The daily Alaskan., 1904-11-12
4 Chapter
 O SurpriSeC

When we were at the university, Peter Densky was marked man among us. In everything he stood head and shoulders above the rest of us.
 One thing troubled me with refer ence to Densky. He had little sweet heart-Allne was the only name knew for her-ln his native town, and feared that by marrying simple country girl he would be less likely to attain that career which I felt was in store for him. l rather hoped he would marry Olga Yarenka, a graduate of the girls seminary near the uni verslty where we studied. Olga ap- peared to me to promise as much for a woman as Densky did for a man. The only thing 1 had against her was that she was tinctured with revolution ary notions, but as Densky was a man to do his own thinking and seemed to be especially bitter against nihilism doubted If she would influence him in this respect. She gave evidence of be- ing partial to Densky, and before he was graduated 1t seemed plain to me that she had won him from his rural sweetheart. Every one said, "What couple those two will make-all intellec- tual and physical vigor,"
 After leaving the university l core sponded for a time with Densky, put he was too secretlve and undemonstra- tive for letter writer, and our core spondence was soon dropped. l sup posed he was engaged to Olga Varenka, but heard nothing of this or an ap- proaching marriage. One day I took up a newspaper and was RstOnished to see a report of Densky's arrest The gov ernment gave no reason, and as DensKy had only been outspoken in one mat ter-his antipathy to the methods Of nihilism-I naturally supposed his ar rest was one of the many mistakes that were made and that he would soon be restored to liberty.
 The arrest occurred in St. Petersburg, and hurried there to be of service If possible. was not permitted to see Densky. l called at the house of Olga Yarenka, but was told that she was so prostrated on account of the arrest that 1t was not best for her to see any visitors. I volunteered my evidence to the police as an intimate friend of Den sky. who knew his habits, and swore that he was bitterly opposed to nihil' ism. I looked for some favorable re suit to follow my statement, but was very much shocked to learn that a few days after I had given it DensEy was sent. with a gang of political prisoners, to Siberia.
 Three months passed, during which my old friend was in my mind nearly all the time I feared he had been in' fiuenced to change his views with re. gard to nlhllism by Olga Narenka and that what had hoped would be a ben. eft had been the cause of his ruin. l heard from the city that she had given over mourning for her love and was engaged to an officer high in favor with the government. One of my friends wrote me that she lived com fortably, and he suspected that Densky had been able to turn over to her some means that had been left him shortly before her arrest.
 The next surprise in store for me was that Olga had been found dead in her bed with a knife in her heart. There was no clew to the perpetrator of the deed, but the police don't talk much in such matters, and l presumed they would give nothing out until after they had arrested the murderer, l spent much time wondering as to the motive for the murder and trying in some way to account for it in connection with Densky's imprisonment, but the more I thought the more mysterious the whole affair appeared to me What was most remarkable was that, though the government made a special effort to discover the slayer of Olga NarcnkG offering as high as 10000 rubleS for his detection, he was never discovered
 It was two years after pcuSky's ar rest, eighteen months after the murder of Olga Yarenka, that young German noblcman called to see me with a let ter of introduction from-whomE | could scarcely believe my eyes when recognized the writing and saw the signature of Peter Deusky. He was living in obscurity in little German town. But a matter no less surprising was that the little country girl, Alne was living with him as his wife The object of Densky's taking the risk of writing me was to ask me to endeuvOr to secure the property he had inherited and had hidden from the government The young German had been a pupil of Densky and idolized him.
 succeeded in finding the property and, putting 1t in diamonds, contrived to outwit the customs officials and the police, taking it to Densly across the border. I found him anxiously wait ing me and 1t, he being eager to de part for America. Now comes the most surprising part of this story. Aline had followed him to Siberia, watched for months for an opportuni- ty to communicate with him and given him tools with which he effected his escape. When I looked at the girl who had accomplished this I was lost | in wonder. She gave no evidence Of brilllancy fin any direction, but it was evident that she worshiped her husband. who was very tender with l her, especially as she seemed somewhat | broken by her efforts in his behalf. | But was not yet through with my surprises. Olga Varenka was paid !