Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-07-28
BLOCK PUZZLE.

what end were my struggles. l might
by patience have obtained time Tor
last farewell; as it was l was hurried
away without touch of the lips, pres
sure of the hand, without even an OPP
porunity to implore my Paul to tell me
something by which / might identity
him and find him again.
ooh. that long, weary journey back to
Moscow. 1T passed like hidious dream
iii I felt myself again in the little bur-
can of police before my husbands con-
friere who still sat at his desk as
though he had never left it all those
years.
GO into the next ROOM" he said,
calmly land put on the clothing you
left here. You are about to return
home
Il cast myself at his feet. Let me
return to Siberia" I said. I cannot go
back to the Count Lavinsli."
"'There is no need, madam he said
The Count Lavinski is dead. On his
deathbed he obtained your pardon from
our mercifuI sovereign, the car. Re-
turn to your home; you will find that
a provision has been made for you by
your late husband.
Il still refused to rise or leave him
Have mercy on me, | said. I have no
part in life here l am ghost among
the living; mention me to the car and
have me sent back into exile
"He pushed me away impatiently
with his knee, to which I chung Have
a care he said. Siberia is wide. You
may return there, but you will not in
that case take the same road
Il dragged myself to my feet, cowed
at last into compliance. I staggered
into the inner room. and there, as IL
in mockery of my misery, lay my white
satin ball dress and my wreath of ste
phanotis yellow with age and covered in
the folds with dust.
81 put off my coarse woollen clothes
and kissed them because his hands had
touched them. I put on the fatal ball
gown with its torn fastenings hanging
by threads. the ball gown of the fash
ion of decade and a half ago, in which
| resembled some scarecrow figure from
a village show; thing for even babes
to jeer at. l even pinned the wreath
upon my head and passed out hum
bly,.
"T have obeyed the car I said. 4
will walk through the street thus IL 1t
will prove my submission. l pray you
forward my prayer to him.
Enough he said. Go home; your
presence is required in Moscow
"And what think you it was they re-
quired of me? My Paul was right.
They thought that I should know his
secrets, and those Of his one-time COM
rades. I was Intercepted once, twice,
half-a-hundred times. My answer, my
broken-hearted answer, was always
the same. I know nothing; not even
the name of him to whom you gayc
me. | am useless to you, permit me
to return
=" Iwrote and forwarded a petition to
the Car, Alexander III. 1t was unan-
swered. | spent the principal Of the
pittance my husband had left me in
trying to bride those who might have
helped me to discover the name of the
place to which l had been sent, and
from which | had returned. l failed
Then l went mad at the thought OF
my dear one-singing, perhaps, nc
more, but keeping his lonely watch al
the grave of our little child. / went
mad; saw blood. l said to myself
that the czar, whose mercy had been
cruel as death, should die; that
would avenge my wrongs and those Of
him whom | might see no more. Their
came August 18th last; the attempt
the failure andII am here"
The unhappy woman covered he'
face with her hands and dry sob:
shook her wasted frame at the mem
DRY of the sorrows she had endured
He will never know that was faith
full" she moaned. "He will never
know. That thought it was that made
me what | am; and, knowing it. dare
you condemn"
No" Osborne answered. solemnly
God keep me from the sin OF judging.
There was silence between them fol-
a little space; then she said. more
calmly: 1.-THE snow has ceased to fall
my friend; tomorrow you will SCI
out"
mo, no." he answered.
at will be so, think" she insisted
with a faint sad smile. "You are bu
waiting for me. The chain gals, bu
it cannot hold much longer. Tomor
row. or the next day, you will set out
and too shall have departed"
She was right; not the next day. bu
the day after, Osborne was again OF