Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-07-21
AWOMAN'S REASON


There was enough of incident con,
centrated in the wedding day of Dr
Dmitri UrbanieT and Katharine Tons
koi, two young Russians Of the mid
die class, for Il whole lifetime Ur-
banieif had returned from his medical
studies in Paris with n light heart, for
Katharine was expecting him. and they
We're TO be married soon after his ar
rival
He found domesticated in the home
of katharine's father Count AleXie-
vech, who had some months previous
appeared in the village near by and
who had brought letter OF introduc-
ton to Tonskoi For what he came
and how long he proposed to stay he
gave no information. Dmitri. when he
found the young man SO intimate with
the family of his sweetheart, was trou-
bled, but he soon made the discovery
that Katharine did not like the count,
and this reassured him. Why she did
not fancy her fathers guest was puz-
zle, for the doctor could see plainly
that the count seemed to desire her fa-
vor. When Dmitri asked Katharine
for reason for her prejudice she gave
him no better one than that AlcNicvcch
was "cross eyed" Dmiri laughed at
this feminine reason and thought no
more about the matter.
The morning of the wedding day
brought shock TO the community. A
dozen persons in the vicinity were ar
rested, and the most narrowing fea
ture was that the young doctor who
was to have been married In the even
ing, was among them The prisoners
instead of being given trial were hur-
ried off to Siberia Count AleXievech
appeared to be as surprised and indig-
nant rs any one and volunteered to
start at once for ST Petersburg, where
he claimed to have influence, to pro-
cure the doctors release. Dmitri was
earnest In his gratitude and begged
the count to strain every nerve to free
him before 1t should be too late Kath-
arine could only cling to her lover, de
spairing of ever seeing him again.
After her lovers departure she passed
a few hours in an agony of despair.
Then suddenly a desperate resolve took
possession of her. She distrusted the
counts promise. Shortly previous to
the wedding day he had left her IA
ther's house and taken rooms In the
village. Katharine ordered drosky
and drove to his rooms Instead of
sending for him to come down she ran
upstairs and knocked at his door. She
found him walking the floor
why are you not on the way to st.
Petersburg" she asked.
II was too late for the 10 o'clock
train. There is no other till tomorrow"
There Is a train on the other road at
this afternoon. You have only to
drive five miles to it to catch it."
''Eh? Are you sure? l don't believe
there is time"
There is time Come. I have n
drosky below. l will drive you my
self"
The count began to busy himself
with preparation, making n great deal
Of fuss while doing very little. Katha
rine saw his revolver lying on table
You will need this" she said, taking
II up and thrusting IT in a pocket OF
her dress. Come, we have no time 10
spare"
Alexievech, cramming some brushes
into bag, accompanied her downstairs
They got into the drosky. Katharine
seized the reins and drove away as
fast as the horse would carry them.
As they We're passing through a
wood Katharine complained that her |
fingers were numb and asked the count |
TO take the reins. He had no sooner |
done so than he felt something hard |
pressed against his neck and heard the |
click of a pistol
"Fiend," said Katharine, II know all. |
You are one of the chiefs of police and !
have been ferreting out this plot You |
have implicated Dmftri to get him |
out OF the way the better to get me
into your clutches. l hate you, and l
am going to kill you"
Katharine. For heavens sake, of
what are you accusing meT
Write an order for the release OF |
Dmitri or fire"
but nave no authority.
Write"
The count, who had by this time
caught glance Of the girls desperate
face, took out his notebook, tore out /
a leaf, wrote the order and gave it to /
her.
Drop the reius and get out of the
drosky," she said He obeyed, and
Katharine, whipping up the horse, was
soon out Of sight.
She knew that the route the prison
ers had taken was the one she was on,
their conductor intending to take them
on the train she had proposed to the
count to take. She soon overlook the
party, produced the order, which was
respected. her lover got into the drosky
and they drove homeward When ap-
preaching the village they saw the
count ahead of them. He was walking
with his head bent down on his breast.
When they came up to him he looked
up as though In n dream. Dmitrl GOT
out of the drosky and demanded satis-
faction for the wrong that had been
done him. The count looked at Kath-
arine with hopeless expression. ask
ed her to give Dmitri the revolver
and barred his breast. Dmitri turned
away got into the droslly and, without
a word from him or Katharine TO the
count, drove on
At the hour that had been announced
for the wedding the bride and groom
were ready. and, rs the news of Dml
trfs release had spread ike wildfre,
the guests We're assembled The cere-
mony passed as quietly as had been
expected.
When the bride and groom were
alone together Dmitri asked:
Katharine. how did you know the
man was the cause of my arrestY
Il didn't like the squint in his eyes"
was her confident reply
n