The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-18

entrance, and three soldiers and an Off
Ger came in with two prisoners.
s.To the governor!' cried the officer
"There was murder at Tivoloffskyy'
Olga started up, and so did Neslerov.
The governor general turned calmly to
were Vladimir and Papa Paulpoff
Bring them in here,'' ordered Olga.
"Let them be brought before the gov
ernOr general.
This man murdered the superintendent
of police and Unsgethrop,' said the officer
In charge.
."True,'' said Vladimir. 81 did,
Neslerov was the picture of despair and
baffled rage and hate. His glance was
yenomous but his very helplessness made
him haggard Therese white Tipped and
shiyering, came in. Neslerov looked from
one to the other. He knew that some
thing was coming-the end of his career.
The governor general waited, looked
chiefly at Olga, for from her he expected
"Look at that man, Therese!" COM
manded Olga. 49,, S5s-.s.
It was dramatic scene as the girl stood
| with perfect poise and pointed her finger
at Neserov
81 see him." faltered Therese.
''Who is hep
"prince Nicholas Neslerov"
"Prince Nicholas Neslerov, let me tell
you what the governor general already
+ knows" said Olga, and her voice was
cold and steely. For many years my
youth prevented a clear understanding OF
things. l was born after the death Of
! my unfortunate cousin and SO did not
fully take in the significance Of the
mystery of Graslov till a few years ago.
But when l did learn of it re-
solved to sift it to the bottom and make
certain that the one who caused her
! death should be punished. For years
! my efforts were unavailing. l pursued
| every line of investigation that occurred
! to me, and in them all I had the sane
! ton and assistance of the car At last
during sojourn at Graslov in another
name, I met this woman whom you have
, heard me call Therese. Do you know who
she is? She is Nine. Dendoff, widow Of
| that Dendotf who was the slave OF your
wicked father and yourself
| Neslerov was too crestfallen already
! to show further effect of her words. He
made no answer.
For twenty years this woman has
lived with the truth locked in her bosom
! because she feared her husband. The
governor general is here and will hear
this case at once. and from that moment
when he hears the truth you are in his
| hands, Therese who is that man,
She pointed at Vladimir as she spoke.
! '"That-is-the duke OF Graslov!" said
the woman firmly.
Tell your story
1T was twenty years ago, your ex-
| celleucy," said Therese, speaking directly
to the governor general, that the little
| Prince Alexis was lost He was missing
| from the palace at Graslov one evening"
and the poor princess was beside herself
with grief and anxiety. A search was
| made, and my husband, who was in the
service Of the duke, returned from the
| ntn1 fhot hn nh; hoC
| been seen wandering on its banks, and he
| brought back a portion of it's garments
which he said he found close to the water
1t was believed that the child was
drowned and the princess grieved for her
dead boy. The poor prircess did not sur
! vive the shock long, and when she died
! there was trouble between the two
claimed that the duke had misused her
! and caused her DEATH 1t was never set
tied and the two families have since been
/ enemies.
| ct was not less than two years after
when, one night, while he was intoxicated
my husband said something that aroused
my suspicion-that he knew what had be-
come Of the young prince. I taxed him
| with it, and he was maudlin enough tC
confide in me. He hal been poor, but
since the loss of the young prince he had
not worked but had plenty of money
This also caused ME to suspect. He tole
me, in his drunken fashion, that the Duke
of GraSloV did not wish the son OF the
princess to inherit the title or estate. As
the father of the boy had died he was the
heir, but the duke preferred his younger
son, Nicholas. -.
1.-The two, the duke and Prince Nicholas
paid my husband to take the child anl
drown it. He was wicked man, my hus
band, and he agreed. He did take the
child to the Kama and was about to take
from it the telltale clothes when it criel
Justify, and powerful man sprang from
the bushes and took the child. There wa:
a fight in which my husband was badl.
whipped. But he did not dare report t
the duke that he had failed, and so HI
carried out the plans ard reported the
finding of the clothing at the river. 'Thi:
was the clothing lie had taken off pre-
pairing to throw the child in the river
! To me this revelation was a great shock
but my husband threatened my life if
ever breathed word of it to q single per
son. l knew he would keep his threat
and so dared say nothing, for the hous
of Graslov was rich ard powerful and
,, feared to speak even to tie police.
:. THUS I lived year after year wit
the shadow of my husbands crime upo
; my heart, until thought I would go mad
Moved by an impulse l could not control
: I determined to learn if the child wa
alive. I found it in the house of III
| blacksmith, Paulpoff, at Perm. Havin
learned that the little Alexis was we
, and happy 1 felt easier, but resolved tina
= when my opportunity came I would re
: veal the truth. The old duke died an
, Nicholas became his heir and finally be
, came governor. Of Tomsk. A short tim
ago my husband died, and I was free t
| tell. There came to Graslov one day
, | beautiful girl, giving a name that wa
: not familiar, but she was the picture
: | that lovely princess who had died, an
o I watched her I knew she was searchin
= for the truth, and 1 told her what I knew
q We went to St. Petersburg, where she tol
. the czar, and he gave her authority unde
! ! his seal. We went back to PERM but tn
! Paulpoffs were on their way to Siberi
), The princess resolved to follow, and tn
n | meeting is the result.
How did you know the boy in Pau
q poff S house was the young prinee?' aske
4 the governor general. -.s' ....
+ Il saw his mothers picture which he
been around his neck. I recognized h
face, his voice, his manner, and Paulpo
told me how he came into his possession
r This is strange said the governt
general, turning to the old man sternl
q How was it that you kept the you1
prince and did not disclose the fact tn
v. he was alive?'
~ 1T was the prayer of his poor mother
said Papa Paulpoff. 81, too, have n
% story On that day was wandering by II
| river and had been fishing. I heard II
k. cry of child. I ran toward the sou1
and saw the man taking off his clothin
,e:| He cursed it and struck it and said tn
his voice would soon be stilled. I kne
he meant to murder the child, and so
g. III q n