Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-11-11
CHAPTER Y.


a RR. GORDON was beginnin,
| I'VE To feel anxious. He knew
| NX just how long it took to g
| to Perm and return. Fran
aes had often taken long Journeys b!
herself. but she was now three day!
overdue. and the engineer was eager
to get to the Obi.
"Where can she be?" he asked him
self. "She must stop this racing al
over the world alone. Something viii
surely happen to her one Of these fint
days. I'll stop it."
| Frances arrived while he was making
the resolve.
"Where have you been?" asked Cor.
| don.
ITO PERM"
ITO Perm! But you have been away
three days longer than was necessary.
l do not like this way you have Of go
ing off by yourself"
Il fancy l can take care Of myself.
I've been in Perm the three days"
with the blacksmith and his peo.
ple"
mo. The blacksmith and his people!
Vladimir has been sent to Siberia"
"What! Not the ironworker Paul.
poff?"
vladimir Paulpoff, Mamma Paulpoff
and Papa Paulpoff are now on their
way to Tomsk."
"The deviln'
YES, the devil! That is just the in
dividual who did it."
"What is his other name"
prince Neslerov."
What. Neslerov sent Paulpoff to-
Come, tell me what you mean."
"a man like Neslerov can do any
thing he likes in Russia except marry
an American girl. Tell me just what
conversation you had with the prince
few days ago"
"a few days ago! Oh. two weeks
agow
81 don't know when 1t was. But he
asked you for my hand. did he not?"
yes"
You never told me-"
Gordon laughed.
81 haven't told you the names of half
the men who have asked me that"
But in Russia we should know. be-
cause there are tricks. Now, what was
It? Did he say much?"
"No. not much; said he was rich and
powerful and wanted you as an orna.
mental wife or something to that ef.
feet"
"He told me the same thing"
"Told you! Where's"
'In Paulpoff's house"
Gordon painted and sat down.
81 wish you would tell the whole sto-
ry," he said.
81 wish you would answer my ques-
tions first. What happened when Ne
slerov was here? What did he say and
what did you answer"
"He didn't say very much-the usual
thing. Said he loved you and was rich
and powerful and could give you
good station in Russian society and the
world"
"And you said what"
"Why, said you wouldn't marry the
best man on earth unless you loved
him. / said If you would marry the
man wanted you to you would long
ago have been the wife Of Jack Denton,
who
Never mind Mr.. Denton. We were
speaking of Neslerov."
"Yes-but the deuce! You pick your
old dad up so short! am telling you
what said. Don't you want to hear"
"Yes." replied Frances, laughing and
kissing him. "Dear old dad. what did
you say?'
81 said liked Jack Denton better
than any other man on earth and that
you hated him worst. But | wanted
you to marry him because he was good
and noble and rising man. brave
man and altogether a.
Hero and angel in one. What did
the prince say to that?"
"He only repeated what he had said
before"
"Then what"
81 said-why-now, don't get angry
at your old dad-I said you were self
willed creature and acted on your own
whims."
"That is nothing to get angry about
l do. But fear that between us we
have sent the Paulpoffs to their DOOM"
"For goodness sake, how"
at was natural that
ut wasn't natural at all. What did
I say-what have you done-to cause
Vladimir Paulpoff to plot against the
cZar?'
Heavens! Are you so blind? The
Paulpoffs are as innocent Of this charge
as you or l. 1t was against Vladimir
the plot was laid"
81 begin to catch your meaning. Who
was it-Neslerov"
1T is impossible to say whether he
did or not, but suspect him. You re.
member the day he was here. met
him as l came home from the bazaars,
where I had been buying books for
Vladimir. did not, Of course. suspect
that he had been talking with you
about marrying me. Unwittingly l
told him they were for Vladimir and
asked him also to take an interest In
him."
81 also told him Of a blacksmith In
whom you were taking great interest.
He has put that and your independence
together and has imagined Vladimir.
WellT
I had my fears that something was
said about Vladimir. 1t was SO clearly
a plot that I knew the jealousy Of Ne
slerov had been aroused. When l learn.
ed what had been done. I waited two
days at Perm to see Governor Gustav,
but he was away, and I could not see
him. 1t was the superintendent OF