrive at any satisfactory
conclusion. One fact was, however, I'm
pressed upon me during our subsequent
overwhelmingly, that Sonia was in
possession of the secret that Ella withheld
trom me. That the pretty Russian had
known Mrs. Laing and Ella intimately l
could not doubt from what she told me
regarding them, yet did not fail to de-
teot in her voice harshness whenever
she spoke Of them, the more so when she
mentioned the name Of my well-beloved.
Once. in trying to determine the cause of
this felt inclined to attribute it to jeal-
ousy, but when / reflected that l had seen
Sonia only once before, and that knew
absolutely nothing Of her except what she
herself had told me. 1 secuted the idea.
1t was plain. too, that she had been in
timately acquainted with Dudley, for she
coke of him famifiarly, smiled at his lit
tie eccentricities, and expressed the most
heartfelt regret at lis mysterious and
tragic end. Times <yithout number,
when she had sunk ba6a into her chair.
tried to induce her to iz&parb to me some
thing INCORPORATING tk5 woman l loved,
bat she declined. She warned me by con-
ssant utterapces to be circufnspect, but
regarding the past preserved silence
rigid and severe
Presently, as my eyes wandered around
the well-fufnished room. noticed, stand
ing upon the piano photograph-frame OF
oxydized silver Containing. q portrait, l
looked at it astouhded for it was the like
ness of my dead friend. She noticed my
attention attracted by 1t, and rising in
silence brought it across to ..me, and
taking 1t from it's frame, said:
''This perhaps will convince you that
Mr.. Ogle was my friend"
took the portrait from her hand, and
read on the back in his wen-known hand
writing the words: "From Dudley to
dearest Sonia.
No copy Of this portrait had before
seen. From the suit of eight tweed he
wore knew that he could not have been
photographed longer than q month prior
IS his death. and 1t seemed likely that he
und had this taken specially for her.
Although fond Of telling me of his
flirtations The had never spoken of his ac-
quaiutance with this pretty refugee, yet
from her remarks knew that they had
been friend s..for several years.
Long and earnestly looked at the pic
ture, then handed it back to her without
comment Truth to tell even this coun-
terfeit presentmeut filled me with fierce
hatred against him, for had not Lord
Maybury been absolutely correct in re-
marking that everything pointed to the
conclusion that he was spy? indeed,
his association with this pretty Russian
who had perhaps fascinated him WAS an
other fact that seemed now to confirm my
increasing suspicious. 1t was romantic
story that Sonia told me, but what evil
dence did possess that she was actually
q political refugee? The swarrant issued
from Petersburg for the arrest OF her
father and herself was for the Emurder OF
a foreign woman who, according to the
dispositions that my friend Mt the Russian
Embassy showed me, had been enticed to
a house in low quarter of the city and
stIangled with silken cord. No mint
ind been given Ethat the pair wanted"
were "apostles of dynamite, "and 1 now
remembered. that when l had suggested it
to my friend he laughed, declaring that
I was utterly mistaken. 1 recollected that
the words he used were
"They are not revolutionists, but a pre-
cocious pair of criminals who, from time
to time, have made enormous coups. No
doubt the charming girl has told you
some ingenious fiction or other about her
fathers patriotism, but should advise
you to take 1t all with the proverb1aI
grain of salt. They are the only two of
an utterly unscruruIous gang now re-
manning at liberty, and If your Govern
ment will give them up we will rid socie-
ty of them by burying them deap in one
of our Siberian mines. But as you have
come with this offer to readjust the little
diplomatic friction in return Sor their
= r I'll obi af IN, mr. r.
nevertheless, do not forget that this
action of yours will set at liberay a pair
of the most fearless and ingenious harpies
in Europe.
AS sat opposite her, Watching her Sc
ductive smiles, these words reeurred to
me, and I wondered whether tho allega-
ton of the. Secretary of the Embassy was
true. I recollected, also. when with tears
in those brilliant eyes, she had besought
me to intercede on her fathers behalf,
how she told me distinctly thai Seker-
Zhinski, the Chief of Police, haa made
charges against them cruel and fSlse. Ger
cainly when she had come to me humhly
imploring the protection OF tha British
Government against the persecution OF
Der aceusers she had none of this swagger
IF the adventures. Even now, dressed in
plain mourning with no jewelr8 except
the single golden bangle which ! remem-
Dersd she had worn when we beisse met,
/ could not bring myslf to think chat she
Ras actually the desperate criniMal that
my friend Paul Verblioudovitci would
have me believe.
knowing, as 1 did. how tts Cars
emissaries followed and captures by all
manner of subtle devices those E1Spected
of revolutionary conspiracy, was again
convinced, as had been two years ago,
that Sonia, was conspirator against the
life of his Majestys She certainly was
not common criminal. AS she chatted
to me, young, refined, sad-eyed, ssre was
in her face:unmistakable traces q anxiety
and suffering. Finding that she Sbsolute
ly refused to say anything further regard
ing the woman adored, began TO ques.
tion her az to her own happiness and
fdture.