Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-11-12
CHAPTER Nv.
THE MEETING AT THE FORGE.

CHAPTER Nv.
THE MEETING AT THE FORGE
7 was characteristic of Frances
Gordon that. no matter how great
the stress of social or other du-
ties. her mind never lost room
for such favorite schemes as were clos
est to her heart
1t was by reason of this characteris-
tic ut, while her busy father was
deep in the mysteries and intricacies of
the Moscow conference, the subtleties
of which increased as the time for sep
aration and departure drew nearer,
Frances bethought her of fitting op-
portunity to make good promise she
had made to Vladimir Paulpoff. the
blacksmith.
During a conversation held several
weexs- BEFORE yIa6imirnau expressed
desire to study certain books which
were apparently beyond his reach.
Frances promised to obtain the books,
and she did SO. These made quite re-
spectacle package, and drosky was
called to convey her to the railway sta
ton.
1t was nothing new for Frances to
travel alone as far as from Moscow to
Perm, but on this occasion her father,
with some sort of premonition, begged
her to send the books by messenger.
'.Oh, no." she said in her quiet man.
ner Of insistence. I'VE are about to re-
turn to the east, and shall not see
poor Vladimir for long time"
Hang vladimir" exclaimed Gordon
rs he saw his self willed young lady
step into the drosky.
Having alighted at Perm, she hired
another drosky to take her and the
precious books to the forge.
The driver was huge, surly indi-
yidual, whose face was covered with
thick mass of beard and whose voice,
when speaking to one not established
as his superior, was heavy and inso-
lent.
Responding to the call of Frances, he
swung his heavy drosky in toward the
door Of her hotel. A police inspector
stood near, and the driver saluted In
humility.
II hate women!" he said to himself.
''They pay nothing and have things
happen to them. shall get into trou-
BILE before lose her."
Frances stepped toward the vehicle.
and the drivers mouth opened.
'Such woman!' muttered the dros-
ky driver. She must be English or an
American. If she was q Russian, she
would be princess"
with his class in all parts of Russia.
She calmly stepped into the drosky and
handed him silver coin.
81 want to go to the iron shops Of the
Paulpoffs, on the South road" she said.
"Paulpoff-Michael Paulpoff and his
son Vladimir. Do you know them?"
"Yes. l know them. But do you
.know-what has happened?"
mo. Has any one been ill.,"
mo; but
The police inspector came up.
''Any trouble here" he asked sharp
ly.
"Trouble? oh, mop replied Frances.
81 was just asking the driver some
questions"
Where is 1t you wish to got"
ITO the ironworkers'- Paulpoff."
A warning look that meant volumes
to the initiated shot from the inspector
to the driver.
The horses were whipped up. and the
vehicle rolled clumsily over the road.
"You said something had happened
said Frances. ''Is any one sick ut the
Pauipoffsg"
"No: 1t wasn't that" answered the
driver. "But the rain yesterday broke
up the road. did not think you would
wish to come"
Nonsense! There must be SAFE
way to get there"
In truth the way was as safe ant
comfortable us it had ever been, bu
the warning look of the inspector hat
prevented the driver from impartini
the knowledge he had of the Paulpoffs
"Let the police tell their own tales
they are always true then according
to police standards" muttered the driv
err.
1t was long drive to the forge, ant
when the drosky drew near, having
passed through the wild and almos
unsettled region between 1t and Perm
Frances was struck with an air o
mystery that seemed to have suddenl.
developed the place.
There was no sound of the tremen
dous blows of Vladimir that sent tn
ring Of steel far into the forest. N
smoke came from the chimneys. OIL
Mamma Panlpoff had been wont to rul
to her door to see every arrival, but sh
was not to be seen.
The wolfhound that had been Vlad
Mrs pet sat whining upon the pore
and was evidently weak with hunger.
"Old Boris!" cried Frances, leapin
from the drosky. where is your hand
some master?"
The hound, who remembered hel
placed his cold nose in her hand 10y
ingly. He seemed to feel that he ha
found friend.
Frances stepped to the door and pusl
ed it open.
"OhT' she cried.
She had opened the door on Primo
Nicholas Neslerov. who stood Their
about to depart. evidently, with pain
ing under his arm.
"Mlle. Gordon" he said, with boz
and SMILE
where are the Paulpoffs2" she asl
ed.
"why, you have not, then, been II
formed of their misfortune2"
Misfortune! knew nothing of m
misfortune. What has happenedT
"They are dead"
Dead! All the Paulpoffs dead! In
possible! Papa Paulpoff and MANN
Paulpoif might die, they were so oil
but Vladimir! Impossible! So your
and powerful! Nothing but the weapc
OF an enemy could kill him In tn
healthy place." :.
81 spoke as we speak, mademoisell
The Paulpoffs are not really dead. "
speak of man who is caught in erin
and sent off-exiled-as dead. He
dead to his friends and to the worl
Va, ,,uHarctonH2u