Amador ledger., 1904-07-08
A WOMAN'S REASON
tOriginal.1


centrated in the wedding day of Dr..
Dmitri Urbanieff and Katharine. Tons
koi, two young Russians of the mid
die class, for a whole lifetime. Ur-
banieff had returned from his medical
studies in Paris with light heart, for
Katharine was expecting him, and they
were 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 IA
vor. When Dmitri asked Katharine
for a reason for her prejudice she gave
him no better one than that Alexievech
was "cross eyed" Dmitri laughed at
more about the matter.
The morning of the wedding day
brought a 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 as 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 it 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
few hours in an agony of despair.
Then suddenly 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 a drosky
and drove to his rooms. Instead of
sending for him to come down she ran
upstairs and knocked at his door. She
'Why are you not on the way to st.
Petersburg7' she asked.
81 was too late for the 10 o'clock
train. There is no other till tomorrow"
There is a train on the other road at
4 this afternoon. You have only to
drive five miles to it to catch it."
"Eh? Are you sure? 1 don't believe
there is time"
There is time. Come. I have
drosky below will drive you my
self"
The count began to busy himself
with preparation, making great deal
of fuss while doing very little. Katha-
rine saw his revolver lying on table.
you will need this" she said, taking
it up and thrusting it in a pocket of
her dress. Come, we have no time to
spare"
AleXievech, examining 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 were 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 pistol.
"Fiend," said Katharine, 81 know all.
You are one of the chiefs of police and
have been ferreting out this plot. You
have implicated Dmitri to get him
out Of the way the better to get me
into your clutches. 1 hate you, and
am going to kill you"
Katharine! For heavens sake, of
what are you accusing mel"
write an order for the release of
Dmitri or 1 fire.
But have no authority"
"Write."
The count, who had by this time
caught glance of the girls desperate
face, took out his notebook, tore out
leaf, wrote the order and gave it to
her
Drop the reins 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 q dream. Dmitri got
out of the drosky and demanded salts
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 drosky and, without
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, as the news of Dmi-
tri's release had spread like wildfire,
the p11acfS moro nsronnhlod Tho noro-