Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1903-04-10

youth and beauty, he forgot the
czar and all Russia.
They were standing beside high
rock, and with an impulse prompted
by his great passion he knelt at her
feet, kissing her hands madly and
begging her to tell him her name.
Her poor heart beat wildly. For
the first time she loved, and at the
cost of her life she resolved to be
true not to her oath, but to the
man who knelt before her.
GO! Flee for your life!' she
cried. "My name is --nihilist!'
He started to his feet and turned
to leave her in dazed manner. A
sharp report of pistol sounded in
the air, and the courier of the czar
fell wounded. With lightning quick
ness Nodine knelt beside her lover,
and while smoothing back his hair
with one hand with the other she
stole the imperial letter and slipped
it into her breast. Then she left
him, for she had made up her mind
that she would carry the important
message to the czar herself.
After travelling day and night
without food or sleep she reached
the palace and delivered the letter
to the czar.
"What can I do for you?" asked
the czar of all Russia.
"What do you do for nihilists?"
she asked him.
"We shoot them,' he answered
angrily.
"Then l shall be shot" She said
it so calmly and deliberately that
the czar looked at her in surprise.
"Nihilist or no nihilist, my child,
you have saved my life, and there
fore | spare your. You may return
to your home in safety"
With a cry like hunted animal
she fell at his feet.
"Don't send me back. The bullet
that struck the courier was meant
for me. | heard the word 'Trai-
tress' Kissed by my own father, and
if | go back he will not miss his aim
again. He has sworn to kill me If
| prove false to the cause, and he
will keep his oath. pray you,
don't send me back"
He saw her agony was genuine,
and, placing his hand on her head,
he said: "Rise, child. You stay
here" At that moment Ivan Liv-
eresky, the courier of the czar,
dashed into the room. His clothes
were covered with mud and his body
weak from loss of blood.
"Thank Godw he cried when he
saw the czar. "Otaroff, the traitor,
is captured, has confessed all, and
you are safe"
"He was my father" said No
dine softly.
The courier caught the back Of a
chair for support, and the czar
turned to her in anger.
eyes, do with me what you will.
| am Nodine Otaroff, who despises
her name, her father and, most of |
all, herself"
"Wait a moment" said the cou-
rier to the czar. "There is some
mistake. Otaroff gave me some pa
pers and confessed having stolen a
child out of revenge from the rich
Cordisky. Her name was Nodine."
And Liveresky handed the docu-
ments to the czar, who in turn,
after glancing over them, gave
them to the young girl.
81 will send a messenger to Mos
COW, and one who would travel
night and day, without sleep or
food, to deliver this letter is the
noblest of Russians" So said the
czar and left the room.
"You have saved my lifew the
courier cried.
"And you mine," answered No
dine.
"Yet, my loved one, it is worth
less without yours"
"Then," she said, with glad tears
in her eyes, 81 give mine for thine.
| love thee, Ivan Liveresky."
He took her in his arms and
kissed her many times. When Cor
1isky arrived, he found he had
gained a child only to lose her
again, for Nodine gave her heart
md hand to a young soldier dec
,rated with the Order of st. George,
given to him by the czar of all Rus