The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-02-26
0TAROFF'S
DAUGHTER

L 1ntrust you With sacred du-
ty,' said the general as he handed
MS courier a letter. Remember,
you are to stop for nothing. If you
fail, you will be shot, but if you
succeed the Order of st. George will
Adorn your breast. Now go, and
God be with you in all your perils. !"
The young courier knelt and
swore to protect the life of the car
with his own, and then he pushed
the curtain aside, leaving the gen
eral alone.
The evening was fair, cold and
beautiful. AS the general leaned
from the balcony Of the palace he
thought what a farce this ball was
when his heart was full Of terror
for the car and all Russia.
In the adjoining room near a
marble pillar stood a young girl
covered with magnificent satin and
Jewels. Looking at her with fash
ing eyes was d man Of about forty,
with coal black hair and cruel ex-
preston.
"Nodine, this must be your
work" She shivered as he spoke,
but Otarof, the traitor, had no mer-
ey.
"And to it at once" he said.
"What is my task ?" she asked
him, and again she shivered.
Merely to throw yourself in his
way, and this courier will forget the
czar and all Russia"
81 doubt it, she answered.
S'You must not doubt it," he
cried. ''Our scheme must go through
this time, and the courier will ar
rive too late. You hear, my beauti-
full daughter %
SSBut, father she said pleading
ly, s'you havenever used me as de-
coy before. Oh, / beg of you not to
do it nowl l cannot do it. / can
not"
'SFool!" he Kissed at her. "You
little know your power. With your
beauty you can do anything"
"You are a strange father" she
said slowly, looking at him with no
spark of love in her eyes, "but I
may prove traitor too. What then,
father ?"
He bent his head and whispered
in her ear: Il will shoot you. my
beautiful queen, so take care. For
the first time tonight I doubt you,
but tits an insane idea. Go into
the ballroom and dance an hour,
then return to your house and pre-
pare for your journey
She went from him down the
marble steps into the room beyond
and never once looked back. Her
heart was sad and heavy. Many no
ticed the beautiful woman, but
wondered why her face was so
tragic.
It was about 8 the next night
after the ball when the courier of
the car arrived at the first post
house and asked for a change of
horses.
"Stop little % asked the worthy
postmaster
NO." answered the courier in
tone which silenced all other ques-
lions.
Il want horses and nothing else"
The Russian looked with much
admiration On this tall courier and
speedily went for them. With
clap Of the whip the tarantass was
off. and the little Russian was alone,
but not for long. Down the road
he saw another tarantass coming at
breakneck speed "Ah, perhaps
they will STOP" he said to himself.
The little man had to flee for his
fife, for the horses dashed on, and
he only caught sight of very beau
tiful face in a red hood.
A dreadful storm broke upon the
night, and in the darkness a flying
tarantass dashed by the one occu-
pied by the cotEier. "Some one
else in this dreadful Storm" thought
he. God help them!" When the
first dawn of day came, the rain
had ceased, and they were almost
past the dangers. In the middle
of the road lay the figure of a wo-
man, and the horses almost ran
over her.
<'She is deadw cried the courier
as he laid his hand upon her heart.
sSNo; she lives. [ cannot see a NOR
tai die ike this" So, with the help
of the driver, he carried her to the
tarantass and laid her gently down.
There he sat, looking at the girls
pale face and wondering what he
should do with her.
Suddenly she opened her large
dark eyes and gazed into his face.
Her wondrous beauty captivated
him, and he forgot to ask her if